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Jaws 2

year 1978decade 70sdirector Jeannot Szwarcgenre Suspensegenre Dramagenre Thriller

117 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Roy Scheider [Martin] Brody
Lorraine Gary Ellen Brody
Murray Hamilton Mayor [Larry] Vaughan
Joseph Mascolo [Len] Peterson
Jeffrey Kramer [Jeff] Hendricks
Collin Wilcox-Horne Dr. Elkins
Ann Dusenberry Tina [Wilcox]
Mark Gruner Mike [Brody]
Barry Coe [Tom] Andrews
Susan French Old lady
Gary Springer Andy [Nicholas]
Donna Wilkes Jackie
Marc Gilpin Sean [Brody]
Ben Marley Patrick
Gigi Vorgan Brooke [Peters]
Jerry M. Baxter Helicopter pilot
Jean Coulter Ski boat driver
Daphne Dibble Swimmer #1
Christine Freeman Water skier [Terry]
April Gilpin Renee
William Griffith Lifeguard
Greg Harris Diver #2
Susan O. McMillan Girl sailor
David Owsley Boy sailor
Oneida Rollins Ambulance driver
Frank Sparks Diver #1
Thomas A. Stewart Assistant dive master [Sparky]
David Tintle Swimmer #2
Jim Wilson Swimmer with child
Kathy Wilson Mrs. Bryant
Herbert Muller Phil Fogarty
Jane Courtney Select woman
Al Wilde Select man #1
Cyprien (Phil) Dube Select man #2
Mary A. Gaffney Mrs. Silvera

Jaws 2 | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Sean Fennesseyproducer Craig Horlbeckproducer Jack Sanders
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Probably Unanswerable Questions

Brody’s career and recognition; mayoral financing; Miss Amity; shark-kill proof; returning to the water

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:49Read transcript
  • Why does water-phobic, traumatized Brody remain a beach cop rather than move or capitalize on his shark-killing fame? Corruption is floated jokingly, not asserted.
  • Did Len bankroll the mayor’s campaign? Who competed against Tina for Miss Amity, and how did that pageant operate?
  • Who came second to Brody for Man of the Year, and why did a national hero receive only a small plaque?
  • Brody’s extraordinary shark-kill story lacks photographs, prompting playful unreliable-narrator and fever-dream theories; the shark’s disappearance is a counterargument.
  • Why do shark movies work so reliably, and how quickly would Amity residents return to the water? Vulnerability in water and optimism about personal risk are offered.

Really Fun Deleted Scenes

Ellen and her boss subplot

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:49Read transcript
  • A reported deleted implication of Ellen’s involvement with her boss is welcomed as a cut; it was not watched for this discussion.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

USS Indianapolis prequel; shark anthology

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:09Read transcript
  • A Quint/USS Indianapolis prequel and an anthology of shark attacks are preferred franchise possibilities; Spielberg might have been more interested than in another Brody encounter.
  • The Indianapolis prequel is endorsed again; credit for the first film’s speech and proposed prequel screenplay remains disputed among Sackler, Milius and Gottlieb.
  • Hypothetical extravagant modern casting, jellyfish hazards inspired by an uncle’s service story, and an Oppenheimer-to-Indianapolis connection extend the prequel pitch.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Director replacement; budget and gross; practical production; reused barrel; shark effects

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 00:23:46Read transcript
  • John D. Hancock’s abandoned darker version, action difficulties and possible reduction of Ellen’s role are discussed as competing explanations for dismissal. A proposed Alves/Fields replacement reportedly met a DGA obstacle, treated skeptically.
  • Reported $20 million budget, $208 million gross and seventh-place 1978 finish.
  • Florida locations include Hog’s Breath Saloon and Navarre Beach.
  • The Sean performer reportedly recalled actual hammerheads approaching during filming; the Brody porch planter reused an original-film yellow barrel.
  • The fiberglass cable-junction set was slippery and nearly floated away.
  • Numerous sea-monster imitators and a Jaws 2 Topps trading-card set are discussed.
  • The original mechanical sharks had deteriorated; the new burned shark looks better but reportedly still malfunctioned.
  • The making-of producers’ account of Hancock’s departure is criticized as evasive.

What’s Aged the Best?

