Film Friday: 'Jaws' directed by Steven Spielberg

Is there any other modern film that has had a bigger, more lasting impact on the film industry as we know it today than Steven Speilberg's 1975 film Jaws? I think you can probably make a case that there isn't. Even Star Wars owes something to Jaws. The film created the summer blockbuster almost single-handedly, proving that a hit film can be released in the middle of the summer. In addition, it also managed to be a critical success, proving that Spielberg was going to make an impact on the film industry. It even did what Stagecoach did for Westerns – that is, pulling a genre out of the B-movie realm and into the mainstream.

Taken at face-value, Jaws has a rather simple storyline. A shark is attacking the small New England village and three men, police chief Brody (Roy Scheider); experienced hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) and young marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), who set out to kill it.

While this may be enough of a plot for a summer film today, it wasn't for Spielberg, who knew what worked in Peter Benchley's novel and what wouldn't translate well to the screen. Benchley, who co-wrote the screenplay with Carl Gottlieb (both of whom appear in the film), added amazing depth to all these characters in his book, an aspect that does make the film, particularly with Brody. We learn that even he has his faults – he's not just your typical, one-track mind cop trying to protect everyone. He has to deal with the pressures of an annoying mayor who never understands the gravity of the situation and his own fear of water. We also see his life at home with wife, Ellen (whose role in the book is much bigger as Benchley explores her inner demons as well) and his sons.

The genius of Spielberg is that he also knows how to balance artistic ambition with giving the audience what they want to see. We get our heavy dose of action when we need it, but he does have a Hitchcockian way of delivering his thrills in Jaws. The shark obviously has to be treated as a character that everyone talks about but not seen until the final act. Like Harry Lime in The Third Man and countless other works of literature, the shark is given to the audience in little doses until the final act. We never really see the beast until Brody gets a good look at it and gives the most famous improvised line in film history.

The biggest thing that had to go from the novel was Benchley's rather anti-climactic ending. After two hours of a shark wreaking all kinds of mental and physical havoc on Amity, the last thing you want to do is let the shark die of its wounds. You need an explosion and that's what we get (even if Mythbusters proved it was impossible). Yes, this works well if it is Moby Dick or in the novel, but not in Spielberg's Jaws.

Another aspect of Jaws that keeps it so fresh after almost 40 years is the wonderful performances by the cast. It is just pure joy to see Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss interact in the film. Robert Shaw's performance remains haunting – particularly during his monologue about the USS Indianapolis. How he didn't get a supporting Oscar nod remains a mystery to me. Shaw just finished working with producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown on The Sting, stringing together an amazing one-two punch for the actor. Amity is also filled with a collection of colorful characters, headlined by Murray Hamilton's eccentric and incredibly annoying Mayor Vaughn.

Of course, you can't talk about Jaws without highlighting John Williams' iconic, Oscar-winning score. The film simply wouldn't be the same without the famous theme, but there are other fantastic moments. To me, the barrel chase would be nowhere near as exhilarating as it is without that score.

Jaws, which had its Blu-ray release this week, remains one of those rare films that has not only retained its impact in film, but in overall pop culture as well. There have been countless parodies, three sequels and even theme park rides. The film has even fueled interest in sharks, to the point that the Discovery Channel launched Shark Week (which was this week, coincidentally). It's a movie you can watch over and over again and just be amazed by how the the cast and crew goes about its business. Jaws is a perfect movie that will continue to make people afraid to go into the water.