A day early but... From the International Business Times:
Jaws 40th Anniversary: 40 facts about Spielberg's infamous shark movie and Great Whites
The 40th anniversary of the initial release of Jaws is marked on 1 June 1975, striking a fear of sharks into a whole generation to follow. It opened in cinemas across the US a few weeks later and would go on to become the highest grossing film of the time.
To mark the event, IBTimes UK has looked at some facts and figures about Stephen Spielberg's infamous movie.
1. The great white shark in the film was estimated to be around 25ft long. The biggest great white to have ever been caught in real life was around 20ft.
2. The film was based on the book by Peter Benchley. He based it on a series of shark attacks that took place off the coast of New Jersey in 1964 and a 4,500lb shark caught in 1964 off the coast of Montauk.
3. Other titles for the bestseller included The Silence of the Deep, Leviathan Rising, and The Jaws of Death.
4. Despite widespread belief, stunt woman and actress Susan Backlinie did not break her ribs or hip while filming the opening scene, meaning her screams of terror were real. However, Spielberg did not warn her when she would be 'attacked', so her reactions were more genuine.
5. Richard Dreyfuss was not Spielberg's first choice for the role of Matt Hooper – Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms and Jon Voight were all approached first.
And Bruce?
13. Three mechanical sharks were used in the filming with each having specialised functions. They were nicknamed "Bruce" after Spielberg's lawyer.
Good movie - scared the shit out of me when I first saw it in the theater. I was 24 and studying Marine Biology and Physical Oceanography at Boston University.
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