Stephen Spielberg’s iconic film Jaws turns 50 this year, and so Universal has re-released the movie on 4K disc in a new Jaws 50^TH Anniversary Edition. We had previously reviewed the 45th Anniversary 4K release, and since this is pretty much a repackaging, we are repeating much of that review below, since it still applies. The primary difference between the 45th and 50th Anniversary releases is that the 45th came with a collectible booklet, while the 50th swaps that out for a new Blu-ray containing the new 88-minute documentary “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story”. The 50th Anniversary Edition is also available in optional limited edition SteelBook packaging.

The summer has arrived, and the resort town of Amity Island, MA is preparing for its annual Fourth of July festivities and the influx of tourists. This will be the first summer for Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), who had just relocated with his family from New York City the prior fall. When the body of a young woman washes ashore, likely due to a shark attack, Brody immediately wants to shut down the beaches. Mayor Larry Vaughn is concerned about the local economy, and reminds Brody that Amity is a summer town that needs summer dollars. He overrules Brody’s request, and suggests to the coroner that he list the official cause of death as a boating accident. However, as soon as the residents return to the beach, the shark strikes again, this time taking the life of a young boy. The boy’s mother then offers a big reward for whoever captures and kills the shark. Chaos quickly breaks out as the town is overrun with folks from all over, all eager to get out on the water, find that shark, and claim the reward.

Meanwhile, Brody calls for the assistance of oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), hoping that he would be able to help them figure out what they are dealing with and how to contain the problem. However, once they determine that the predator could be a massive 25-foot mako shark, it becomes evident that they are going to need more help. So Brody enlists local professional shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw), a gruff no-nonsense war veteran who speaks what’s on his mind, seems to know what he’s doing, and isn’t afraid of what lies ahead. The three men board the Orca and head out into the ocean to hunt down the shark, but the task isn’t going to be easy, and may require a bigger boat.

It had been years since I last saw Jaws, but it didn’t take long for me to remember why this has become a beloved classic. Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece is an expertly-crafted thriller. The viewer is initially just given small glimpses of the creature, leaving the mind to fill in the gaps. The film’s iconic score builds the tension and sells the menace of this unseen monster as it stalks and approaches its prey. At first we don’t see too much blood and gore—for the first victim, there is just a far away shot of her arm covered in seaweed on the edge of the beach. It’s not until much later in the film that things get a bit more graphic, and the viewer actually sees just how massive and deadly this shark really is. While this measured reveal could be chalked up to good luck that the film’s mechanical shark had broken down and its role in the film had to be reduced, but I see it was destiny. Building this slow reveal really increases the effectiveness when we see it in all its glory in the film’s third act.

In addition to the monster tale, the film also explores the lives and unlikely friendship that is formed between the three men trying to save the town. The film is wonderfully cast with a trio of amazing actors, who have transformed each their parts into what have become iconic roles. The film also makes use of many locals, which adds a more authentic feel to the film. The second half of the film follows these three very different men as they come together to hunt down the shark. It becomes a game of cat and mouse (or is it fish and fishermen)—the tide is constantly turning, with the predator becoming the prey and vice-versa. Brody has had some sort of traumatic drowning incident in his past and doesn’t like the water, and yet he moves from New York City to become the police chief of an island town. Now he finds himself on a boat in the middle of the water being hunted by a deadly killer. Hooper is a scientist who comes from a wealthy background, but is constantly trying to prove himself and his worth to Quint, who often treats him like a spoiled, rich weakling. And Quint is a former Navy seaman whose traumatic experiences have turned him into the hardened, tough man he is. Quint is on a revenge mission to kill that shark, and he won’t let anything get in his way.

JAWS has held up amazingly well over the past five decades—ignoring some of the clothing styles, it certainly doesn’t look and feel 50 years old. Parts of the film’s story still feel quite relevant, not unlike how things were during the COVID shutdowns. As Brody calls for the beaches to be shut down for 24 hours, you can hear one of the residents whining in the background that “24 hours is like 3 weeks”. The beach-goers are more concerned about the inconvenience than a possible major health threat. At the same time, those in charge are eager to ignore the health risks in order to keep the economy going. (Sound familiar?!). The rest of the story also feels quite timeless—a story of predator vs prey, or man against nature.

Universal has released this 50th Anniversary Edition of Jaws in both Limited Edition SteelBook and Standard 4K packaging—we we sent the standard packaging release for review. The 4K and Blu-ray discs are identical to those from the 45th Anniversary release. The picture looks and sounds amazing. In 2012, the film was completely cleaned up and remastered for Universal’s 100th Anniversary Blu-ray release, and that same master has likely been used for this release as well. The Blu-ray version of the film already looked and sounded phenomenal, with a clean, detailed picture with just a pleasant amount of film grain. I wouldn’t say that the 4K release makes a world of a difference to the already nearly-perfect Blu-ray. However, there is a definite uptick in detail to faces and textures, such as clothing or the scratches in the wooden boat, in reflections and shadows, or in ripples on the ocean water. The Dolby Vision color palette helps to bring out the beautiful underwater shots and bright blue sky. There is the odd exterior scene here and there where the grain is briefly a little more excessive, but these are the exception. The colors are well balanced and don’t vary wildly like you would typically see in a film of this age. This film certainly looks better than it could have even when it was first released in theaters. The audio track provides clear dialogue and really showcases the film’s iconic score. You instantly feel the terror as those da-dummmm da-dummmm notes fill the room and speed up as the shark approaches its victim.

This contents of this 4K release are identical to the 45th Anniversary release with one exception. The previous material includes 2 feature-length making-of documentaries, 13 minutes of deleted scenes/outtakes, an 8-minute look at how the film was restored, a 9-minute visit to the set by a British journalist, the original trailer, and four photo galleries. All of the material except for the photo galleries also appear on the 4K disc. The 4th Anniversary release had included a collectible booklet, but instead this new 50th Anniversary release trades that for the excellent, all-new 88-minute National Geographic documentary “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story”, which resides on its own Blu-ray disc. This new documentary is now available in the bonus material for the digital release as well.

The 4K and Blu-ray discs reside on trays in a standard 4K keepcase, placed inside of a glossy cardboard slipcover. The release also includes a code for a 4K Movies Anywhere compatible digital copy of the film.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:03:56)

4K Ultra HD:
• 2160p / Widescreen 2.35:1
• Dolby Vision / HDR 10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English 2.0 Mono DTS Digital Surround, Spanish 5.1 DTS Digital Surround, French 7.1 DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.35:1
• Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 Mono DTS Digital Surround, Spanish 5.1 DTS Digital Surround, French 5.1 DTS Digital Surround
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Documentary Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Digital (code may not be valid after 6/30/2021):

• 4K digital copy redeemable via Movies Anywhere

Extras:

Some bonus material can only be found on the Blu-ray film disc. These are notes with an *. The rest is available on both discs. All of this bonus material is ported over from the previous Blu-ray release. The 50th Anniversary documentary can be found on a separate Blu-ray disc on its own.

• Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (1:28:04)
  New to this release. Filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau interviews Stephen Spielberg and many other filmmakers, scientists, actors, and more as they look back at the film 50 years later. The participants talk about working with Spielberg, their experiences seeing the film for the first time, how it inspired them and their careers, the film’s cultural and film impact, the history of the book, adapting the novel, designing and creating the shark, shooting on location in Martha’s Vineyard, casting locals, the challenges of filming on the water, falling behind schedule and over budget, the use of improvisation, the love/hate relationship between actors Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, adding Quint’s U.S.S. Indianapolis motivation, the stress of making the film, the iconic score, the reactions and reviews, the shark frenzy that followed, the continuing popularity of the film, and more. This is a very interesting and entertaining new documentary!

  Includes home video, archival interview and behind-the-scenes footage, concept sketches, outtakes, and new interviews with director Steven Spielberg, critic Janet Maslin, filmmaker Cameron Crowe, filmmaker/FX artist Greg Nicotero, filmmaker/National Geographic Explorer James Cameron, filmmaker J.J. Abrams, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, ocean filmmaker/National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry, ocean conservation advocate Wendy Benchley, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, filmmaker Jordan Peele, filmmaker George Lucas, Tracy Benchley Turner (daughter of Peter and Wendy Benchley), Nat Benchley (brother of Peter Benchley), Clayton Benchley (son of Peter and Wendy Benchley), ocean restorationist/filmmaker Philippe Cousteau, shark scientist/National Geographic Explorer Gibbs Kuguru, shark biologist/author Dr. Greg Skomal, shark expert/chief scientist Dr. Austin Gallagher (Beneath The Waves), production designer Joe Alves, Jaws collector Jim Beller, on-set teacher Carol Fligor, shark conservation biologist Candace Fields, professor of marine biology Dr. Stephen Palumbi (Stanford University), CEO/co-founder Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Cynthia Wigren, founder of The Daily Jaws Ross Williams, chief scientist/VP New England Aquarium Dr. John Mandelman, composer John Williams, and actors Jeffrey Kramer (“Hendricks”), Emily Blunt, screenwriter Carl Gottlieb (“Meadows”), Lorraine Gary (“Ellen Brody”), Jonathan Filley (“Cassidy”), background artist Todd Rebello, Jeffrey Voorhees (“Alex Kintner”), René Ben David (“estuary kid”) & Ian Shaw (son of Robert Shaw).
  

• The Making of JAWS (2:02:48)
  Originally filmed for the 1996 Signature Collection Laserdisc release, this fascinating 2-hour documentary provides an in-depth look at the making of the movie. It includes lots of behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, home video footage, and interviews with the cast and filmmakers. Participants include director Stephen Spielberg, author/co-screenwriter/ actor Peter Benchley (“The Interviewer”), producers David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck, co-screenwriter/actor Carl Gottlieb (“Meadows”), shark cinematographers Ron & Valerie Taylor, former MCA president Sid Sheinberg, stuntmen Ted Grossman & Richard Warlock, production designer Joe Alves, director of photography Bill Butler, composer John Williams, and stars Roy Scheider (“Brody”), Richard Dreyfuss (“Hooper”), Lorraine Gary (“Ellen Brody”) & Susan Backlinie (“Chrissie”). Presented in 4:3 Full Frame format.
• The Shark Is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of JAWS (1:41:21)
  Originally produced in 2007, this ten-part feature-length, documentary (narrated by Roy Scheider) not only looks at the making of the film and the technical challenges the filmmakers faced, but also the influence the film has had in the decades that followed its release. Includes interviews with director Stephen Spielberg, monster movie historian Bob Burns, author Peter Benchley, director of photography Bill Butler, producers Richard D. Zanuck & David Brown, production designer Joe Alves, special mechanical effects Roy Arbogast, screenwriter/actor Carl Gottlieb, production executive William S. Gilmore Jr., actors Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Jay Mello (“Sean Brody”), Jeffrey Kramer (“Deputy Hendricks”), Susan Backlinie, Lee Fierro (“Mrs Kintner”), Jeffrey Voorhees (“Alex Kintner”), Jonathan Filley (“Tom Cassidy”), Will Pfluger (“Armada Boater”), Hershel West (“Quint’s Mate”), Henry Carreiro (“Felix”) & Dick Young (“Pratt”), trailer voice Percy Rodrigues, former Universal Studios CEO Sid Sheinberg, directors Kevin Smith, M. Night Shyamalan, Robert Rodriguez, Patrick Read Johnson, Bryan Singer, Eli Roth, Eduardo Sanchez & Chris Kentis, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, Hollywood Worldviews author Brian Godawa, Cinefex associate editor Joe Fordham, documentarian James Gelet, The Making of Jaws director Laurent Bouzereau, art collector Richard Martel, poster art illustrator Roger Kastel, composer John Williams, “Hooper” stunt double Dick Warlock, shark behavioral ecologist R. Aidan Martin, daughter of Craig Kingsbury Kristen Kingsbury Henshaw, special effects Kevin Pike, owners of editor Verna Fields’ former residence Jeff & Victoria Myers, shark cinematographer Ron & Valerie Taylor, marine biologist Greg Skomal, and effects artist Greg Nicotero. Presented in widescreen format on the 4K disc, and in 4:3 Letterbox format on the Blu-ray disc. Play All, or select from:
  • Martha’s Vineyard, 1974 (17:29)
    A look at the production.
  • This is a Great White… A BIG One! (21:50)
    The marketing of and reactions to the film, the Oscar snub for Spielberg, the merchandising, and more.
  • The Theme (4:00)
    The film’s iconic score.
  • The Shark Is Not Working (5:00)
    The blessing in disguise about the shark constantly breaking down and not being able to have more of it in the movie.
  • Call Me Ishmael (17:39)
    The mythological parallels of the story that make it a classic, timeless hero’s journey story. Plus a look at the actors who played the victims and smaller roles.
  • I Love Sharks… I Love Them. (4:20)
    The fascination with sharks, and filming the real-life shark scenes.
  • The USS Indianapolis (6:38)
    The evolution of Quint’s monologue, and working with actor Robert Shaw.
  • JAWSFEST (12:02)
    A look at the annual Jawsfest celebration in Martha’s Vineyard on June 3, 2005, and the props that fans have collected.
  • Life Imitates JAWS (3:45)
    A real life shark spotted in Martha’s Vineyard in 2004.
  • The Shark Is Still Working (8:32)
    The influence of the film on today’s filmmakers.
• JAWS: The Restoration (8:28)
  Originally created for the 2012 Universal 100th Anniversary Blu-ray release, this featurette takes a look at the extensive work that went into restoring the film. Includes interviews with director Stephen Spielberg and Universal execs, technicians, colorists and audio mixers Peter Shade, Michael Daruty, Bob O’Neil Seanine Bird, Daniel DeVincent, Eric Bauer, Phil Defibaugh, Leo Dunn, Frank Montaño, Richard LeGrand, and John Edell.
• Deleted Scenes and Outtakes (13:33)
  Collection of deleted scenes/outtakes that play back-to-back. Presented in 4:3 Letterbox format.
• From the Set (8:56)
  In this vintage featurette from 1974, Brit Iain Johnstone takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. Presented in 4:3 Full Frame format. Includes interviews with director Stephen Spielberg.
• Theatrical Trailer (3:15)
  Presented in widescreen format on the 4K disc, and in 4:3 Letterbox format on the Blu-ray disc.
• JAWS Archives*
  Collections of storyboard and production photos as well as domestic and international marketing material. Slides auto-advance every 8 seconds.
  • Storyboards* (29:45)
  • Production Photos* (48:44)
  • Marketing JAWS* (9:20)
  • JAWS Phenomenon* (10:08)

Final Thoughts:

JAWS is a fantastic film that really holds up 50 years later. The movie looks and sounds amazing, thanks to an extensive restoration effort a decade ago. This release contains the same excellent assortment of bonus material that was included on the previous 45th Anniversary 4K release, except for the collectable booklet. However, this 50th Anniversary does add an additional Blu-ray disc containing the wonderful new 88-minute National Geographic documentary “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story”.

For folks who already purchased the previous 45th Anniversary 4K release, the discs are the same, so the choice to double-dip comes down to whether or not you want the new documentary Blu-ray disc or the new collectible SteelBook packaging. The documentary has already been added to the digital bonus material on Movies Anywhere and Fandango at Home, even for those who already own the digital release.

Either way, this film should be a part of every movie lover’s collection, and if you don’t already own Jaws on 4K disc/digital, this is definitely the release to pick up!