How the Jaws series and The Poseidon Adventure films and remakes are all linked
The Jaws series of films may be leaving Prime Video in the UK, but with Poseidon just docking, it at least means we get some more of Richard Dreyfuss in peril in the water, even if he has not got the need of either a portable shower or monkey cage this time round.
But, did you know that someone from each of the Jaws films is involved with each and every version of The Poseidon Adventure? We head to port, or is it starboard, to take a closer look.
The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Although there had been Airport in 1970, arguably the original The Poseidon Adventure sailing into oblivion in 1972, kicked the popularity of the disaster genre of the 1970s into high gear, which also saw the likes of Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974) hit screens.
Adventure, which starred the like of Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine had a score by John Williams, whetting - or should that be wetting - his conducting feet in watery action years before Jaws and Jaws 2. Williams also handled scoring duties on Earthquake and Inferno.
You could say that Jaws is a part of these cycle of films, as a shark wreaking havoc on a seaside resort does scream part of that. Nature attacking man in the shape of a killer shark is no different to The Swarm or Day of the Animals.
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
The disaster genre was spluttering to the end of its cinematic trend when this sequel to the bigger ship film limped out.
Like the SS Poseidon itself the film pretty much sank without trace. Famously, it was one of Michael Caine's Hollywood pay cheque movies. We know not whether he has seen it, or if he used his earnings to buy a house.
Caine went onto play Hoagie in Jaws the Revenge, where he starts telling a story of how he flew 100 nuns to Nairobi. In this film he starred alongside The Flying Nun, Sally Field. Coincidence? Absolutely. Also, his shirt clearly isn’t as fast drying as that he wore in the fourth Jaws film.
The Poseidon Adventure (2005)
This two-part TV movie starred Adam Baldwin – who had starred alongside Roy Scheider in Cohen and Tate - Rutger Hauer, Peter Weller, Bryan Brown and Steve Guttenberg on board the stricken liner, although this time, as well as a tidal wave it also has terrorists to contend with. Naturally much of the cast spend their time either in or escaping water.
On directing duties is John Putch, who ironically played the water-phobic Sean Brody in Jaws 3D (1983).
Poseidon (2006)
Director Wolfgang Petersen is no stranger to making successful films set on the water, with Das Boot (1981) and The Perfect Storm (2000) all gaining both critical and commercial success.
Alas, the same can't be said of this retread of The Poseidon Adventure, which despite an impressive cast and effects, just has something missing.
It does have some nice moments of tension and good set pieces, but just seems to be over far too quickly. Kurt Russell is his usual dependable self, and it is great to see Richard Dreyfuss from Jaws finally get a bigger boat. We also get Josh Lucas, who is heading back to dangerous waters again in the forthcoming shark thriller The Black Demon.
Words by Dean Newman
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