History YMMV / Jaws

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Jaws was initially picked up as a script treatment by Universal Pictures, [[TroubledProduction but ran into problems almost immediately]]. A rookie director who only had one other feature film — that bombed in theatres — to his name was chosen to direct the film. An actor who believed he was now box-office poison because of his prior work signed up as one of the main characters. Filming ran overbudget and overtime, with executives denying funding for key reshoots (which then had to be paid out of pocket). There were accusations that the practical effects were cheap and laughable, [[SerendipityWritesThePlot forcing the filmmaker to improvise]] by keeping it offscreen for most of the runtime. Yet, contrary to StevenSpielberg and Richard Dreyfus' beliefs, Jaws became the first film to see wide-release distribution, became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and ushered in a new wave in American filmmaking.

* IAmNotShazam: "Jaws" is not the name of the shark. It had no name, except maybe [[ProductioNickname Bruce]].

* {{Sequelitis}}: To a ridiculous extent. But to be fair, Jaws 2 ain't all that bad.
* SerialNumbersFiledOff: The Italian rip off ''L'Ultimo Squalo'' (also known as ''The Last Shark'' and ''Last Jaws'') from 1981. Shark's leitmotif was good though.

* {{Sequelitis}}: To a ridiculous extent.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: ''JawsUnleashed'' was not great. At least they let you play as the shark. For some there is a lot of [[ComedicSociopathy amusement]] to be had from [[VideogameCrueltyPotential biting down on a scuba diver and dragging him at high speed through the water while he screams in terror]] before tearing him to pieces. And then there's the fact that the license included the use of the [[{{Leitmotif}} iconic theme tune]].

* {{CanonDiscontinuity}}: What allows the original movie to be untainted by the sequels.

** And of course the [[Game/{{Jaws}} infamous NES game]], which mostly consists of swimming around harpooning innocent and harmless sea creatures.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Jaws was initially picked up as a script treatment by Universal Pictures, [[TroubledProduction but ran into problems almost immediately]]. A rookie director who only had one other feature film — that bombed in theatres — to his name was chosen to direct the film. An actor who believed he was now box-office poison because of his prior work signed up as one of the main characters. Filming ran overbudget and overtime, with executives denying funding for key reshoots (which then had to be paid out of pocket). There were accusations that the practical effects were cheap and laughable, [[SerendipityWritesThePlot forcing the filmmaker to improvise]] by keeping it offscreen for most of the runtime. Yet, contrary to StevenSpielberg and Richard Dreyfus' beliefs, Jaws became the first film to see wide-release distribution, became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and ushered in a new wave in American filmmaking.

* {{Discontinuity}}: What allows the original movie to be untainted by the sequels.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Jaws was initially picked up as a script treatment by Universal Pictures, [[TroubledProduction but ran into problems almost immediately]]. A rookie director who only had one other feature film — that bombed in theatres — to his name was chosen to direct the film. An actor who believed he was now box-office poison because of his prior work signed up as one of the main characters. Filming ran overbudget and overtime, with executives denying funding for key reshoots (which then had to be paid out of pocket). There were accusations that the practical effects were cheap and laughable, [[SerendipityWritesThePlot forcing the filmmaker to improvise]] by keeping it offscreen for most of the runtime. Yet, contrary to StevenSpielberg and Richard Dreyfus' beliefs, Jaws became the first film to see wide-release distribution, became one of the highest-grossing films of all time and ushered in a new wave in American filmmaking.

* BetterThanItSounds: It's a movie about a killer shark who looks really fake.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: ''JawsUnleashed'' was not great. At least they let you play as Jaws. For some there is a lot of [[ComedicSociopathy amusement]] to be had from [[VideogameCrueltyPotential biting down on a scuba diver and dragging him at high speed through the water while he screams in terror]] before tearing him to pieces. And then there's the fact that the license included the use of the [[{{Leitmotif}} iconic theme tune]].

** Maybe the sharks are just that evil!
* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Now with [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Funny/Jaws its own page]].
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: ''Da-DUN. Daaaa-DUN.'' The shark's {{Leitmotif}} is one of the most famous in film history.

* [[JumpingTheShark Jumping The Voodoo Shark]]: Jaws: The Revenge is the trope namer for VoodooShark, as noted below. This also counts as JumpingTheShark. Thankfully, it is only mentioned in the novelization, and not in the films themselves.
* HarsherInHindsight: In ''Revenge'', Judith Barsi plays Michael's daughter, who is almost killed thanks to Michael neglecting to warn his family that there's a shark nearby. She almost died because of her father, [[{{Tearjerker}} yeah...]]

