What’s cooler than a new Air Jaws special for the 25 Anniversary of Shark Week? A newly remastered JAWS, that’s what!!!
Tied in with their 100-year anniversary, Universal has released a long-awaited digitally remixed and remastered version of the 1975 classic, JAWS. What’s that? You’re worried they’ve “pulled a Lucas” and fiddled with the menacing shark masterpiece? Well, buddy – I have some surprisingly happy news for you! Because they did not. Not only did they not fiddle with JAWS at all (he’s still our beloved & occasionally clunky, mechanical sharkbot) – but they didn’t change a single damn thing. Not one.
Which version would YOU rather watch?
(Okay okay… maybe one could nitpick that the background ocean vistas, seen from inside the Orca later in the film are technically ‘changed’… although I would consider them “fixed” since the changing backgrounds were mistakes originally. So there. *puts foot down*)
What the geniuses at Universal have done is set a benchmark for all film restorations going forward. JAWS is once again glorious, terrifying, moving, and…? Breathtaking. All of those scenes that have long been too dark, yellow, or damaged have been restored to their original glory – the blood reds are red again, the water is blue again (not that sickly yellow-green it’s been for 20+ years), and we can finally actually SEE what’s going on in all of the underwater scenes.
Watching this newly restored version of JAWS last night… I felt as though I were witnessing my mostest favoritest film of all time for the very first time. It’s that momentous. This isn’t a a rent… it’s a buy, it belongs in any horror fan’s collection. Oh, but let’s be real here – it belong in any movie fan’s collection. Thanks to Universal, Spielberg, Mike Daruty, and all of the crazy cats who helped restore the first Summer Blockbuster – now we clearly remember WHY.
