Steven Spielberg‘s Jaws left an indelible mark on cinema upon release 50 years ago today, in 1975. It didn’t just instill a fear of going into the water, but it essentially birthed the summer blockbuster as we know it. Jaws also set the blueprint for shark horror that still holds strong today. All of this poses a very obvious question for any documentary broaching a well-trodden subject matter that’s been around for five decades: what’s left to explore?
Jaws at 50: The Definitive Inside Story, director Laurent Bouzerau’s documentary attached to the new Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray release, doesn’t attempt to condense 50 years of history into its feature runtime. Instead, Bouzerau examines Jaws’ impact in the decades since its release and its surprisingly humble origins.
While that means it’s not quite as definitive as its title suggests, it does make for a worthy watch thanks to keen insights and a murderer’s row of talking heads that includes contemporary cinema greats like Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Peele, James Cameron, and George Lucas.
The doc begins at the logical starting point: Peter Benchley’s novel that inspired Spielberg’s seminal classic. Jaws @ 50 uses this launching point to explore both the film’s direct impact on the public’s perception of sharks and subsequent conservation as well as Spielberg’s career. The legendary filmmaker looms large over this documentary, recounting anecdotes from set and his general experience taking on a massive project hampered by technical malfunctions and budgetary issues as a relative newcomer.
Steven Spielberg in ‘Jaws @ 50’
Bouzerau, a frequent producer and helmer of Spielberg-inspired docs, effortlessly illuminates insight from his talking heads in ways that make Jaws @ 50 feel relatively fresh even when venturing into well-known territory, like the frequently malfunctioning shark animatronics. This doc may not provide any new context for Bruce the shark, but it does come with amusing anecdotes from Spielberg himself on working with Robert Shaw and the competitive camaraderie that emerged on set with Richard Dreyfuss. Or in the way that Benchley tried and failed to convince publishers to run positive praise for his novel from none other than Fidel Castro.
Supplementing the insights from talking heads on Jaws’ birthing of the summer blockbuster and its more meager origins are rare archival footage and behind-the-scenes footage that lends visual interest and heft. Bouzerau employs it as connective tissue, bridging Jaws’ creation to its ultimate impact as the definitive shark horror movie that made great whites a boogeyman for legions. It’s not the flashiest of docs, nor is it as definitive as its title implies, but it is thoughtful in its curation.
Jaws @ 50 doesn’t bring any earth shattering revelations about a classic horror movie that changed the cinematic landscape in 1975. Instead, Bouzerau tries to forge new ground by examining Jaws’ legacy beyond the box office, framing Spielberg’s film as an almost underdog that beat the odds and completely changed society’s view of the ocean. It’s warm and engaging, making for a great supplemental doc for the Jaws mega fan.
Jaws at 50: The Definitive Inside Story is set to premiere on National Geographic on July 10 followed by Hulu and Disney+ on July 11.
