Jaws
Director Steven Spielberg already had three films to his name when, 50 years ago now, he made his definitive breakthrough with this incredibly exciting blockbuster about a murderous shark. Acting and special effects were top notch, but the iconic score by John Williams with its leitmotif consisting of just two terrifying notes, in particular, has been stored in the collective memory. Anyone who hears the notes knows that the shark could strike at any moment. Williams was awarded the Oscar for Best Original Film Music for this.
The beach of the pleasant resort town of Amity is fine, but the sea is plagued by a giant white shark, which has already sunk its teeth into a few swimmers. To save the tourist season, three men take to the water to kill the beast: sheriff Brody (Roy Scheider), marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and gruff shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw). But it soon becomes clear that they have misjudged the scale of the problem: 'We're gonna need a bigger boat...'