3

SUNDAY

There once was a time, before Hollywood’s most successful commercial filmmaker began using industrial-strength cable to pull on our collective heartstrings, that Steven Spielberg understood the concept of subtlety. After all, it was his well-advised decision to edit “Bruce,” the ridiculous-looking animatronic star of Jaws, almost entirely out of the picture—instead placing the emphasis on the atmospheric tension created by John Williams’ ominous score—that helped turn an over-budget B movie fraught with production problems into a cultural phenomenon. Now widely recognized as “the original summer blockbuster,” Spielberg’s 1975 adaptation of Peter Benchley’s novel was the first film to make over $100 million for its studio, and it eventually brought in an unprecedented $260 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time—until it was surpassed by Star Wars in 1977. So much for subtlety. Jaws screens at 12:30 p.m. (see Showtimes for other dates) at the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. $8.50. (301) 495-6700. (Matthew Borlik)