I'd Never Seen Jaws Before Watching It In Theaters, And Now I Think I Understand How People Who Saw It In 1975 Felt

Typically, I go to the theater to see the latest releases on the 2025 movie schedule. However, when Jaws returned to the theater for its 50th anniversary, I decided to step back in time on my latest trip to the cinema so I could see one of the best movies of the ‘70s for the first time ever.

I have to say it was an incredible experience too, because I got to see Jaws for the first time ever in theaters while knowing pretty much nothing about the plot. And it made me feel like I was back in 1975.

Not Knowing What Was Coming Made It Actually Super Scary

Early this year, my colleague, Dirk Libbey, watched Jaws for the first time and knew exactly what he was getting into. I, on the other hand, quite literally, only knew they were gonna need a bigger boat. Therefore, I think it’s safe to say I went into this great shark movie blind.

Let me tell you that made it really scary. I had no clue when anyone was going to die, so that first kill at the start made me jump. It also meant that during the beach scene, I didn’t know which of the swimmers would be taken out, and I was aghast when it was that little kid and that poor dog.

I also had no clue, like absolutely no clue, how Brody, Quint and Hooper were going to get off a boat that was sinking and being attacked by a shark. So, I’m sure you can imagine how stressed I was trying to figure out how these guys would survive. And if you saw the movie when it came out in the ‘70s, I’m sure you experienced a similar kind of stress that was fueled by cluelessness.

Seeing It On A Big Screen Highlighted Just How Magnificent The Practical Effects Are

I’m not kidding, the second they got on that boat, I couldn’t stop thinking about how impressive this film is from a practical standpoint.

The shark, obviously, was so cool to see as it came up to attack, and the whole entire final climactic moment of the boat sinking absolutely blew my mind. Watching that boat actually go down while Brody tried to kill the shark had me on the edge of my seat, and I felt like I was in that boat with him. I can’t say that about a lot of movies these days.

Also, as it’s explained in the Jaws 50th anniversary documentary – which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription – the production was a major challenge for a lot of reasons, and being out at sea as well as that fake shark played into it. The amount of work that went into pulling this film off is staggering; however, the payoff is absolutely miraculous.

Think about it, this movie that’s 50 years old holds up to this day and still is terrifying because of how incredible these practical effects are.

Being Able To Watch The Movie With A Reactive Crowd Enhanced The Experience So Much

Technically, both revelations above could have been had by watching this movie from my couch. However, watching Jaws in an IMAX theater with a full audience added an energy to the experience that can’t be had at home.

I was seated with a giant crowd of fans and first-time watchers, and we all were reacting in big ways to the big moments that were happening on a very big screen. Hearing everyone laugh at Brody making faces with his kid and saying that iconic boat line was so fun. Then, being scared with everyone when John Williams’ score kicked in and the shark came, and feeling the tension in the room truly left me with an adrenaline rush.

Watching Jaws for the first time ever in theaters really was a remarkable experience, and I have to say, I get it. I get why this film blew everyone away 50 years ago, and why it’s still rightfully considered one of the best horror movies and blockbusters to this day.

Jaws is incredible, it’s scary, and it’s meant to be seen on a big screen!