Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name and 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. The film's two-note theme, composed by John Williams, has become one of the most recognizable in cinema history. JAWS is considered to be one of the greatest films ever made and is often cited as the first summer blockbuster.