Sharks have had a tough time since the 1970s, when overfishing, habitat loss and a growing trade in their fins began to cut their populations. ‘Jaws’ didn’t help.
Articles on Jaws
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For decades, cinema has given us sexy women in bikinis stalked by sharks. Now Netflix and Ocean Ramsey want us to think women in bikinis can save sharks.
One standout from this month’s list is Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, an awe-inspiring thriller that changed the film industry forever when it was released 50 years ago.
Jaws was only the second feature film for the 28-year-old Steven Spielberg – and it would become a cultural smash.
Jaws was a film shaped by Jewish writers, ideas and a very personal connection to the shark.
The film made us afraid to go back in the water. It ultimately gave sharks more to fear from us.
With blockbuster films costing hundreds of millions of dollars, the way two musical notes manipulate tension in ‘Jaws’ serves as a reminder that less can be more.
One iconic scene unfolds underwater. We see swimmers’ legs flailing, and not much else – but John Williams’ masterful audio signals the terror lurking below.
It’s ironic that many characters are offended by an animal capable of instinct alone, when they as humans – capable of reason and choice – behave so badly.
For decades, the ‘Jaws effect’ from shark movies has fed into the public’s fear and panic – harming both sharks and humans.
Peter Benchley’s classic 1974 ‘man versus beast’ blockbuster novel doubled as a scathing critique of 1970s America. Spielberg’s film made its characters likeable – and its tone into a ‘grand adventure’.
A terrifying sight in ancient waters, the megalodon shark was once the most feared creature in the sea.
John Williams’ compositions have an unparalleled reach. He defined the sound of the 20th century.
The researchers found tooth shape varied, depending on the types of food a carnivore regularly bites into – in much the same way we choose a kitchen knife depending on what we’re cutting up.
As part of the nation’s massive wartime mobilization effort, millions of Americans, for the first time, traveled abroad – where many had their first encounters with the marine predators.
Paleontologists have discovered fossil remains belonging to an enormous ‘toothed’ bird that lived for a period of about 60 million years after dinosaurs.
The movie ‘Jaws’ opens with a truly iconic piece of music. Two notes have us on the edge of our seats in anticipation — how does music manipulate our emotions?
What is it that makes films about sharks so popular?
Sexual organs similar to what we see in sharks and rays today appeared many millions of years ago in much more primitive ancient fishes than was previously thought.
Monster movies are currently rampaging across the globe. Their popularity shows us how Hollywood’s place in world cinema is changing.
Top contributors
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Emeritus Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University
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Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer in Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy), University of the Sunshine Coast
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Professor of Film Studies, De Montfort University
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Postdoctoral Fellow in Vertebrate Palaeontology, Flinders University
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Professor of Film, York St John University
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Senior Lecturer in Film Studies, University of Dundee
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Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia
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Associate Professor of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, University of Florida
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Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University
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Adjunct Research Associate, Monash University
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Lecturer in Musicology, Dan School of Drama & Music, Queen's University, Ontario
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University Distinguished Teaching Professor of American Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
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Professor of Media
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Senior Lecturer in Media, Glasgow Caledonian University