Jaws opens across the U.S. in 1975. Steven Spielberg’s first major film, based on author Peter Benchley’s bestselling book, becomes a massive hit and almost single-handedly creates the summer blockbuster. The film also inspires multiple sequels and a legion of rip-offs featuring orcas, bears, crocodiles, and piranhas. The film wins Academy Awards for Best Score, Best Sound and Best Editing, is 48th on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest American Movies and in 2001, the Library of Congress selects it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
This Day in Halloween: Steven Spielberg’s horror classic "Jaws" starring Roy Scheider opens across the U.S. in 1975. / Illustration by Allen Sison
