Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Jaws is credited with inventing the modern blockbuster, which has defined summers for 50 years. Returning to theaters Friday, the movie exemplifies the ideal to which new tentpole films should aspire.
Based on Peter Benchley's best-selling novel, Jaws shows how a local story can become universal. The film centers on a great white shark terrorizing the coast of Amity Island in New England, which becomes apocalyptic for the residents.
When the shark attacks begin, Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches for public safety, but Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) won't allow it in the interest of the summer tourist business. Subsequent attacks only make matters worse and bring a madhouse to town, with weekend warrior hunters and media who exacerbate the situation.
Marine scientist Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) validates Brody's concern that the deadly shark remains at large. They team up with veteran hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to kill the creature in the open ocean.
Amity is one island town, but viewers from around the world visit it frequently on screen (and even in several sequels) because it could be their hometown. The characters who die could be their family or neighbors, and the stakes are everything.
