Ocean of wisdom: Steven Spielberg's 10 best quotes on 'JAWS'
In the summer of 1975, a cinematic masterpiece emerged from the depths of Hollywood, forever altering the landscape of filmmaking and sparking a global fascination with the mysteries of the deep blue sea. Steven Spielberg's "Jaws," an iconic thriller that brought the terror of the ocean to life, not only revolutionized the art of filmmaking but also offered profound insights into the human condition. As we delve into the world of Spielberg's timeless classic, we find that the man behind the lens is equally as captivating as his creation. Steven Spielberg, a director known for his unparalleled storytelling and innovative cinematic techniques, has left us with a treasure trove of wisdom through his timeless quotes on the making of "Jaws." In this article, we will embark on a journey through Spielberg's 10 best quotes on "Jaws," shedding light on the creative genius behind the film and the enduring legacy it continues to carve in the annals of cinematic history. Join us as we explore the director's pearls of wisdom that not only capture the essence of "Jaws" but also provide valuable insights into the art of filmmaking.
“I was naive about the ocean, basically. I was pretty naive about mother nature and the hubris of a filmmaker who thinks he can conquer the elements was foolhardy, but I was too young to know I was being foolhardy when I demanded that we shoot the film in the Atlantic Ocean and not in a North Hollywood tank.”
“(E.T.) It was a movie that I absolutely cherished in my heart. I know it has become a much-abused icon, but at the time, it was my first personal film, the opposite of ‘Jaws’.”
“I like parts of ‘Duel’ (1973) much better than I like parts of ‘Jaws’ (1975) because ‘Duel’ was more daring. It was about a very unnatural occurrence, whereas ‘Jaws’ is as natural as the evolution of mankind.
’Duel’ was much more of a challenge because trying to create that kind of fear out of a truck is a lot harder than the established fear of a man-eating fish underwater. But ‘Duel’ had a whole new set of rules.”
“ The turning point in my career was Jaws. It was a turning point because I was a director-for-hire before Jaws and because it was such a big hit I could do any movie I wanted and Hollywood just wrote me a cheque.”
“I truly and to this day regret the decimation of the shark population because of the book and the film. I really, truly regret that.”
“That’s one of the things I still fear, not to get eaten by a shark, but that sharks are somehow mad at me for the feeding frenzy of crazy sport fishermen which happened after 1975.”
“I’ve always collaborated with the crews as much as I could at the very beginning. I was still learning at the very beginning, and before my first big success, which was Jaws, everybody helped me and they had tons of ideas. And if they were good ideas, I would use them. If you want to get the best out of your crew, you’ve gotta get them to not be shy and come forward and tell the director what they think. I’ve done that my entire career. ”
“The difference between making Jaws (1975) 31 years ago and War of the Worlds (2005) is that today, anything I can imagine, I can realize on film. Then, when my mechanical shark was being repaired and I had to shoot something, I had to make the water scary. I relied on the audience’s imagination, aided by where I put the camera. Today, it would be a digital shark. It would cost a hell of a lot more, but never break down. As a result, I probably would have used it four times as much, which would have made the film four times less scary. Jaws is scary because of what you don’t see, not because of what you do. We need to bring the audience back into partnership with storytelling.”
“When I think of Jaws, I think of courage and stupidity... underwater.”