For all intents and purposes, the summer movie season began in 1975 with the release of Jaws. Set during Fourth of July weekend on the picturesque island of Amity (Martha’s Vineyard), Jaws is to summer what It’s a Wonderful Life is to Christmas. It’s inescapable, and both Summer Movies author John Malahy and Leonard Maltin (who wrote the foreword) use the blockbuster as a launching point. Jaws altered how studios made movies and viewed their audience, especially the large population of teenagers out of school and with an abundance of time on their hands. But as Malahy offers in Summer Movies: “Jaws isn’t just the prototypical summer blockbuster. It’s also a classic example of an underappreciated category of movies—those that depict the experiences, traditions, and delights of the summer season.” Continue reading SUMMER MOVIES: 30 SUN-DRENCHED CLASSICS