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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Stillness in the Water" )

directed by Steven Spielberg
USA 1975

 

Jaws on 4K UHD is compared to the Blu-ray and DVDs HERE

 

It is hard to imagine the impact that “Jaws” had on its audience back in ’75, but more than any other film to date if affected the actions of normal rational adults, who normally wouldn’t think twice about taking a dive on a hot summer day, but suddenly were cautious about bathing. Even in remote countries as Denmark, people thought twice about entering the water, out of fear for a sudden shark attack.

As the mayor says to Brody: “Its all psychological! – You say barracuda and people say huh? – You say shark and you have a panic on the fourth of July!”

For centuries sharks have been associated with death and seen as a vicious killer and the script uses this to full extend and paints a picture of a monster of supernatural proportions more related to the tales of the ancient mariners than of modern accounts. “It will swallow you whole”, says Quint, who as Ahab has a personal hatred towards any shark and who, as Ahab, eventually falls victim.

More than just painting a picture of a rogue shark, Spielberg transfers the image to mythology. This is not just a shark, this is the essence of all sharks, which further is stressed by Quint’s Ahabian persona. The connection to Ahab is further stressed by the name of his boat, Orca (meaning whale or vessel), and by Quint's harpooning rifle.

In essence this is Hitchcockian suspense theory at its finest and Spielberg knows how to play it. Notice in the beach opening sequence, how Spielberg constantly puts out false hints, only to camouflage the real forewarning: Skippy the dog suddenly is missing, indicated by the calling of his owner and by the index of the stick, allowing us a moment to realize that the dog has been eaten by the shark, and as we do, to let the dum-dum theme begin and cut to the sharks point of view. Not only does Spielberg demonstrate perfect control of this mechanism, he even pays additional homage to Hitchcock by creating his vertigo effect.

It always helps to have a great story, and “Jaws” is one of the greatest, but it also helps a lot to be a great storyteller and director, who knows what strings to pull. The characters in “Jaws” are perhaps more important to its success than the shark and the mythology that follows it. Brody, with whom we most easily identify, is little by little introduced to what its all about, and functions as a translator for the audience. But the central character is Quint, as our fear makes it easy for us to accept his hatred, even more so after the Indianapolis monologue, after which not only the characters are bonded, but also “we” the audience: From then on its “us” against the shark, “our” fear.

Supported by perhaps the most recognizable score ever, “Jaws” changed cinema forever, becoming the first block buster and making the summer quarter the central release period and made Spielberg into the hottest talent around. Today, thirty years later, “Jaws” still is as effective and as inviting as it was originally, and is, alongside “King Kong”, amongst the greatest monster films ever made.

Henrik Sylow

Poster

Theatrical Release: June 20th, 1975

Reviews                                                                            More Reviews                                                                  DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Universal Pictures (2-disc 30th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Maarten de Haas and Henrik Sylow for the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 

Box Covers

  

  

Also available in a Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook in the UK and Germany:

  

Distribution Universal Pictures
Region 1 - NTSC

Universal Pictures

Region 2 - PAL

Universal Pictures
Region 1 - NTSC
Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:03:48 1:58:52 (4% PAL speedup) 2:03:54 2:04:01.058
Video

2.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.16 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.31:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: N/A mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

2.30:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.56 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,914,993,889 bytes

Feature: 36,322,983,936 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.64 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition DTS, 5.1)

Bitrate:

Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition)

NOT AVAILABLE

Bitrate:

Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS)

 

Bitrate:

Universal Blu-ray

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 5.1,English Dolby Digital DTS, English Dolby Digital 2.0, DUBS: Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1 English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, German Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono,

English Dolby Digital 2.0, English DTS

DTS-HD Master Audio English 4893 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 4893 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio Spanish 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio English 768 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English, Spanish, French, None Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Hebrew, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Polish, Spanish, none English, French, None English (SDH), Spanish, French, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.30:1

Edition Details:
• 
The Making of Jaws For the first time ever on DVD, viewers will get a complete glimpse into the making of Jaws with this 2-hour documentary.
• From The Set An insider's look at life on the set of Jaws, featuring a never-before-available interview with Steven Spielberg.
• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes
• Jaws Archives Take a peek inside the Jaws archives including storyboards, production photos, and marketing materials, as well as a special segment on the Jaws phenomenon.

