Great article - and really well written. I commented recently on Simon Dillon’s pitch for Star Wars, saying I won’t vote as it’s like choosing aa favourite child. And while Star Wars has an emotional pull for me for reasons that will never be topped, I’m actually of the view the Jaws, as you say, is not just a great summer blockbuster, it’s a bone fide masterpiece of cinema. Every shot, every set-piece, scene, movement. Every use of dialogue, colour palette, sound, music, or silence, is pitch perfect and adds something to the narrative. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched it, but I know I see something new and joyous almost every time.

One thing you did mention, was that the villain was only on screen for 4 minutes. Was the shark ever the villain, I wonder. The Der-dum music may be its signature in attack mode, but John Williams offers it something altogether more resplendent and dare I say, joyful, when we see it gracefully cutting through the water when pursued by the Orca.

Thanks for sharing, it’s a great read about a truly great film.