I have a confession to make. Back in 1975, when I was just 14 years old, it took me two attempts to sit all the way through Jaws. I left early the first time, the shock of that first attack having thoroughly unnerved me. Nothing in my horror film experience had prepared me for such a superbly crafted thriller. On the second attempt I stayed in my seat the entire film and thoroughly loved the experience by the film’s exciting conclusion. Jaws is one of those powerful, influential movies that transcends its time, place, and troubled production.
Jaws is based upon the best selling novel by Peter Benchley about a rogue Great White shark that persists off the coast of a New England beach community, killing bathers and threatening the resort’s livelihood. The story was inspired, but not based upon, a series of shark attacks on New Jersey beaches in 1916 when four people were killed. Even before the book was published Hollywood grabbed the rights and started the process of developing a feature film, turning production over to a novice director, Steven Spielberg.
Spielberg, seeking a more realistic look than previous ocean going stories had achieved, decided to shoot the ocean scenes actually upon the sea.
Plagued by technical difficulties, weather delays, and the general inability to control the set, it took the production crew nearly twice as long and twice the budget to complete production; however when they finished Spielberg and the producers had invented a new concept, the summer blockbuster.
Smashing every box office record, Jaws owned the summer of 1975 and today it is still a powerful and influential movie.
Jaws is one of my favorite films. I owned it on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and as of last week, Blu-Ray. For the blu-ray release Universal paid the bucks for a full restoration, going back to the original camera negative, repairing damage to the film and remastering the sound in 7.1 channels, but not digitally altering the shots or special effects. The results are simply spectacular. I have not seen this film look this good since 1975.
Add to all this a fantastic cast of Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, and Robert Shaw, and you have one of the preeminent films of the second half of the 20th century. If you have never seen Jaws, this blu-ray is the right way to see it, short of a 35 mm projection.

(One note- I watched this Saturday Afternoon, when I could turn on the sub-woofer and not bother any sleeping people, but I still count it as my Sunday Night Movie.)