Steven Spielberg changed movies as we know them back in 1975 with his adaptation of Peter Benchley’s novel Jaws. The movie became a cultural sensation, effectively birthing the idea of a “blockbuster,” influencing audiences and filmmakers for the last 50 years. Despite how much insight fans have earned about the project over the last few decades, there are still some stories that have yet to be shared, which is what the upcoming documentary Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story aims to offer. The documentary is set to debut on Nat Geo on July 10th, right in the middle of the network’s annual SharkFest, which spends weeks devoted to shedding new light on the impressive fish.
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Nat Geo describes the documentary, “This definitive account offers an unfiltered look at the chaos and creativity behind the making of Jaws, featuring never-before-seen footage from Spielberg’s and Benchley’s personal archives, including home videos and rare outtakes. Through candid new reflections, Spielberg recounts the high-stakes production, from battling a malfunctioning mechanical shark and relentless weather delays to his own post-production PTSD and fears the film would end his career. The documentary also reexamines the infamous ‘Jaws effect’ — the wave of shark fear it unleashed — and reframes it as a legacy of awe, curiosity, and enduring respect for the ocean’s top predator. Complemented by brand-new interviews with cast, crew, filmmakers, and shark advocates, Jaws @ 50 captures the full creative and cultural shockwaves of the first summer blockbuster.”
“In addition to Steven Spielberg, the documentary includes exclusive interviews from original cast and crew — including Joe Alves (production designer), Jonathan Filley (Cassidy), Lorraine Gary (Ellen Brody), Carl Gottlieb (Meadows, screenwriter), Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), Ian Shaw (son of Robert Shaw, who played Quint), Jeffrey Voorhees (Alex Kintner), and composer John Williams — and a who’s who of modern filmmakers and superfans — including J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, Cameron Crowe, George Lucas, Greg Nicotero, Jordan Peele, Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Robert Zemeckis, and more—reflect on how Jaws shaped their work and the cinematic landscape.”
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Despite how awe-inspiring the movie is on a cinematic level, it also came with the consequence of preventing audiences around the world from ever wanting to get into the ocean out of fear of the fish. Benchley was so impacted by the negative impact that Jaws had on the perception of sharks that he devoted the rest of his life to shark advocacy in hopes of shining a more positive light on the majestic creatures.
Alongside cast and crew, the film also features heartfelt insights from Peter Benchley’s wife, renowned voice for sharks and ocean policy advocate Wendy Benchley; their children, Tracy Benchley Turner and Clayton Benchley; and his brother, Nat Benchley, offering a rare glimpse into the real-life inspiration behind the bestselling novel that started it all.
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story will premiere on Nat Geo on July 10th and debut on Hulu and Disney+ the next day.
Are you looking forward to the new documentary? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!
