As the industry-shifting blockbuster turns 50, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary and Wendy Benchley look back on the highs and lows
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alf a century later, Richard Dreyfuss still won’t go in the water. “I have never done it, not since the film,” the Oscar-winning actor says, “because you’re totally aware of what you’re not aware of and you’re not aware of anything underneath.”
The film is Jaws, whose release 50 years ago on 20 June marked a turning point in both the history of cinema and public perception of sharks. It was the movie that in effect invented the summer blockbuster, paving the way for Star Wars, Jurassic Park and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It cast sharks in the role of monsters to be feared and killed – but also stimulated interest in marine conservation.
Based on a novel by Peter Benchley and directed by Steven Spielberg, Jaws tells the story of a great white shark terrorising the beach town of Amity Island, prompting police chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper and grizzled fisherman Quint to hunt it down. It earned rave reviews from critics and became the first movie to take more than $100m in theatrical rentals.
