Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
Jaws, one of the most celebrated and influential movies of all time, is turning 50.
The 1975 shark-attack thriller still remains right at the top of many "Best Movies of All Time" lists, and it's easy to see why. Steven Spielberg's film, which is considered the first ever summer blockbuster, has lost none of its power to terrify over the years, and also happens to boast three unforgettable lead performances from Robert Shaw, Roy Schneider and Richard Dreyfus.
Empire Magazine is marking 5 decades of people being genuinely terrified of setting foot in the ocean with a series of interviews with those within the industry who have been most influenced by Jaws.
Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man, Wolf Man, Upgrade) pays tribute to Spielberg's directing.
“Jaws is a B-movie made with A-level craft. It had no right to be that good,” he says, noting that he referenced the movie while working on The Invisible Man. “I said, ‘If we do our jobs correctly, we’re going to do for empty rooms what Jaws did for the water.
It’s a superb script,” says screenwriter David Koepp, who worked with Spielberg on Jurassic Park. “It’s a miracle of structure, of character, of suspense.”
Check out Empire's new Jaws-themed covers below.
“Universal is honored to have been a part of so many extraordinary, unforgettable Steven Spielberg films over the past 47 years, including Jaws in 1975, E.T. in 1982 and Jurassic Park in 1993,” said Jim Orr, president of domestic theatrical distribution for Universal Pictures when the movie was re-released back in 2022. “No filmmaker, it’s fair to say, has had a greater or more enduring impact on American cinema or has created more indelible cinematic memories for tens of billions of people worldwide. We couldn’t think of a more perfect way to celebrate the anniversary of E.T. and the first Universal-Spielberg summer blockbuster, Jaws, than to allow audiences to experience these films in a way they’ve never been able to before.”
“IMAX is thrilled to partner with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment to offer audiences the opportunity to experience these two iconic films in IMAX for the very first time,” said Megan Colligan, President of IMAX Entertainment. “Steven Spielberg redefined modern cinema and ushered in a new era of bold, swing-for-the-fences filmmaking, and the IMAX Experience has expanded around the world because of the trail blazed by films like E.T. and Jaws.”
“Jaws redefined what it means to be a summer-event blockbuster and now for the first time ever audiences can experience Steven Spielberg’s motion picture classic in 3D,” added Travis Reid, CEO & President, Cinema, RealD. “Everything that made Jaws a sensation and a fan favorite for nearly 50 years will be enhanced in RealD 3D, allowing fans a completely new opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the greatest summer suspense thrillers of all time.”