It’s 1975. International Women’s Year has begun, The Godfather II has won six Oscars at the 47th Academy Awards and Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking film Jaws has been released. We take a look back at the first modern blockbuster which has stuck around for 40 years.
When Jaws opened in June 1975, it was being shown on over 400 screens, a wide release for its time. But, the cinemas it was shown in were not the popular theatres, meaning Universal didn’t have much faith in thefilm doing well. Peter Benchley wrote Jaws, the novel, after reading about sport fisherman Frank Mundus’s capture of an enormous shark in 1964.
You're gonna need a bigger boat.
The book itself was a best-seller but the film was supposed to just be a quick summer popcorn movie. Instead, it ended up with three sequels, inspired theme park rides and was made into at least two musical adaptations.
On top of those, three video games, an iPhone app and an officially licenced slot machine were all made as part of the Jaws franchise. It’s no surprise that at the time, Jaws became the highest-grossing film in history, a distinction held until Star Wars was released two years later. To date, the film has made $470.7 million (just over £300 million).
Although it grossed a lot of money, Jaws was also extremely expensive to make. The film was given an estimated budget of $3.5 million (£2.26 million), however, the film ended up costing a total of $9 million (£5.82 million).
It was also pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model which revolves around blockbuster action and adventure films being released in the summer in thousands of theatres, supported by heavy advertising.
The book itself was a best-seller but the film was supposed to just be a quick summer popcorn movie. Instead, it ended up with three sequels, inspired theme park rides and was made into at least two musical adaptations.
On top of those, three video games, an iPhone app and an officially licenced slot machine were all made as part of the Jaws franchise. It’s no surprise that at the time, Jaws became the highest-grossing film in history, a distinction held until Star Wars was released two years later. To date, the film has made $470.7 million (just over £300 million).
Although it grossed a lot of money, Jaws was also extremely expensive to make. The film was given an estimated budget of $3.5 million (£2.26 million), however, the film ended up costing a total of $9 million (£5.82 million).
It was also pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model which revolves around blockbuster action and adventure films being released in the summer in thousands of theatres, supported by heavy advertising.
Indecision and Improvisation
Initially, director Stephen Spielberg was desperate for the job after becoming captivated with Benchley’s novel. However, he became reluctant to continue with Jaws as he feared it was too similar to his last film ........ and didn’t want to become typecast as a truck and shark director.
Spielberg was convinced to stay on the project and helped get actor-writer Carl Gottlieb to join the film.
Much of the dialogue for the film was improvised by actors during their evening meals the night before a scene was to be shot.
Roy Scheider, who played Chief Martin Brody, the film’s main protagonist, improvised the line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”, so without this leniency, the film’s most notable line would have never existed.
Initially, director Stephen Spielberg was desperate for the job after becoming captivated with Benchley’s novel. However, he became reluctant to continue with Jaws as he feared it was too similar to his last film ........ and didn’t want to become typecast as a truck and shark director.
Spielberg was convinced to stay on the project and helped get actor-writer Carl Gottlieb to join the film.
Much of the dialogue for the film was improvised by actors during their evening meals the night before a scene was to be shot.
Roy Scheider, who played Chief Martin Brody, the film’s main protagonist, improvised the line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”, so without this leniency, the film’s most notable line would have never existed.
A Lucky Fluke
Spielberg was forced to use the camera as the “shark” and film from the shark’s point of view for certain shots as the mechanical shark they were using spent most of the movie broken-down. Fans say this added to the chilling quality of the film and it would have been cheesy if they filmed as much of the shark as planned.
Spielberg was forced to use the camera as the “shark” and film from the shark’s point of view for certain shots as the mechanical shark they were using spent most of the movie broken-down. Fans say this added to the chilling quality of the film and it would have been cheesy if they filmed as much of the shark as planned.
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