20 Famous Movie Tattoos (And What They Actually Mean)
13. Jaws (1975)
Role: Robert Shaw as Quint
Okay - strictly speaking this isn't a film tattoo; it was ink that actually ceased to exist before the events of Steven Spielberg's seminal thriller took place. However, the scar remains from the removed tattoo as do the austere memories the ruined flesh has come to represent for Quint.
In the legendary scene in which Hooper and Quint compare their increasingly painful looking scars, Quint eventually reveals the story behind the tattoo scar. He tells of how he had been a survivor of the sinking U.S.S Indianapolis, many of whichs crew were picked off by sharks as the ship began its slow descent to the seabed.
It is understandable that Quint should want to remove the reminder of this hellish experience from his body tragically, the seaman's account is based on the actual sinking of the U.S.S Indianapolis where only 317 of the boats 1,196 crew survived (as per U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial). Its quite ironic that tattoos are traditionally used mainly by criminals and soldiers.
Of the many military tattoos featured in films, none are more significant and memorable than Quints; and this is without us ever being shown the ink itself. It may no longer be there, but Quints scar holds more meaning for him and inspires more emotion than any normal tattoo denoting a soldiers squadron.