One of the most iconic movies in the history of film just reached its 50th anniversary. Jaws is celebrating its biggest milestone yet, with director Steven Spielberg looking back on the film’s production.
Based on the novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws sees a small New England town’s summer get put completely on hold when a great white shark begins terrorizing the shores. The town’s local sheriff, as well as a marine biologist, partner with a seasoned fisherman in hopes of hunting down the shark before it can put an end to the town.
While Spielberg is a household name nowadays, thanks to Jurassic Park, E.T., Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and many more, Jaws was the film that put him on the map. Although it’s become one of the most iconic films in the history of the medium, the road to its release was fraught with challenges, some of which led Spielberg to believe his career was over.
Before the debut of the Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, Spielberg made a special introduction message for the project, looking back on what it took to get the film to the screen.
In the message, which Hollywood Reporter was able to upload and will be linked below, Spielberg stated how a summer in Martha’s Vineyard is usually a dream come true. For him, that summer was anything but a dream.
The troubled history of Jaws is nothing short of legend, with the film running notoriously over budget and overschedule. Not to mention, as well, a malfunctioning mechanical shark which Spielberg said was harder to work with than any other movie star.
Despite the issues, which he thought would have ended his career, Spielberg highlighted that it was the audience that made Jaws into a phenomenon. He went so far as to say that they even threw him a life preserver with the film’s reception, especially when it comes to that of the locals to Martha’s Vineyard.
And, while giving his thanks at the close of the clip, he made sure to thank those that “kept the Jaws legacy alive.”
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