Jaws

Jaws (1975) is considered by many to be the first summer blockbuster. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film chronicles events in the town of Amity after the body of a shark attack victim is discovered. Concerned that knowledge of the attack will cost Amity the summer tourist dollars, the lifeblood of the town, the town leaders decide to pass the attack off as a boating accident. Sheriff Martin Brody argues against the cover-up, but, lacking the power to fight the town leaders, allows the paperwork to be altered. After the death of another person, a reward is offered for the capture of the shark, leading to a flood of would-be shark hunters. Quint, a local shark hunting expert, offers up his services for ten grand, but is rejected until an attack on the 4^th of July, and Brody, Quint, and Matt Hooper, a marine biologist specializing in sharks, set out to end the shark's reign of terror.

Jaws is single-handedly responsible for propelling Spielberg up to the big kid's table in Hollywood, and is still one of the most iconic movies of all time. The steady build of suspense through the use of camera angle, focusing, and the well known Jaws theme keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film. The movie becomes even more impressive when the fact that a large portion of it was shot “out at sea”, utilizing other boats to mount cameras on. It is also interesting to note that Jaws is classified as a horror/thriller film, which it certainly was for its time, although the definitions of genres have changed drastically since then.