It was the first bona fide summer blockbuster and remains one of the most terrifying films ever committed to celluloid. Steven Spielberg directed Jaws when he was just 26 years old, but he was swiftly elevated to 'player' status in Hollywood after his "ferocious" tale of a bloodthirsty shark broke all box office records. He tapped into a primal fear that had people returning for a second shot of adrenaline, but 30 years later, many still refuse to go back into the water...

Catch Of The Day

Forming the centrepiece of this two-disc DVD is a brilliant behind-the-scenes documentary, which is actually longer than the film. It begins with the sticky business of development as Peter Benchley is hired to adapt his own novel, but later fired because he weighed down the story with too many subplots involving romance and mafia intrigue. Spielberg simply saw it as, "a sequel to Duel but on water", and tried out a number of writers before eventually settling on a draft by Carl Gottlieb.

Of course the nightmare really began when cast and crew arrived in Martha's Vineyard for the drawn-out shoot. Richard Dreyfuss (Hooper) rolls his eyes as he recalls the havoc caused by the rusting mechanical shark, which spent most of each day at the bottom of the ocean. On top of already complicated logistics (Spielberg insisted on shooting at sea), it was the main reason the production ran over schedule. By this time, Roy Scheider (Chief Brody) confesses, "We were all starting to get a little strange," which is his excuse for upsetting the great and good of Martha's Vineyard by starting a food fight at a posh charity function.

Later on there are technical notes on shooting the shark, a closer examination of that unforgettable score by John Williams and a look into the process of test screenings. Naturally, it wraps up with cast and crew musing on the phenomenal box office success that went on to change the face of the Hollywood film industry.

Sink Or Swim

A vintage behind-the-scenes featurette visits a fresh-faced Spielberg on location in 1974. An incongruous Englishman with mutton-chop sideburns interrogates the great director on his methods and intentions while the man himself throws "kosher salami" at a curious flock of seagulls. It's a delightfully nostalgic look at the making of the film, but also sheds light on the manic atmosphere that surrounded the production. As he clambers ashore between takes, Spielberg calls on Gottlieb to rework a scene and - from the weary look on the writer's face - it's clear this isn't the first time he's had to make last minute changes.

Thirteen deleted scenes feature some truly awful acting by the bit players (island locals rather than trained actors), but Richard Dreyfuss saves the day. His cheeky babble about an old girlfriend livens up a standard 'looking for the shark' sequence, even if it doesn't add anything to the plot. An outtakes reel is brief and rather bland, except for the image of Robert Shaw (Quint) choking on fake blood.

Elsewhere, a gallery of scene-to-storyboard comparisons deconstructs all the really scary bits while an interactive feature reveals everything you need to know about the great white shark. This Special Edition DVD has most angles covered except that Steven Spielberg doesn't give a commentary for the main feature. It's a huge disappointment, but the wealth of information afforded by a two-hour documentary still offers plenty to sink your teeth into.

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