One of my favorite movies of all time, and a big reason for why I made a pricey upgrade to my speaker system last year - anticipation for finally seeing this properly. Despite how high I value this film, this is actually the first time I've watched the Bd all the way through since getting it in 2012. Up till now, all I'd do is sample a scene or two a couple times a year. The sad fact is, this is the movie I've seen more than any other in the theater (over 30 times), and multiple times on every home video format since. I've been trying to wait for the 'right time' to sit down and watch it again, and it just hasn't come. At this point, as much as I love it, watching it again is more likely to end up being an just a robotic, rote experience.

But after five years I finally gave up and decided to spin it again.
No, it's not the same experience that it once was anymore- but I was happy and relieved to find there were still a lot of little pleasure to be had despite being all too familiar- especially in all the wonderful performances.
This go round I also was struck by the editing. Not just for the shark attack scenes, but all through the film. Spielberg has always been quick to give Verna Fields credit for making the shark scenes work- but the fact is, the whole film is cut beautifully. This is fully her film as much as it is Spielberg's.

Since this is the first time fully watching the Bd, I gotta say that anyone who criticizes the job Universal did here, is daft. This was as fine a presentation of the film as any I ever would have seen in the theater back in the day. It's quite possible that some of the color timing as it relates to some of the water shots may be skewing more blue as opposed to the green algae cast it probably originally had.
The greener looking shots I've seen do "feel" more accurate to me- I get more of a nostalgic twinge looking at them compared to the blue ones. But in all practicality, it wasn't a deal breaker for me.
The film overall just looked too amazing otherwise. I would be ecstatic if every film I cared about was represented as relatively faithfully as this one.

And as far as the audio went- even though the mono track is lossy, it was far and away the best I've ever heard the film sound. I feel completely justified now in dropping the money I did last year on new speakers.