Jaws 4K Blu-ray

Jaws 4K

 (1975)

Jaws 4K Blu-ray delivers stunningly beautiful video and superb audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
When a seaside community finds itself under attack by a great white shark, three men embark on a quest to kill it before it strikes again.


For more about Jaws 4K and the Jaws 4K Blu-ray release, see Jaws 4K Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on May 23, 2020 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, Robert Shaw
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb
Producers: David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck

» See full cast & crew

Jaws 4K Blu-ray, Video Quality

      

1080p

   

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

For its 45th anniversary, Universal brings Jaws to the UHD format with a practically impeccable 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation. In the early minutes beyond the campfire scene the picture demonstrates superb command of its elements, the first of many notable scenes of practically reference quality. Grain is fine, accentuating the native filmic roots and bolstering the sense of cinematic texturing that sweeps through the shots with resplendent accuracy. Throughout, the picture proves to be very dynamic. There are many examples of notable, superb textures that stand apart at this resolution, notably period attire: light jackets, heavier sports coats, even a thin veil worn by a grieving mother. There's a tangible increase in sharpness and clarity across the board when comparing to the previously issued, and still perfectly workable, Blu-ray, but the UHD brings out the absolute best the original elements have to offer. Many of the weathered accents around the beaches and piers are tack-sharp and tactile and details both interior and exterior around town gain appreciable boosts to sharpness and clarity, even at distance, obvious in comparison but even plain to see when simply watching the UHD straight through. Skin textures and hairs are unsurprisingly some of the most obvious beneficiaries of the resolution increase and clarity gains. What a vivid, flowing, and fine film-like experience.

The Dolby Vision color grading is just as big a victory for the picture as the resolution increase. The colorists have certainly not gone overboard by redefining the film's color temperature or fundamentally altering any component. On the contrary, this is a perfectly natural grading that amplifies where needed without drastically changing any scene's essential tonal parameters. Depth is certainly improved over the existing SDR Blu-ray, giving more balance and life to flesh tones, more stability to sand under harsh daytime sun, more resplendence to blue waters and skies, the latter two of which transform from looking fairly washed out on the previous format to much fuller and pleasing here (see a dialogue scene with the camera positioned slightly below the characters, aimed upwards to allow plenty of sky into the frame, at the 52:40 mark for a very good example of both color grading gains and textural finesse). And when the water becomes saturated with blood, the red depth and its contrast with the serene blue makes for a striking juxtaposition. Brighter whites gain stability and clarity, such as the Brody home or the police station exteriors, both featuring white paneling and fencing. White abounds around town and is certainly one of the most readily improved components, with the green shutters and accents another point for high praise. Look at some of the seaside silhouette shots early in the film, say the 4:25 mark on the UHD. The improvements to black level output, shadow detail, and the rising sun behind clouds gently enhance the mood and screen command, reinforcing the juxtaposition between the terrifying events unfolding in the water and the detached, relaxed scene on the beach.

Further, the UHD handles challenging scenes with ease, such as a foggy nighttime boat trip in chapter 10 where light pierces through fog with no sign of troublesome artifacts. It's remarkably smooth and efficient and, combined with the wonderful black levels, fine grain, and improved clarity, makes for one of the more surprising reference moments in the movie. The print appears virtually free of unwanted blemish. The odd smudge or speckle does creep in but they're rare and barely visible, such as on the left-hand side of the screen at the 1:24:17 mark. There are no encode artifacts of note, either. This one's a keeper for sure and a must have for any UHD library.

Jaws 4K Blu-ray, Audio Quality

   

Jaws bites onto UHD with a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Like the video, the amplified audio track, reconfigured here to add additional overhead channels, does not fundamentally rework the source material but instead carefully and tastefully expands upon it as needed. Music remains largely the property of the front channels but does amplify as John Williams' iconic notes become more forceful; the scene in chapter five when Brody witnesses the shark attack being one of the best, and earliest, examples of the score's powerful presentation, crescendoing with greater stretch and surround integration. It's a treat; never have the notes sounded so full, the low end so positive and complimentary, the engagement so sure and balanced. Additionally, the stage stretches gently, but naturally, to include seaside atmospherics, such as rolling waves and beachside din when filled with both festive visitors and, of course, during mad scrambles out of and away from the water. The track doesn't offer any kind of high power discrete overhead elements, instead using the top layer to gently reinforce elements as is prudent to do so. On the other end of the spectrum, there's not much feel for dynamic range, depth, or detail when swimmers hurriedly rush out of the water in chapter 11; it's a fairly stagnant sonic moment but only one of a handful that feels stymied in any way. The more impressive action moments do find positive stretch, depth, and detail to all of the chaotically immersive sound elements, notably as the shark beats up against the cage during the film's climax. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized. Front-center placement is consistent and true.

Purists will rejoice with the inclusion of the healthy DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, but the additional channels do tastefully bring about a fuller, more robust, but not radically reworked, sound presentation that compliments the film, and the new UHD visuals, quite nicely.