This year on my birthday I decided to eat some of my favorite meals, have some of my favorite drinks, and watch Jaws. That's a normal thing to do right? Watch a classic horror film from 1975 about man-eating sharks on your birthday?
I loved the film and can understand why it's been named one of the classics. This time, instead of discussing the plot of my movie pick of the week, I thought I'd share some fun facts.
Whether you've seen the film or not (and you definitely should see it) here's some interesting trivia you might not have known:
- There were significant issues with production including being over budget by $5 million and going past schedule by 159 days.
- The mechanical sharks suffered multiple malfunctions causing director, Steven Spielberg, to call the sharks "Great White Turds."
- Jaws was the highest grossing film of all time until Star Wars was released two years later.
- Jaws was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
- The story was originally featured in the literature section of Cosmopolitan Magazine before being turned into a novel and eventually a film.
- Movie rights were purchased before the book was published in 1973, for $175,000
- Spielberg asked the art department to avoid using red in both costumes and scenery so that the blood from the shark attacks would be more shocking.
- The three full-size mechanical sharks were created for the film were nicknamed "Bruce" after Spielberg's lawyer.
- Disgruntled crew members gave the film the nickname "flaws" during production because they were overworked.
- During most of the shark attacks, the actors were yanked by cables underwater to simulate shark attacks.
- Spielberg was not present when the final scene was shot because he was worried the crew would pull a prank on him, and now it's a long-standing tradition that Spielberg is not present on the set when the last scenes of his movies are shot.
- John Williams' score for Jaws won the academy award that year, and it was later ranked the sixth-greatest score of all time by the American Film Institute.
- When John Williams originally played the score for Spielberg, he laughed and said, "That's funny, John, really; but what did you really have in mind for the theme of Jaws?"
- The boat on which the Great White Shark is eventually hunted and killed is named The Orca, which is the only natural enemy of the white shark.
- Over 67 million people in the U.S went to this this film when it was released making it the first summer blockbuster.
- The shark only has 4 minutes of screen time.
I got into podcasts a little late in the game. I didn't start listening to them until a few years ago when I discovered NPR's Invisibilia, a really cool podcast that explores the invisible forces that impact human behavior like emotions, perceptions, beliefs, etc. It's really fascinating and you should give it a listen.
Obviously I love film, so once my eyes were opened to the world of podcasts I started searching and listening to every podcast I could find on the subject. I think I've nailed down a pretty good list. And I listen to these particular shows on the regular. It's a great way to learn about films and filmmaking, and hear other people's discussions about them.
Here's my recommended list of podcasts about film:
1. The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith
This podcast explores the "art and business of storytelling." Jeff has access to people who are pretty high up in Hollywood. He interviews writers, directors, and actors at the Los Angeles Film School to ask questions about how their films have been brought to the screen. It's a really cool "behind the scenes" interview-style show.
2. The Treatment
The Treatment is hosted by Elvis Mitchell and is a radio show as well as a podcast. He also interviews high-profile creatives in Hollywood, but it's much more condensed since it's formatted for radio. Elvis' discussions with his guests are usually a bit more intellectual, but definitely engaging and accessible. He seems to know everyone who ever did anything important in the world of film.
3. Reel World Theology
This was one of the first shows I ever started listening to. I really enjoy the thoughtful discussions on this Christian podcast. They explore important thematic elements in popular films and the host, Mikey, does a great job bringing in a variety of different guests with different perspectives and ideas.
They also have a website that covers film, TV, and a variety of features - all written and managed by a group of people who are obviously passionate about storytelling.
4. Maltin on Movies
Leonard Maltin is a legend in the world of film criticism. He knows virtually everyone in Hollywood and has been working in the entertainment industry for several decades. On this podcast he and his daughter, Jesse, invite actors, writers, directors, and all types in the industry to discuss their latest projects.
The interviews are clearly aimed at cinephiles as they discuss the challenges and joys of the industry and frequently recommend artists and films that would typically fly under the average person's radar. It's a fun dynamic between Leonard and his daughter and the whole thing feels like a family affair.
5. I Think You're Interesting
Todd VanDerWerff is one of my favorite current critics and while he mostly covers television, he will often bring on guests who have impacted the film & TV world in some significant way. He will host anyone from documentarians to authors. The questions he asks in his interviews often draw out some of the most fascinating facts and tidbits, and I always enjoy the discussions he has with his guests.
6. Kermode and Mayo's Film Review
This BBC podcast is one of my more recent finds and it basically consists of two British gentleman discussing films and cracking jokes for an hour. I'll be honest, I usually fast forward to the interviews with the actors, (and sometimes directors) because the reviews can drag on for a little longer than I'd like and a lot of the show consists of reading fan mail from people who are writing in and giving their opinions on different films, which I'm not as interested in. But all in all there's some good content there!
7. Fresh Air
In general, Fresh Air is a great podcast that covers political issues, pop culture, and more. Hosted by legendary interviewer, Terry Gross, the show is expertly edited and formatted. Terry will occasionally host actors, writers, and directors on her show and she does a deep dive into her guests' lives, backgrounds, etc. There's a lot of great interviews archived on this one. Definitely worth a listen!
What are your favorite podcasts? Any film podcasts I'm missing out on?
I bet you've never thought about a haunted house from the perspective of a ghost before. This unorthodox story takes the familiar notion of ghosts, and flips it on its head. A Ghost Story doesn't slip so easily into a defined genre. At one moment it feels like a romance and the next it plays like a Sci-fi movie. The film is altogether different. Just when you begin to think you understand what's happening, the rug is swept out from under you. But that's part of the enjoyment. The mystery.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot so I'll keep it vague. This is a film that is better experienced than discussed. At the beginning of the film we follow our main characters, a married couple. The film is so unconventional, they aren't even given full names. They are referred to as "C" (played by Casey Affleck) and "M" (played by Rooney Mara) throughout, but we aren't made to feel like anything is missing. Its existential quality lends to the simplicity of the characters and the dialogue, which helps us as an audience reflect on the questions being posed throughout.
The film is meant to ask more questions than answer any. In an interview with David Lowry ,the director, he said the script was a mere 30 pages and was even parsed down after that. Given that a typical screenplay ranges from 120-150 pages, you can imagine how minimal the dialogue is.
The visuals, in my opinion, compensate for the lack of action and dialogue. The stunning, yet simple scenery allow us to wrestle with the meaning behind each scene. The main character spends the majority of the film under a sheet, but everything from the movements of our ghost to the long takes is intentional. Even the presentation is unique. The frame is cropped on either side and the edges our rounded it to give the film an Instagram filter-like feel, making it feel classic and yet fresh all at the same time.
If you're a horror movie buff and you're expecting a traditional scary movie, you won't quite get that, but fear not. The film still carries some traditional horror movie tropes like spooky music and slow camera pans that make you wonder what's lurking around the corner. What's interesting, though is the film has a touch of humor too.
As you've probably guessed this film is multi-dimensional and not your typical movie-going experience. I myself wrestled with whether I really liked it immediately afterwards. It wasn't until I was able to digest and reflect on the film that I realized I really loved it. I also love the soundtrack and would highly recommend that as well.
Whether you see this movie out of curiosity, or you're a genuine art house film buff, I think this film has a little something for everyone, even if it's just to stretch yourself and see something that you wouldn't normally gravitate towards.