• Handsome 60-page full color Commemorative Photo Journal
 

DVD Release Date: June 14th, 2005
Keep case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.31:1

Edition Details:
• Spotlight On Location: The Making of Jaws
• Deleted scenes
• Outtakes
• Shark World
• Get Out Of The Water
• 720 Storyboards & Production drawings
• The original Jaws theatrical trailers x 3
• Production notes
• Cast & Filmmakers notes
• Production Photo Gallery
• DVD-ROM: Screensaver

DVD Release Date: July 24, 2000
Keepcase. This Edition is OOP and very hard to get these days

Chapters 21

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.30:1

Edition Details:
• Spotlight on Location: The Making of 'Jaws' (50:08)
• Deleted Scenes (10:16)
• Outtakes (1:07)
• Get out of the Water - Trivia game
• Shark World - Text information
• Production photographs
• Storyboards
• Trailers
• Production notes
• Cast & Filmmakers notes
• DVD-ROM: Screensaver

 

DVD Release Date: July 11, 2000
Keep case

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: Universal Pictures

Aspect Ratio: 2.30:1

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,914,993,889 bytes

Feature: 36,322,983,936 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.64 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:
• 
The Making of Jaws For the first time ever on DVD, viewers will get a complete glimpse into the making of Jaws with this 2-hour documentary (2:02:48)

• 10-part The Shark is Still Working: the Impact and Legacy of Jaws (1:41:21)

• Jaws the Restoration - (8:29)
• From The Set An insider's look at life on the set of Jaws, featuring a never-before-available interview with Steven Spielberg
(8:56).
• Deleted Scenes + Outtakes (13:33)
• Jaws Archives Take a peek inside the Jaws archives including storyboards, production photos, and marketing materials, as well as a special segment on the Jaws phenomenon.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:15)

• My Scenes

 

Blu-ray Release Date: August 14th, 2012
Standard Blu-ray case inside cardboard case

Chapters 20

 

 

 

Comments

Jaws on 4K UHD is compared to the Blu-ray and DVDs HERE

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray (August 2012): Universal have really made up for the previous weak, greenish, DVDs with a wonderful restoration for Jaws. The fear was over-digitization, but aside from some very infrequent waxiness - this looks like a huge triumph.  Colors are more vibrant and true, details rises, skin tones warm and move from their 480 orange hue. Contrast is subtle and not overbearing on the image (an easy thing to do in restoration), artifacts that plagued the SDs have been removed - as shown in the included featurette. Depth is rare but exists. I think most viewers will be highly impressed with the resulting 1080P visuals housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a solid bitrate.

Audio is equally improved with a strong DTS-HD Master 7.1 at a whopping 4893 kbps. The separations have aggressive tendencies and subtle mixes are appreciated. John Williams score never sounded more dynamic and builds the tension as the film progresses. Depth is seething in its power which, when tested, thunders to life, but in a restrained expression. All good. There are optional subtitles on the region FREE disc.

Supplements also go the extra mile. We get the full 2-hour, and excellent, The Making of Jaws documentary as found on the 2005 Anniversary DVD. It is worth re-watching - even in 480i. I also liked the 10-part The Shark is Still Working: the Impact and Legacy of Jaws that runs a lasting 1 3/4 hour. New is an interesting piece on the restoration - lasting 8.5-minutes and the previously seen From The Set: An insider's look at life on the set of Jaws, featuring a never-before-available interview with Steven Spielberg and the Deleted Scenes + Outtakes that run shy of 15-minutes. The Jaws Archives take a peek inside the Jaws production files including storyboards, production photos, and marketing materials, as well as a special segment on the Jaws phenomenon. There is a trailer - also only in SD. The disc is My Scenes capable as well as Ultraviolet and Digital copies on a second disc.

The massive legions of Jaws fans will be very pleased with this incredible Blu-ray - highly impressive a/v and bonus extras. One of the better packages of the year to date. Strongly recommended!

