Overview

• National Geographic and other outlets have released fresh documentaries featuring interviews and archival footage that explore the making and legacy of Jaws.
• Production accounts revisit the mechanical shark’s repeated malfunctions and the challenges of filming on open water that forced Spielberg to hide the creature and build suspense.
• Jaws’s record-breaking $100 million box office haul in 1975 is credited with establishing the summer blockbuster model still pursued by studios today.
• Scientists and historians note the film’s “Jaws Effect,” which fueled widespread shark fear and led to declines in coastal tourism from Long Island to North Carolina.
• Filmmakers including Steven Soderbergh highlight Jaws’s character-driven drama and practical effects as foundational influences on their own work.