JAWS
Shot mostly on location at Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts from May to October of 1974, Jaws was the first major motion picture to be shot on the ocean and consequently had a troubled production, going over budget and schedule.
As the art department’s mechanical sharks often malfunctioned, Spielberg decided to mostly suggest the shark’s presence, employing an ominous and minimalist theme created by composer John Williams to indicate its impending appearances.
Spielberg and others have compared this suggestive approach to that of director Alfred Hitchcock.
Universal Pictures’ release of the film to over 450 screens was an exceptionally wide release for a major studio picture at the time, and it was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign that heavily emphasized television spots and tie-in merchandise.
As the art department’s mechanical sharks often malfunctioned, Spielberg decided to mostly suggest the shark’s presence, employing an ominous and minimalist theme created by composer John Williams to indicate its impending appearances. Spielberg and others have compared this suggestive approach to that of director Alfred Hitchcock. Universal Pictures’ release of the film to over 450 screens was an exceptionally wide release for a major studio picture at the time, and it was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign that heavily emphasized television spots and tie-in merchandise.
