Released June 20 1975.
I was 10 years old and remember that summer well, the mania surrounding it, if you hadn't seen it yet you were nobody! Everyone talked about it. By the time I saw it in the theater in August I already knew most of the storyline but that didn't diminish my enjoyment.

To me, it remains one of, if not the greatest, examples of movie making ever. Everything a movie is supposed to be.

In an unusual reversal, the movie was better than the book, which had extraneous subplots that added nothing to the story, among them Brody's wife and Hooper having an affair and a bizarre exchange between Brody and his wife about how lamb should be cooked.

My parents wanted to see it, so I went with them. I was seven years old. I was too young. It was too suspenseful for me. The head popping out of the boat really did a number on me, but mostly it was John Williams's ominous score that made me uncomfortable. I made my mom take me out of the movie theater before it was done.

Had I made it past the halfway point, I would've been okay. It then becomes a high seas adventure story instead of a horror movie. But, I didn't know that at the time, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
In an unusual reversal, the movie was better than the book

Totally agree, and congrat's on 30K posts!

15 years old for me when it came out. We lived near the coast in San Diego and frequently went to the beach. Until Jaws..At least 15 years before I would EVER go in the ocean again. And still my head is on a swivel.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
In an unusual reversal, the movie was better than the book, which had extraneous subplots that added nothing to the story, among them Brody's wife and Hooper having an affair and a bizarre exchange between Brody and his wife about how lamb should be cooked.

Yes, that's true, but there was reasoning behind all the subplots. The Shark was supposed to be the incarnation of all the evil being propagated by the people in that community. Evil incarnate coming back to literally bite people in denial of their behavior and attitudes. The book had a definitive paranormal tone that was deleted in the movie completely.

But I still enjoy the movie more, even being stripped down to a basic monster movie, though done impeccably well.

The best part of Jaws is Quints narration of the Indianapolis sinking.
Shaw should have won an Oscar for Jaws.

Will the next sequel be called GUMS?

I was in late elementary school maybe middle school when I first saw it.
Was at a sleep over at a buddy’s I was born in 1983. So would have been mid to late 90s when I saw it.
I have watched it a few times and actually watched it about 2 months ago and enjoyed it just as much.

Can’t believe Alex Kitner has been gone for 50 years.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
the movie was better than the book, which had extraneous subplots that added nothing to the story

The Godfather was the same.

quote:

Originally posted by LastCubScout:
The head popping out of the boat really did a number on me, ...

I haven't seen it in years, but whenever I think of the movie I think of this exact scene.

I remember it well, I was out of high school, my brother and I saw it at the local theater on the front row after getting a buzz. There was a couple of scenes when the whole theater jumped. I've got one, two and three on BD but the first two were my favs by far.

quote:

Originally posted by Orguss:

quote:

Originally posted by LastCubScout:
The head popping out of the boat really did a number on me, ...

I haven't seen it in years, but whenever I think of the movie I think of this exact scene.

I was 11, living on Oahu.
This scene still ricochets in my memory.

That was the summer before my senior year in high school and I remember driving to the mall to see it with my then girlfriend in my 1968 Ford Falcon.

Life was so much simpler back then!

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
That was the summer before my senior year in high school and I remember driving to the mall to see it with my then girlfriend in my 1968 Ford Falcon.

Life was so much simpler back then!

Funny, my wife and I watched Congo last night. I was 12 in 1995 when Congo came out and I remember going to see it in the theater with my Dad.

After watching it with my wife I said I miss the 90s and she asked why?
I said Life was so much simpler back then.

I checked behind the door in my cousins guest bed room for a shark , after turning on the light.
.

Others wanted to go see it a second time, I declined.

Saw it in the theater when released, I was 11. One of my all time favorites. Watch it at least once a year, sometimes more. Always plays during the summer, shark week. Brother lives on Martha's Vineyard and went to the different locations it was shot. Definitely scared me and kept me out of the ocean a bit when I was younger. It also reminds me of simpler times, boy do I miss those days......

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
Will the next sequel be called GUMS?

[Cliff Clavin]Actually, sharks continuously shed and regenerate new teeth throughout their lifetime, and never lose all their teeth even in old age.[/Cliff Clavin]

quote:

Originally posted by LastCubScout:
The head popping out of the boat really did a number on me,

That, and being a kid and seeing the MA State Police dive team searching for bodies in a local quarry is the reason that dive rescue is one of the few crafts in the fire service I will never want any part of.

I'm all set with bobbing for bodies.