‘Jaws’: The Prototype Summer Blockbuster Turns 50, Losing None of Its Bite

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One of my most significant movie experiences was attending a screening of “Jaws” in 1975, a theater filled with eager children and teenagers in Newcastle, Australia. Given the city’s extensive coastline, it’s not surprising that an audience in such a location would be particularly receptive to Steven Spielberg’s timeless shark thriller.

Despite this, the screams echoed loudly, the anxious chuckles that followed each moment of fear seemed to spread quickly, and the bodily feeling of entire sections of seats vibrating as people instinctively lifted their feet from the ground during each assault was indelible.

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In fact, the cries were piercing, the hysterical giggles after each frightening jolt became infectious, and the sensation of entire rows of seats trembling as people involuntarily lifted their feet off the floor – and “out of the water” – during each attack was etched in memory.

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Indeed, the shrieks were deafening, the manic giggles after every terror-filled jolt seemed to catch on, and the physical sensation of multiple rows of seats shaking as people reflexively lifted their feet off the ground during each assault was unforgettable.

This was way back when massive IMAX screens, powerful surround sound systems, and motion seats for an immersive movie experience weren’t common yet. It felt like we were witnessing the modern-day replica of the French audience diving for cover or rushing out of the theater when the Lumière brothers showed a train barreling towards them in 1896, whether it’s true or just a story.

Ever since Spielberg’s groundbreaking film, Jaws, revolutionized Hollywood by introducing the concept of the blockbuster summer movie, it has left me captivated by shark-themed thrillers. Despite numerous viewings that far exceed any count, Jaws continues to give me chills and send a shiver down my spine.

Ever since it first emerged, countless games have tried to mimic its terror-inducing appeal, delving into our deepest, primal dread of the ocean’s abyss. Some manage to strip down their narrative to the bare essentials, like the minimalistic survival thriller “Open Water” in 2003, or the 2016 film “The Shallows”, which essentially boils down to Blake Lively in a bikini, trapped on a rock while being menaced by a great white for an hour and a half.

In no other moment has anything quite matched the heart-pounding thrill that rushes through me upon hearing that iconic two-note motif, the hallmark of John Williams’ ominous score. Or the chilling dolly zoom capturing the fear etched on Roy Scheider’s face as Martin Brody, the water-wary chief of Amity Island police, stands on the shore, witnessing a child’s laughter transform into a gory spectacle on a floating raft. Or Brody, as he tosses chum from the back of the Orca, a vessel belonging to the enigmatic shark hunter Quint, staring in awe as our prey surfaces from the Atlantic, its razor-sharp teeth gleaming menacingly.

At the start of his career, Spielberg’s talent was already flourishing abundantly. An unexpected blessing during that challenging filming process – marked by a high budget and lengthy schedule – was the recurring breakdowns of the mechanical shark props. This mishap pushed the director to think creatively, leading almost unintentionally to one of the most iconic demonstrations on screen of the terrifying power of an unseen monster that leaves us trembling with fear.

Problems with props prompted Spielberg to incorporate more footage from Ron and Valerie Taylor, renowned Australian underwater cinematographers, significantly, in a memorable scene where a shark attacks and demolishes a submerged cage. This sequence, showcasing a real great white in action, necessitated a script rewrite that ultimately spared the life of Matt Hooper, the character portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss who was marked as shark food in the novel and initial screenplay.

The movie Jaws was filmed on Martha’s Vineyard, which is merely a short distance from the picturesque Provincetown where I often spend my summers, located further up Cape Cod. Before the news of shark attacks nearby or the installation of warning signs at popular beaches, I always experienced a sense of Chief Brody’s apprehension whenever I dipped my toes into the water. However, it never deterred me from swimming.

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2025-06-20 18:24