***

ADDITION (Universal - 30th Anniversary) DVD - 2005 - well, if its not the exact same image as the 25th Anniversary NTSC then it is as close as 'dammit' is to swearing. I wonder if every 5 years that Universal will come out with a 'new' edition using the old transfer ... and leaving in the artifacts of DVDs gone by. Differences from the older NTSC edition are:

1) Less extras on the 'film' disc for the newer editions (see details below)

2) More extras in total on the 30th Anniversary as there is a 2nd disc with a new full length documentary.

3) More audio options (5.1 , DTS and original mono) in the new 30th as well as two 5.1 Dubs.

4) Addition of Spanish optional subtitles adding to the English and French

5) Clearer and brighter font subtitles in the 30th Anniversary edition.

6) Inclusion of the Commemorative Photo Journal (see and enlarge photo below)

BOTTOM LINE: Although the image still has a slim black border on the right and left edges (hindering full horizontal resolution) and the artifacts remain as prevalent - the package is an appealing purchase as well as for those keener on 5.1 than DTS (playability). The feature documentary in the 30th extras is quite good and the commemorative journal is stunningly beautiful - one of the nicest extras I have ever seen in a DVD package. You can buy now of wait for another 5 years - it will be in HD by then... or maybe even 3-D, probably the same transfer flaws though.

***

Comments on the first 2 in the comparison (25th Anniversary editions): By today's standards, these DVDs are not up to par. The image is grainy, lacks sharpness in details, and there are several places throughout the film, where artifacts is so visible, it almost looks like birds in the sky (look image #2).

Sadly all editions lack the original mono track, which had a unique sound mix. The 2.0 DD surround is very centerbased, but is no match. The choice between 5.1 DD and DTS goes clearly to the DTS track, which is very impressive. The DTS LFE is tight and especially the score comes to full effect here.

The biggest disappointment about this anniversary edition is however the butchering of the documentary, which originally appeared on the laserdisc in 2-hour length, but for the anniversary DVD was edited down to 50 minutes. However, this is still, even in its reduced length, one of the best documentaries made.

Wishlist for the 30th anniversary edition in 2005 would be a 2-disc edition with the original mono track, a remastered version of the film and the original documentary restored. In short, We gonna need a bigger DVD.

 - Henrik Sylow

JAWS - When Universal released JAWS, they knew the book was a hit, but had no idea the film would be the most commercially successful natural disaster film since Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS, another Universal release. Since Spielberg was using the Hitchcock playbook at the time, that makes sense. Now that Spielberg's WAR OF THE WORLDS is due out, the darkest commercial action film he's made since the JURASSIC PARK films, it makes sense for a more complete JAWS to finally get issued on DVD. The uncut original documentary will no longer be held prisoner on the 12" LaserDisc box set and the great DTS remix is included. The picture has also been restored, as shot by the unsung hero of the film, cinematographer Bill Butler. Butler was in his prime in the 1970s, previously working with Spielberg on his haunted house telefilm SOMETHING EVIL starring Darren McGavin, which has not been out since an early VHS edition. He later shot the great police action drama HICKEY & BOGGS, Francis Coppola's brilliant THE CONVERSATION, creepy Sci-Fi flick DEMON SEED, underrated sequel DAMIEN: OMEN II, megahit GREASE, hit thriller CAPRICORN ONE and camp classic CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC. They all looked great and were shot exceptionally well like JAWS. Maybe a DTS DVD release of SOMETHING EVIL is in order, like DUEL. The new JAWS DVD looks as good as any of them, restored and looking like it did in 1975.

Nicholas Sheffo from FulvueDrive-In.com


Commemorative Photo Journal from 30th Anniversary version - CLICK to enlarge!

 

Menus

Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition DTS, 5.1) - Region 1 - NTSC

 

Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition DTS, 5.1) - Region 1 - NTSC

Disc 2


(
Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
 

 

Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Subtitle sample (English subtitles only)

1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


Screen Captures

1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

NOTE: artifacts in the clouds/sky on the DVDs

 


1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


1) Universal Pictures (30th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Universal Pictures (25th Anniversary Edition - DTS) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 


Hit Counter


Report Card:

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray
Box Covers

  

  

Also available in a Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook in the UK and Germany:

  




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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