Roy Scheider passed away yesterday having lost his battle with cancer at the age of 75. I think we’ll all of course remember him best for his role in JAWS as Chief of Police Martin Brody.

One of my favorite shots in cinema comes from the scene in JAWS where Brody sits on the beach and someone begins yelling “shark!” The dolly grip pushes the camera down track heading straight for Brody and the camera operator throws that lens as wide as it will go. What results is a beautiful distortion of perspective that heightens the terror in Brody’s face and the fear in the hearts of the audience.

Whenever I’ve attempted to pull such a dolly zoom this is the movie, scene and actor I think about.

I think Sheider’s finest moment in the film is when he is confronted by Mrs. Kintner (Lee Fiero) and they have this exchange:

Mrs. Kintner: Chief Brody?
Brody: Yes?
[Mrs. Kintner slaps Brody and sobs]
Mrs. Kintner: I just found out, that a girl got killed here last week, and you knew it! You knew there was a shark out there! You knew it was dangerous! But you let people go swimming anyway? You knew all those things! But still my boy is dead now. And there’s nothing you can do about it. My boy is dead. I wanted you to know that.
[Mrs. Kintner walks away]
Mayor Vaughn: I’m sorry, Martin. She’s wrong.
Brody: No, she’s not.

As well as starring in the first two JAWS films, Scheider received two Oscar nominations during his career. He was up for best supporting actor for The French Connection in 1972 and best actor for 1979’s All That Jazz.

Scheider is survived by his his wife, Brenda Seimer, and children, Maximilla, Christian and Molly.