Greg Nicotero talks restoring Bruce, the shark from Jaws
Speaking to us from the museum in Hollywood, LA, The Walking Dead director talks to us about how the journey to bring Bruce back began and about being a lifelong Jaws fan. He also talks about how the shark from the Steven Spielberg 1975 classic helped influence his career path.
Suitably, Greg is stood in front of the 25 foot long hanging Jaws shark, y'know in the foreground to give it some scale.
Greg said: "This shark represents everything that is great about the film industry...that had never been done before. And the result was one of the greatest movies of our generation."
Greg has also managed to get his love of Jaws into several episodes of The Walking Dead: THE WALKING DEAD FINAL SEASON HOPEFULLY MEANS MORE JAWS EASTER EGGS
Bruce is now astounding a whole new generation of film fans as he rubs pectoral fins alongside such iconic film artefacts as Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, the typewriter used to write the screenplay to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, tablets from The Ten Commandments and a space suit from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.
After almost 50 years, Bruce is still feared, still inspires, so it's no wonder he's still got Hollywood's biggest smile.
Bruce the shark, so named after Steven Spielberg's lawyer, looks simply stunning and he's already the centre of attention for Jaws and film fans alike who visit, not bad for someone who only got four minutes screen time in the original film.
And Greg's fine restoration work has also met with resounding approval from those involved in Jaws.
Joe Alves, Jaws production designer, said: “I’ve been involved with the Junk Yard shark for a number of years. The Museum representative contacted me regarding having it restored and knowing Greg Nicotero for many years, I thought him and his group would be the perfect people to restore it. I’m glad the restored shark has found it’s home at the Museum of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for everyone to enjoy.”
With Jaws co-screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, adding: “It’s fitting that an iconic film has a genuine icon representing it in an iconic setting. It all fits together."
Jaws and the Academy Awards are no strangers, as it took home three Oscars at the 1976 awards ceremony.
It won awards for the mighty score by John Williams, the sound editing and editing - by Verna Fields. It was also nominated for Best Picture, losing out to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
However, it didn't feature for Best Director, Spielberg famously had a TV crew film the Oscar nominations, hoping to capture the reaction to his nomination that never came.
And Robert Shaw also didn't receive an acting nomination for his role as Quint. Find out more about Jaws at the Oscars here: JAWS AT THE OSCARS
Jaws is almost 50, and Bruce has never looked better, and after all he isn't the only star in Hollywood to have a bit of cosmetic surgery to keep him youthful.
Just don't go popping any oxygen tanks in his mouth, it will ruin that lovingly restored jaw line.
Catch the full interview on The Daily Jaws YouTube channel here:
