50 Years Later, Jaws Still Has the Biggest Bite

Original article here:

https://www.peliplat.com/en/article/10067952/50-years-later-jaws-still-has-the-biggest-bite

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Jaws - the film that didn’t just change how movies were made, but redefined what we think of as a “summer movie.” Half a century later, it still holds its place as a masterpiece of suspense, storytelling, and sunburned dread. And for me, growing up in the UK, Jaws wasn’t just a thriller about a shark. It was my first real taste of Americana, and the moment summer itself took on a whole new meaning.

The sun-drenched beaches of Amity Island seemed like a dreamscape to a kid raised in a grey inner city. I genuinely believed Amity was a real place, only to find out years later it was filmed on Martha’s Vineyard. Still, it had everything I imagined a perfect American summer should have: golden sands, ice cream cones, teenagers partying by bonfires, and of course… something lurking just beneath the surface.

From the very first viewing, Jaws left a deep and permanent mark on my imagination. It split my life into two eras: Before Jaws and After Jaws. Before Jaws, the sea was a source of joy and freedom. After Jaws, even paddling in the freezing waters of the Irish Sea gave me pause. I mean, that water’s so cold any shark would need thermal underwear just to last five minutes! But that didn’t matter. The movie made me believe the threat was always there, and that’s the genius of it.

It wasn't just the shark that fascinated me. It was the whole atmosphere - the tension, the setting, the sense of community under siege. For a kid like me, raised far from beaches or boats, the town of Amity was like catnip. A picturesque seaside village filled with sunburned tourists and salty locals felt like a postcard from another world. Even with a giant man-eating fish terrorizing its waters, it still looked like the kind of place I longed to visit.

And then there was the forbidden allure. Jaws was one of those movies that made you feel like you were sneaking a peek into the adult world. The teens drinking and smoking on the beach, the skinny-dipping girl disappearing in the moonlit surf , it felt thrilling and dangerous. It was the kind of film you knew you probably shouldn’t be watching. Which, of course, only made it more intoxicating!

There’s a scene that’s stayed with me for decades: the three men - Brody, Hooper, and Quint - sharing drinks in the boat’s cabin, showing each other scars like war stories. It starts almost like a comedy, macho posturing and laughter, but slowly transforms into something chilling and profound. Robert Shaw’s “doll’s eyes” monologue about the USS Indianapolis is still one of the most haunting speeches I’ve ever heard in a film. It was the first time I truly understood that horror isn’t always loud or fast, sometimes it creeps in quietly, when you least expect it.

But if I had to pick a single moment that embodies the film’s brilliance, it would be the scene with the boy on the dinghy. He’s so young, so innocent, the kind of character you expect to be safe. That false sense of security is shattered in seconds. The panic, the screams, and the devastated look on the mother’s face - hit me like a gut punch. It was shocking in a way most horror films weren’t. It felt real.

To me, Jaws is the ultimate summer movie because it captures both the fantasy and the fear of the season. Summer isn’t just ice cream and sunburns, it’s also mystery and risk. Spielberg understood that perfectly. He gave us characters we could root for, a monster that was both literal and symbolic, and a soundtrack so iconic that two simple notes - duh-dum - can still send shivers down spines around the world.

Fifty years on, Jaws remains as gripping, as fun, and as terrifying as ever. It wasn’t just a blockbuster, it invented the blockbuster.

It made the beach dangerous. It made summer thrilling. And for anyone who saw it young like me, it left an impression as big as a bite from old 'Bruce" himself.