Jaws Blu-ray Review (A Universal Release. Rated PG).

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If you’ve been watching Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, you’ve likely seen ads for the new ‘Jaws’ Blu-Ray.

[amazon_image id=”B007STBUIW” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Jaws [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet] (Universal’s 100th Anniversary)[/amazon_image]

“Jaws” brings back fond memories. It came out when I was 5, so I didn’t see it until a few years later when it was edited for TV. I was hooked. It was scary but not so overpowering that it gave me nightmares. Spielberg has that deft touch to make the terrifying palatable for younger viewers. It remains the gateway horror film.

It was the first big summer film, paving the way for my next life changing film event: “Star Wars”, and….pretty much every blockbuster since. But don’t blame “Jaws” for the lesser, empty calorie bombast that followed. “Jaws” at its core, is a small, lean film, relying on suspense, not special effects. The fact that the mechanical shark (nicknamed “Bruce”) never quite worked forced Spielberg to use him sparingly, making the resulting film far more terrifying.

I’m not going to go into a deep review of the film. A film that scores 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is pretty much beyond reproach and has been well covered.

But if you haven’t seen it, then you should be punished by being submerged in a shark cage. Get with it.

So let’s get to the Blu-ray specs:

You might be wondering; how could a film shot on grainy 70’s film stock be worthy of an HD transfer. Can you really tell a difference?

YES. “Jaws” looks gorgeous (well as gorgeous as a dead eyed killing machine can be).

The opening scene proves it.  The warm crackle of the campfire, and the clear ripples of water during Chrissie Watkin’s evening swim, no longer suffer under a gauzy haze. And for every boy frustrated by the murky water obscuring the aforementioned skinny dipper, all shall at long last be revealed. And the rest of the film looks just as amazingly crystalline clear. You’ll see every bristle in Robert Shaw’s amazing sideburns. Sorry, did that spoil the mood?

To further convey my point, check out this screenshot comparison from the original negative to the restoration:

 

Pretty impressive right?

But it’s not just the visuals that are vastly improved. The audio pops with with a crisp, dynamic 7.1 audio transfer. When “Bruce” rams the boards in the boat you’ll leap back in your seat. And John Williams’s churning soundtrack saws away with renewed vigor.

But if you’re a film geek like me, you wont just be sold on improved visuals and sound. What about the special features?

Well for those craving a commentary, Spielberg remains elusive. Why this man won’t regale us with stories of the making-of in any of his films is a tad frustrating. But perhaps he thinks he’s said all that he needs too.

What is included is the long in the making fan-made doc “The Shark Is Still Working“. It does get a tad repetitive, but there’s a lot of cool trivia and interviews with old cast and crew members. I loved the segment with Percy Rodriguez, the voiceover narrator who gave the original film trailer foreboding gravitas. And the factoid that Australian lifeguards will often play John William’s iconic score over the loudspeakers as a shark alert was pretty funny.

I also really enjoyed the extra “Jaws: The Restoration”, which shows the laborious process that went into restoring this film. It’s quite enthralling. And when Spielberg mentions that “Jaws” will look better on your TV than it ever did in theaters, I can vouch for him.

Click here for a clip of the restoration extra.

Beyond that, you have an archive of most of the special features from the 2000 DVD release (behind the scenes doc, deleted scenes, etc), and a slide show of the promotional materials used to market the film overseas. Also included is a DVD release of film as well as digital copy.

There’s also “Pocket Blu-Ray App” that lets you integrate with your smart phone. Seems like a lot of work for little reward, but tech geeks may enjoy playing with it.

Bottom line, if you’re a “Jaws” fan and have a Blu-ray player, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. You won’t be disappointed.

You can buy the Jaws Blu-Ray from Amazon (and see the full list of special features) by clicking on the image below.

[amazon_image id=”B007STBUIW” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Jaws [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet] (Universal’s 100th Anniversary)[/amazon_image]

** You might also enjoy my recent reviews of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Prometheus‘as well as my Squidoo page on Best Blu-Rays. And my cool list on underrated films.

And anyone remember the Jaws Board Game?