Friday It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece?
Read on and see how much you know about 鈥淛aws.鈥�
What was the nickname given to the shark?
Spielberg after his attorney, Bruce Ramer.
Where did the title come from?
When author Peter Benchley鈥檚 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles 鈥� 鈥淟eviathan Rising,鈥� 鈥淪ilent Fall鈥� 鈥� before, at the last minute, choosing 鈥淛aws.鈥� What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn鈥檛 sure, he told his editor, but it was short.
What's the origin of the iconic movie poster?
The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel鈥檚 paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel.
What was the inspiration for Amity?
Though Spielberg shot 鈥淛aws鈥� off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley鈥檚 novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island.
Who was first attached to direct 鈥淛aws鈥�?
Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale.
How old was Spielberg when he began the project?
26.
Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody?
Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider.
What鈥檚 the name of Quint鈥檚 boat?
The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of 鈥淛aws,鈥� a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled 鈥淥rca.鈥�
What led to the shark often malfunctioning?
Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times 鈥� particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn鈥檛 show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce鈥檚 mechanical delays
How long into 鈥淛aws鈥� does the shark fully appear on screen?
It鈥檚 not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark.
Was the movie鈥檚 most iconic line scripted?
No, Schieder adlibbed 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gonna need a bigger boat.鈥� Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren鈥檛 spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 鈥淚t became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong 鈥� if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e gonna need a bigger boat.鈥欌��
What disaster was Quint a survivor of?
The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the during World War II. Quint鈥檚 lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn鈥檛 in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene鈥檚 power.
Does Spielberg appear in 鈥淛aws?鈥�
The director isn鈥檛 seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it鈥檚 Spielberg鈥檚 voice on the radio. He says: 鈥淭his is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in.鈥� Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams鈥� score. And Brody鈥檚 dogs were Spielberg鈥檚 cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.)
How far over schedule did 鈥淛aws鈥� run?
The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though 鈥淛aws鈥� become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before.
What was 鈥淛aws鈥� rated?
Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave 鈥淛aws鈥� a 鈥淧G鈥� rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with 鈥淚ndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,鈥� after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including 鈥淩aiders of the Lost Ark鈥� and 鈥淕remlins鈥� led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that 鈥溾�楯aws鈥� involved nature鈥檚 violence, rather than man鈥檚 violence against man,鈥� Valenti said. 鈥淭his is the same kind of violence as in 鈥楬ansel and Gretel.鈥� Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 鈥楯aws.鈥欌��
The movie鈥檚 poster carried the warning: 鈥淢AY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.鈥�
What did 鈥淛aws鈥� lose best picture to at the Academy Awards?
鈥淛aws鈥� was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside 鈥淛aws,鈥� where 鈥淒og Day Afternoon,鈥� 鈥淏arry Lyndon,鈥� 鈥淥ne Flew Over the Cuckoo鈥檚 Nest鈥� and 鈥淣ashville.鈥� The winner was 鈥淥ne Flew Over the Cuckoo鈥檚 Nest.鈥�
The Associated Press
