Original Release Date
June 20, 1975
Rotten Tomatoes
97%
Letterboxd Score
4.1/5
Official Synopsis
When a young woman is killed by a shark near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing the loss of tourist revenue. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.
The Hunters
- Roy Scheider: Martin Brody
- Robert Shaw: Quint
- Richard Dreyfuss: Matt Hooper
- Lorraine Gary: Ellen Brody
- Murray Hamilton: Mayor Larry Vaughn
The Architects
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Writers: Peter Benchley & Carl Gottlieb
- Cinematography: Bill Butler
- Music: John Williams
- Editing: Verna Fields
The Official Trailer
The Accolades
- 🏆 Academy Award Winner: Best Film Editing, Original Score, and Sound Mixing.
- 📽️ Historical Impact: Often credited as the original summer blockbuster.
Vault Intelligence
- The mechanical shark, nicknamed "Bruce," rarely worked, forcing Spielberg to suggest the shark's presence using John Williams' iconic score.
- Robert Shaw’s famous USS Indianapolis monologue was largely rewritten by Shaw himself the night before it was filmed.
Film Specifications
| Financial Backing | $9 Million Budget |
| Theatrical Earnings | $476.5 Million (Global Gross) |
| Cinematic Format | 35mm / 2.39:1 Anamorphic |
Retrospective Pending
"Ray’s full 2026 Northstar analysis for this foundational blockbuster is currently being restored from the vault."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Masterpiece of Suspense
