Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name. The film stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper, Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint, Murray Hamilton as Mayor Larry Vaughn, and Lorraine Gary as Brody's wife, Ellen. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town and the voyage of three men to hunt it. JAWS is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made and is often cited as the first summer blockbuster.