How Dallas JAWS test screening changed the film (and cinema) forever
On March 26, 1975, the Medallion Theatre in Dallas hosted the first public test screening of a film that would soon become a cinematic phenomenon—Jaws. This pivotal event not only shaped the career of director Steven Spielberg but also revolutionized the summer blockbuster forever.
Fifty years ago, a rising young director arrived in Dallas, hopeful that his latest project would catapult him into Hollywood success. Spielberg, who had already made a name for himself with the pilot of Columbo and the acclaimed television movie Duel, watched anxiously from the Medallion Theatre as the audience reacted to the film that had consumed months of his life.
The Medallion Theatre first opened its doors in 1969, debuting with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Over the years, it expanded to five screens before closing in 2006. Today, a Kohl’s store stands in its place, but memories of the Medallion endure—especially as Jaws approaches its 50th anniversary this summer.
Texas film publicist Kelly Kitchens recalls knowing someone who attended that fateful screening—a projectionist named Paul Adair. Before his passing, Adair recounted that the audience had little idea what to expect since the film was still under a working title. He also confirmed that an early scene featuring the shark was removed before the final cut to heighten the impact of the film’s climax—including the iconic “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” moment with Roy Scheider.
When Jaws officially premiered on June 20, 1975, it became the highest-grossing film of the year, holding that title until Star Wars took over. In 2001, the Library of Congress honored Jaws by selecting it for the National Film Registry. Adapted from Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel, the film tells the gripping story of a great white shark terrorizing a New England coastal town during the summer. Originally scheduled for a 58-day shoot, production stretched an exhausting 158 days, plagued by constant technical failures of the mechanical sharks. Still, Spielberg turned these challenges into cinematic gold, taking inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s suspenseful style to finish the film.
Reflecting on the Dallas screening in Spielberg: The First Ten Years, the director recalled the audience’s electric response: “It was very, very loud and people went crazy,” he said. One particularly intense moment led a man to rush out of the theater—not out of boredom, as Spielberg first feared, but because the on-screen tension had physically overwhelmed him.
Michael Schulman’s Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears details how Spielberg and the film’s producers celebrated the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Dallas screening, toasting with champagne in the penthouse of the Registry Hotel until 4 a.m.
Since that night, Dallas has held a special place in Spielberg’s heart—though not without a slight caveat. During the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival, where he introduced E.T., Spielberg reminisced about the Medallion, calling it his “good luck theater.” It was the site of triumphant screenings for both Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. However, that luck didn’t last forever. When he screened his 1979 comedy 1941 at the Medallion, the audience reaction was far less enthusiastic. “I took 1941 there, and you could hear a pin drop three-quarters of the movie,” Spielberg admitted to the TCM audience.
While the Medallion Theatre may be gone, its role in cinematic history remains undeniable. As Jaws marks its 50th anniversary, the film’s legendary test screening in Dallas stands as a testament to its enduring impact—not just on Spielberg’s career but on the entire landscape of Hollywood filmmaking.
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