The original blockbuster turned fear of sharks into decades of persecution, but at long last, the tide may be turning
Fifty yars ago the world was changed for ever by a shark. On 20 June 1975, cinemagoers in the US were the first to experience the visceral thrills and oceanic spills of Jaws.
It’s the original blockbuster, it inspired an entire genre of “sharksploitation” entertainment, and it transformed what millions thought about sharks, for better and for worse.
In many ways, Steven Spielberg’s marine masterpiece was an accident. In 1973, the novelist Peter Benchley came up with the title Jaws just 20 minutes before his final deadline. “What does it mean?” asked his editor. “I haven’t the faintest idea,” replied Benchley, “but at least it’s short.”
Nicknamed Bruce (after Spielberg’s lawyer), the mechanical shark used in the film malfunctioned so much that it appeared in the final edit for a mere four minutes, and not fully until nearly an hour in. Instead Spielberg focused on fear and threat, and the rest is history.
