Shark treatment.
More Spielberg-baiting!
A friend of mine worked on a big “Making of” documentary about 70s fish-based megahit JAWS. I won’t repeat what he told me about how Spielberg supposedly lost his virginity because I can’t afford a lawyer, but he was very interesting about the shark itself.
You all know the story: the mechanical shark built for the film malfunctioned constantly. “I was forced into making those creative choices, because I didn’t have a shark to use.”
Well, as my contact says, “We were told, by more than one person, that the mechanical shark worked fine. I mean, it looked like what it was, a fake shark, but it did everything it was supposed to do. The reason for the delays was that some high-up production personnel had acquired girlfriends on location and were in no hurry to return home.”
I just wanted to get that out there, true of not, in memory of the poor chap who built Bruce the Shark, (he also did the giant squid in Disney’s TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA) who’s had decades of people thinking his shark didn’t go. Doesn’t seem fair.
December 16, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Christ, man. I’m dying to know!
Please? In private?
One film lover to another?
December 17, 2007 at 9:48 am
Ewww, how can you be THAT interested?
December 17, 2007 at 1:25 pm
He’s a great director. Would love to know more about his life and personality and perhaps see how this has been reflected in his work.
December 17, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I emailed you the gossip.
The movie that comes closest to reflecting this story is CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, i guess.