How ‘Jaws’ Forever Changed the Modern Day Blockbuster — and What Today’s Examples Could Learn from It

[Editor’s note: This communicative was primitively published connected June 20, 2017, successful ceremony of nan 42nd day of nan merchandise of “Jaws.” We are re-publishing it coming pinch immoderate ray updates to observe nan film‘s 50th anniversary.]

The original trailer for Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” hardly hinted astatine nan industry-changing blockbuster it was yet selling, alternatively playing up immoderate superior melodrama (“it is arsenic if God created nan Devil and gave him jaws” is easy nan champion statement of a highly quotable spot of marketing) and leaning into nan best-selling bonafides of nan book it was based on. The trailer boasted immoderate of nan film’s iconic shots and lines (you amended judge “you’re gonna request a bigger boat” is successful there), but chiefly seemed willing successful imparting nan precocious stakes play and scary of nan communicative to audiences seeking a scary summertime distraction.

That “Jaws” would go a mega-hit that would push Spielberg’s burgeoning profession into nan stratosphere was a surprise, but cipher could person predicted that it would besides found nan blueprint for modern-day blockbusters. Now celebrating its 50th birthday, correct successful nan mediate of yet different summertime movie-going season, it’s worthy acknowledging conscionable really overmuch each large movie released this clip of nan twelvemonth owes to Spielberg and his shark. And astatine a clip erstwhile audiences are positively swimming successful big, large franchise movies, it’s productive to callback conscionable really overmuch this 1 represented a existent filmmaking talent.

Made for little than $9 million, “Jaws” went connected to make complete $470 cardinal successful world returns, including a $260 cardinal home take that earned it nan apical spot astatine nan container agency successful 1975. The movie toppled different high-powered hits for illustration “One Flew Over nan Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Dog Day Afternoon,” each immense moneymakers that were decidedly non-blockbuster successful quality (at least, arsenic we presently cognize nan term). “Jaws” was nan first characteristic movie to break $235 cardinal successful home returns (in 1973, “The Exorcist” became nan first movie to break $230, and it excessively spawned a unsocial way for early scary offerings). Nearly half a period aft its release, it still ranks successful nan all-time apical 150; adjusted for inflation, it ranks astatine number 7.

Spielberg’s large hit — his first and evidently not his last — paved nan measurement for nan monolithic tentpole features that now predominate nan summertime season, immense earners that seizure some nan zeitgeist and hefty audiences.

Moreover, nan movie was bolstered by a modern, forward-thinking trading run that still influences nan measurement movies are sold today. Universal spent astir $2 cardinal to marketplace nan movie, plentifulness of which went to utilizing tv trading successful its earliest stages, utilizing a slew of prime-time web spots that introduced nan movie to a immense assemblage successful nifty 30-second blocks. Ads played up nan John Williams people and nan now-iconic imagery of Jaws emerging from nan water. There were talk show tours (including appearances that dated much than 8 months earlier nan movie deed theaters) and trading tie-ins, a large push towards nan readership of nan original caller (including a marque caller screen creation that reflected nan poster and different stills) and a number of exceedingly well-received trial screenings.

“Jaws” deed theaters pinch not conscionable a ton of hype, but existent nickname of nan property. Audiences were excited astir things they already knew about, land they could publication astir in Peter Benchley’s book, and characters they were already acquainted with — conscionable for illustration today’s movies that now get successful theaters aft monolithic trading blitzes that show disconnected immense bits of worldly earlier films moreover open.

But while “Jaws” helped kickstart a activity of high-earning features pinch workplace powerfulness down them, it didn’t do it astatine nan disbursal of quality, a instruction that galore modern blockbusters still request to learn. The movie debuted to mostly affirmative reviews, galore of which rightly hailed Spielberg arsenic nan adjacent large point successful awesome moviemaking. “Jaws” was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and went connected to triumph 3 of them. The movie showed that movies could make money and entreaty broadly and still beryllium of precocious value and craft; those things didn’t person to beryllium mutually exclusive.

And those films could besides strengthen arsenic classics, arsenic “Jaws” has managed to clasp connected to lofty position for complete 4 decades. So galore blockbusters don’t conscionable eschew wide value successful work to whiz-bang intermezo and speedy fun, but they besides connection up specified disposal amusements. It’s intolerable to fathom them being truthful overmuch arsenic watched 50 years later, fto unsocial loved. In 4 decades, are group going to beryllium watching “San Andreas” aliases “The Legend of Tarzan”? “Divergent” aliases “The Maze Runner”? “Non-Stop” aliases “Snow White and nan Huntsman”? Not nan measurement they watch “Jaws,” that’s for sure.

The movie besides opened up doors for immoderate of modern time blockbuster filmmaking’s little breathtaking (and little satisfying) elements, including a bent towards franchises, complete pinch some large successes and immense disappointments. “Jaws” beget 3 sequels during a clip erstwhile that was hardly conceivable, fto unsocial position quo. Some of them (OK, conscionable “Jaws 2”) are bully capable followups, but moreover nan magic of “Jaws” still led to specified bastardizations arsenic “Jaws 3-D” (even successful nan ’70s, movies were not immune to statement tricks and laughable gimmicks) and “Jaws: The Revenge,” which was arsenic overmuch astir psychic unease arsenic it was astir murderous water dwellers. Even nan champion of nan bunch travel pinch immoderate problems.

But not “Jaws.” The beast astatine nan halfway of nan movie was a defining unit successful modern entertainment. “This shark?” says Quint successful nan pivotal municipality hallway scene. “Swallow you whole.” And it still devours each nan knock-offs it inspired.