Jaws on PAL Laserdisc

Jeremy Clarke reviews Jaws Distributed by
Pioneer LDCE

• Cat. No: PLFEB 34291
• Cert: PG
• Running time: 120 minutes
• Sides: 2 (CLV)
• Year: 1975
• Pressing: UK, 1996
• Chapters: Yes
• Sound: Mono
• Widescreen: 2.35:1
• Price: £19.99
  

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  Director:

  Steven Spielberg

  Starring:

  Roy Schneider
  Robert Shaw
  Richard Dreyfuss

This early Spielberg feature put him on the map as wunderkind director. In other hands, it’s easy to imagine this novel adaptation about an oversized shark terrorising a holiday beach town as bog-standard Hollywood fodder, but helped greatly by the demands of an efficient and well-crafted script, Spielberg’s brilliance as a visual storyteller really shines.

Even the then state of the art mechanical shark – something of a liability – is kept to an onscreen minimum, particularly effective when viewed from above through the distortion of the water surface. The climactic half hour – aided no end by LD’s visual clarity – makes great use of yellow barrels harpooned to the beast which then charge along the water’s surface, an unforgetable blue widescreen seascape vista punctuated by bright yellow.

The characters may be little more than sketchy ciphers, but since the piece works on the level of fairy story (the vanquishing of an evil sea monster), that’s all that’s needed.

The pre-Dolby Surround sound occasionally makes you yearn for rear sound effects – as when a tin can flies from a dead shark’s mouth and skids across a wet autopsy floor towards camera – but is nonetheless impressive despite such technical limitations.

The chaptering copes admirably with the tough task of choosing sensible moments in Spielberg’s complex precision editing, while transfer of picture and sound are (as typically with Pioneer) of the highest standard.

One carp: the trailer which opens the disc is horribly hissy – a problem which vanishes the moment chapter two hits the film proper. Overall, an impressive disc – with teeth – and a worthwhile addition to any LD collection.

Film5/5 Picture5/5 Sound4/5 Review copyright © Jeremy Clarke, 1996.

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