Nothing can compare to the thrilling 1975 blockbuster, Jaws. Recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, Jaws is considered one of the most famous and successful movies in today’s pop culture. Everybody knows the story of a small town shark attack, complemented by an iconic soundtrack.
The film was based on Peter Benchley’s novel, Jaws. Spielberg also drew much inspiration for Jaws from the movie Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
After making a smashing success in its debut, fans were craving more from the blood-stained waters of Jaws. As the film was later announced, Benchley was hired as a screenwriter for the movie.
However, Jaws was not an easy movie to film. Jaws was filmed on a small island off the East Coast called Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.” Steven Spielberg (The film’s director) wanted the production to feel authentic. Like these were real people from a real place. To capture the authenticity of an “Islander’s” life, Spielberg took a risky leap of faith and only used three professional actors. Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider, and Richard Dreyfuss. Spielberg’s risk-taking paid off in the end, with the movie making over 260 million dollars in the U.S.A. alone. “It was culture-changing,” said Wendy Benchley from Jaws @ 50.
Finally, after weeks of preparation, the time had come to start shooting the film. George Lucas (a friend of Spielberg’s and a visitor on set) stated from Jaws @ 50, “It was obvious that it was going to be the most successful movie ever made.” Spielberg, however, disagreed. Although he had faith in his vision, there were still several worrying variables to be taken into account. The movie was over 100 days behind schedule, and the mechanical shark used in the film was failing due to the saltwater when they filmed at sea.
The production almost feels like two movies put together. The first half takes place on land, in the fictional town of Amity Island, and showcases the discovery of the shark as well as the victims being eaten. Although due to prop failures, you rarely see the shark itself. Many fans believe that not seeing the shark during the first half actually made the movie more suspenseful and exciting. It created a new feeling of eeriness and thrill that the public had not been exposed to in a long time. The second half of the movie takes place on the ocean. Rather than being suspenseful, the shark chase feels dangerous and fast-paced. It’s a well-balanced shock factor after the eerie first half.
Following the release of Jaws in 1975, Spielberg and his friend drove to their local theater. Curious to see how the film was faring in the face of the public. The duo was shocked to discover that the line for the production stretched all the way around the block. The movie was a fantastic hit for people all over the world.
Even though it was a stressful and nerve-wracking process for the film crew, Making Jaws was the movie that set off Spielberg’s career and led him to make several other famous blockbusters. Local theaters have been playing the iconic film in celebration of Jaws’ anniversary. Jaws has been celebrated for 50 years now and is still popular all over the world today. It will probably remain one of the most influential films of all time.
