TITLE: Jaws

RELEASE DATE
:  1975

RATED: R

REVIEWED BY
:  The DarkSider - A Milestone Review #100
MY HISTORY WITH THIS FILM: Perhaps one could look back and say �what exactly has made me the person I am�.  Along those lines, a person can wonder too what made them love the things they adore.  When it comes to movies, certain people love Drama, other people like romance, for myself horror primarily has always been my passion.

It was several years ago when I decided to open DarkSider�s Realm taking on several films leading up to this milestone.  Many films have come and gone as of this review�s writing and I think back now of how I was introduced to the film I�m about to review as #100 and how it lead to my love of our counter film culture. 

My older brother and I spent a lot of time together in my younger days growing up.  He is several years older than me so by the time I was around 6 or 8, he could easily get into restricted movies and rent them as well.  I recall when he brought home the shiny new laser disc player.  At first he couldn�t figure out why his copy of Grease wasn�t playing but after a neighbor came over to fix the problem, the films rolled on his bedroom television with ease. 

I�d always be invited to watch films in my brother�s room.  Little did my mother know I watched a lot of horror films back then.  My brother would take over the editing of certain film�s bloody parts by telling me to look away which I always did.  Either that or he�d put me in a headlock blocking the television.  It was during this time my rooting, if you will, too place into being a huge horror fan. We watched everything from Poltergeist to Friday The 13th.  Along with those classics, one of those films happened to be Jaws.  Who knew it would become my favorite film of all time. 

As a kid growing up, I had no clue what exactly Jaws did for the movie industry.  It was one of the first summer blockbusters and it also changed the swimming habits of people since it first appeared on the big screen all the way until it came on DVD.  For a small DarkSider however, it was all about what I knew at that point in my life. 

Jaws captured a pure essence of New England.  I spent many of summers in the Cape Cod area with my family fishing off piers and taking in the summer sun on the beaches.  The film, mostly shot on Martha�s Vineyard, brings forth a �what if� theory with a relentless assault of a huge predator on a populated New England beach. 

Indeed Peter Benchley�s tale turned movie brings forth a terrorizing aspect for anyone who has ever swam in the ocean.  From the beginning girl who gets sucked  under by Jaws until the ending explosion, the film is nothing but perfect suspense.  The pure skin bumping aspect of not knowing what is in the water under you is something I always think of whenever I swim in local waters. 

The film�s players are brought to life in perfect believability with Roy Scheider taking the reigns as  lead character Chief Brody.  Scheider brings forth (and excuse the analogy) a fish out of water feel to the character who is originally from New York.  However Brody�s compassion and concern for all people in the water is what makes him an admirable character. 

Richard Dreyfuss brings us Matt Hooper, a wise cracking scientist who  is the perfect conflicting character to Richard Shaw�s character Quint.  The pure tension between then men is what makes a good portion of the latter part of the film.  However, its their love of the sea that makes them almost the perfect odd couple. 

Quint�s speech about  USS Indianapolis is one of the most chilling and frightening spoken word  moments in movie history.  Simple terrors such as that make up the movie leaving the aspect of theater of the mind to take over.  This has always been a much more effect method I feel than splattering blood uselessly all over the movie. 
The film sheds light on  the beau racy of governments and the conflict between Brody and the mayor is perfectly played out.  Living in a vacation area as of this review�s writing,  I know for sure what a real life incident like this would cause several people with seasonal businesses. 

All in all Jaws is one film I can watch anytime its on television or anywhere else it may be playing.  Every time I hear John William�s epic shark machine, it�s a given the hair on my arm stands on end.  Steven Spielberg�s epic is almost a bit of comfort food for yours truly.  Its the perfect film that I am honored to have as # 100 in the history of my site.

I hereby dedicate this review to my brother who introduced to the wonderful film culture that I enjoy.
OVERALL GRADE
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