“Duh-dun ... duh-dun ... duh-dun.” Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the 50th anniversary of "Jaws" is here.
"Jaws" was released on June 20, 1975, and ushered in the summer blockbuster era, earning an inflation-adjusted $1.56 billion. "Jaws" instilled a fear of the unknown as it villainized sharks and altered the public perception. Some moviegoers became terrified to jump into the ocean.
The movie also introduced the world to a 27-year-old director Steven Spielberg, who would follow up with a string of summer blockbusters such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "E.T."
According to the American Film Institute, "Jaws" was a groundbreaking financial success for Universal. It became the first film to gross more than $100 million at the box office. It's the 14th-highest-grossing film when adjusted for inflation, according to IMDB. As the first summer blockbuster, it remained the highest-grossing film (not adjusted for inflation) until "Star Wars" was released two years later.
The majority of "Jaws" was filmed on location in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The fictional town of Amity Island was represented by Edgartown on the island. Many scenes were shot in the open ocean. A few scenes were shot in California.