Williams score; teen beach culture; 908 code; beach montage; lighthouses; visible shark

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:02Read transcript
  • John Williams’s returning score and prolific contemporary work are praised.
  • Beach guitars and teenage socializing, including illicit stashed beers.
  • Brody’s 908 rescue code and the nostalgic beach montage before the tower scene.
  • Translating cruising-car culture into sailboats produces an appealing group hangout.
  • Tina’s shark scream, lighthouses and showing the shark often; the already-uniformed household help also prompts questions about the Brodys’ finances.

Roger Ebert's review

Rating not yet verified
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:28:23Read transcript
  • No written score is supplied; an alleged refusal to review and television dismissal as “pure trash” are discussed with uncertainty about whether refusal is accurate.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Eddie’s death; boat self-immolation; helicopter attack

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 00:30:58Read transcript
  • Happy sailing introductions and the prolonged water-skier attack; the latter reportedly gave the replacement director a self-contained sequence while the script was rewritten.
  • The driver’s accidental gasoline self-immolation is one explicit favorite, with disbelief about her plan.
  • Brody shoots at bluefish near a child, then argues over the shark photograph; the town council has legitimate grounds to question him.
  • Eddie’s death and the breaking boat edge are praised; the performer reportedly needed hurried swimming lessons.
  • The first large sailboat attack, Mike’s injury, helicopter destruction and Marge’s death are praised.
  • Marge’s rescue attempt is defended as altruistic against an argument that jumping toward the shark is foolish; responsibility shifts toward the Brody parents.
  • The electric-cable climax is inventive despite doubtful science; the earlier dredging cable and shark-sound explanation provide setup.
  • Final preferences split among Eddie’s death, the self-immolation and the helicopter; the whole doomed sailing trip is a broad fallback.

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Shark-tower stairs; Eddie pulled under; water-skiing wides; bullets by the water; gala crane shot

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:21Read transcript
  • Brody coming down the shark-tower stairs.
  • Eddie pulled under; water-skiing wide shots; Brody picking up bullets beside his son; gala crane shot over the pool.

Picking Nits

Leaving Sean behind; gasoline self-immolation; Andy kissing Sean

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:47Read transcript
  • Sean should have accompanied unconscious Mike to the hospital instead of remaining with unrelated teenagers in danger; Ellen’s lack of supervision is criticized despite a defense of seventies parenting norms.
  • The boat driver should remain still or consider the nearby shore rather than pour gasoline over herself; Tina later survives by staying in the boat.
  • Andy repeatedly kissing unrelated Sean’s cheek during the rescue seems overly familiar.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Larry Vaughn Jr.’s survival and attitude; Mike’s performance and decisions; too many teenagers

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:49:48Read transcript
  • Larry Vaughn Jr. should have died rather than Marge; Murray Hamilton’s compressed schedule for his wife’s health reportedly explains the mayor’s abrupt exit, though a dissent says his son could still die.
  • Larry Jr.’s taunting Mike about work is objectionable given his father’s earlier conduct.
  • Mark Gruner’s flat performance as Mike and Mike’s irresponsible treatment of his younger brother.
  • Bob’s gruesome death was reportedly removed to avoid an R; too many interchangeable teenagers make the cast difficult to track.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Mayor retaining office; Jackie’s influence on the trip; Jaws 2 ending New Hollywood

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:16Read transcript
  • The mayor retaining office after the first film is called an extreme sequel contrivance; lawsuits and prosecution would be expected.
  • A counterfactual makes hero Brody mayor facing the same financial pressures. A dissent argues corrupt politicians often recover, especially when locals prioritize tourism income.
  • Even if reelected, the mayor’s repeated denial despite disappearances and a burned body strains credibility.
  • Jackie’s arrival fuels the boys’ risky sailing trip; a teen-only story might better explore rivalries and attraction. Boat-sex logistics remain doubtful.
  • Jaws 2’s financial success despite ordinary quality, rather than Jaws or Star Wars themselves, is blamed for ending New Hollywood and entrenching sequel economics.

Casting What-Ifs

Scheider’s Deer Hunter departure; Ricky Schroder replaced as Sean; Dreyfuss return discussion

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:04:55Read transcript
  • Scheider’s departure from The Deer Hunter reportedly forced him into Jaws 2 under his Universal obligation; his fit for De Niro’s role is debated. Salary, points and a reportedly staged breakdown are discussed.
  • Ricky Schroder was replaced as Sean after the director change.
  • Dreyfuss’s proposed return becomes a joke about the novel’s affair; the affair is identified as novel material, not this film’s plot.