* {{Tearjerker}}: Mrs. Kintner's confrontation with Brody over keeping the beaches open after Chrissie's death, resulting in her son being killed.

* FridgeLogic: The scene after Hooper is shocked into dropping the huge shark tooth by the severed head in the hull of the boat consists of him and Brody confronting the mayor and demanding the beaches be closed. The mayor takes the absence of the tooth as the lack of evidence he needs to ignore their warnings - the two of them seem to forget they actually have ''stronger evidence'' in the form of the mutilated human remains aboard the wrecked boat! The reason for this gaping error is that the shot of the severed head was added by Spielberg at the last minute to wring "one more scream" out of the audience, but no script alterations were made to accommodate it.
** The first shark victim wasn't enough evidence why should a busted up boat and a busted up body inside be proof of a shark to the mayor?
** The mayor still hoped the (dead) tiger shark was responsible
** Wait up there. The quote at the top of the main page infers the possibility of both evolution ''and'' {{God}}?
*** Not really FridgeLogic, depending on who you talk to...There are some people out there who are majoring in fields of science and very religious often stating things like, some people who are one of those don't deny that it is possible for evolution, that its probably one of "[[HandWave God's many mysterious we humans can't comprehend or understand]]" or something...I don't know....that and RuleOfCool obviously, the quote sounds pretty awesome the way it is, don't you try and deny it.

* {{Narm}}: The third film ends with two dolphins jumping out of the water on the both ends of the screen as female lead yells "YEEAAAHHH!"
** Fourth film's infamous roaring shark.
*** For some fans, in the fourth film, the mother claiming that "fear of the shark" is what killed BadAss Brody.

** Even better when [[spoiler:the [[JumpScare shark pops up out of nowhere]] while Brody is tossing chum behind the boat and the leitmotif ''did not play''. In every scene ''before'' that, the da-dun music kicked in warning the audience that the shark was coming.]]

* FollowTheLeader: the SummerBlockbuster and "giant dangerous animal" movies were all inspired by this film.

* YouFailBiologyForever: Sharks. Do. Not. Roar. Nor are they able to swim backwards. Also, sharks do not usually attack you unless you provoke them or they can smell your blood in the water. But they will attack you if you look like a seal or a turtle, which the little kid just happen to look like, but they won't eat you whole -- so that's a relief.

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqiWWmAEfTA A roaring shark?!]]
** "My husband tells me you're in sharks."
** The vandalisation of the Welcome to Amity sign with a spray-painted shark fin and a speech balloon coming from the beach bunny: "Help, shark!"
*** And the hint that these were particularly well-researched vandals, drawing the fin in correct proportion to the woman.
** When Quint sees the shark cage, he doubts its reliability, saying "you go in the cage. Cage goes in the water. Shark's in the water," then smiles and starts singing "farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies! Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain!"

* CrowningMomentOfFunny (has its own page now):

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: ''Da-Duh. Daaaa-Duh.'' The shark's {{Leitmotif}} is one of the most famous in film history.
** Even better when [[spoiler:the [[JumpScare shark pops up out of nowhere]] while Brody is tossing chum behind the boat and the leitmotif ''did not play''. In every scene ''before'' that, the da-duh music kicked in warning the audience that the shark was coming.]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny:

* {{Narm}}: Third film's ending, where two dolphins jump out of water on the both ends of the screen and female lead yells "YEEAAAHHH!"

* AdaptationDisplacement

* {{Voodoo Shark}}: Trope Namer, specifically regarding ''Jaws: The Revenge''.

* [[JumpingTheShark Jumping The Voodoo Shark]]: Jaws: The Revenge is the trope namer for VoodooShark, as noted below.

* {{Voodoo Shark}}: Trope Namer, specifically regarding ''[[SoBadItsHorrible Jaws: The Revenge]]''

* SoBadItsHorrible: ''Jaws: The Revenge'', by all accounts.
--> "This shouldn't be the title. The title should be ''Here's a Fish, You're Stupid''." - Richard Jeni
** Part 3 wasn't exactly a masterpiece either.
** Nor was Part 2, but they both manage to have some genuinely decent parts. Part 4 just flat out sucks.