Overview

• National Geographic will air “Der weiße Hai: Die Geschichte hinter dem Blockbuster” today at 20:20 CEST as part of its 50th-anniversary tribute to Jaws.
• The film draws on never-before-seen material from Steven Spielberg’s and Peter Benchley’s private archives alongside interviews with cast, crew and shark experts.
• It highlights the mechanical breakdowns of Bruce, the shark prop designed by Joe Alves, which repeatedly stalled production and strained the budget.
• Spielberg recounts how he leaned on late mother Leah Adler for emotional support and received on-set encouragement from Martin Scorsese during filming.
• Peers including Guillermo del Toro, George Lucas and James Cameron reflect on Jaws’s minimalist score and suspense techniques that reshaped the summer blockbuster model.