Apex Mountain

Child cast except Keith Gordon; water-skiing murders; water skiing (disputed)

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:12:39Read transcript
  • No for Scheider.
  • No for sequels.
  • Lorraine Gary’s peak is Jaws: The Revenge.
  • Donna Wilkes’s peak is Angel.
  • The children except Keith Gordon probably reach their peak here.
  • Yes for water-skiing murders.
  • Water skiing in popular culture is proposed alongside Fonzie’s shark jump, then disputed.
  • No for sharks.
  • No for Murray Hamilton.
  • The poor making-of documentary is enjoyable, but no firm Apex judgment is made.

Cruise or Hanks?

Cruise

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:10Read transcript
  • Young Cruise as Mike is proposed, then challenged because the category should recast Brody; Hanks is the conventional Brody choice.
  • Cruise becomes favored for Brody’s energy, running and unintentionally funny drunkenness, despite an objection to his drunk acting.

Producer review

A good standalone shark slasher constrained by the original’s reputation

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:45Read transcript
  • A good shark slasher in isolation; the original’s exceptional reputation may have constrained what otherwise could have become a long slasher franchise.

More from the conversation

The sequel’s famous water tagline is praised as genius.
Approx. transcript time · 00:00:39Read transcript
A slow first hour gives way to excellent shark kills; the movie combines teen slasher, traumatized hero, beach hangout and shark story, anticipating the coming slasher boom.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:24Read transcript
Brody’s investigation and the mayor’s denial add detective and political-breakdown strands; the setting blends Long Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Florida.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:36Read transcript
Brody’s drinking, smoking and appearance lead to jokes about his company; Scheider’s reportedly unhappy production attitude nevertheless suits a compelling performance.
Approx. transcript time · 00:07:11Read transcript
The recurring Scheider films lead to a playful summer-of-Scheider label and possible future Sorcerer or All That Jazz coverage; a Sorcerer Blu-ray interview is discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:22Read transcript
Jaws 2 is placed in the late-seventies sequel boom: commercial recycling often lost directors or stars, although Empire and Godfather II prove sequels need not be inferior. Producers reportedly joined because Universal would proceed anyway.
Approx. transcript time · 00:09:15Read transcript
A childhood theater memory emphasizes fear, the helicopter and Marge’s disappearance; HBO ubiquity and the sailing sequence make it easy to rewatch despite reviews.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:49Read transcript
Eddie and Tina’s sexual banter prompts jokes about cramped boat logistics and bruises.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:41Read transcript
The 1983 sequel lineup is criticized, with a dissent defending Psycho II; Porky’s II basketball staging and Teen Wolf Too are discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:22Read transcript
Jaws: The Revenge is defended as a household favorite and its plot recounted, amid objections to its quality and Jaws 3’s 3D effects; Lorraine Gary’s franchise presence and Universal connection arise.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:06Read transcript
Other sea-creature films and Dangerous Animals demonstrate the enduring format; Jaws 2 and Halloween II trade the originals’ cinematic suspense for more kills.
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:12Read transcript
Jeannot Szwarc’s difficult name prompts pronunciation jokes and a surname-spelling exchange; Scheider reportedly disliked him.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:04Read transcript
Listener feedback about cocaine discussion in After Hours leads to jokes about a future Casablanca recording.
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:11Read transcript
Wilkes’s later Angel role and surprise success are discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:04Read transcript
Limited late-seventies entertainment explains enthusiasm for sequels; the 1981 baseball strike illustrates the perceived void.
Approx. transcript time · 01:02:46Read transcript
An Inside the NBA-style movie breakdown is imagined, including era comparisons and a diagram of the gasoline accident.
Approx. transcript time · 01:23:54Read transcript
American Psycho and Inception reality-versus-fantasy digression; possible future coverage is discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:23Read transcript
A youthful helmetless-motorcycle crash is contrasted with increasing fear in adulthood.
Approx. transcript time · 01:31:11Read transcript
After Hours is praised for tight, funny, modestly scaled filmmaking and a culture unusually welcoming to strangers.
Approx. transcript time · 01:33:30Read transcript
A recent door-kicking prank unsettled a participant; the group returns to praise for After Hours.
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:28Read transcript
Late-night New York train mishaps and Linda Fiorentino’s intimidating allure extend the After Hours discussion.
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:41Read transcript