Jaws (1975)

The result of an infamously prolonged and troubled shoot, Jaws was greeted with critical acclaim and record-breaking box office from the moment of its release. Not every hit movie maintains a good reputation and a looming presence in pop culture as it ages, but Jaws has arguably grown in esteem in the six decades since it was released. Jaws has "inspired" scores of knockoffs, director Steven Spielberg would soon become a dominant figure in Hollywood, film studios would use Jaws as a case study in how to produce, release, and market big movies, and people spooked by Jaws would hunt the great white shark to the brink of extinction. Ryan is joined by Sylvan and Cheryl for a talk about this uniquely successful and influential movie. Discussion topics include the movie's approach to 1970's cynicism, parallels between Jaws and the Covid-19 pandemic, generational tension, the storytelling appeal of mystery, how Jaws contributed to the death of the New Hollywood movement, and the multiple competing versions of Jaws as a stage musical.