Roger Kastel: the artist behind the iconic ‘Jaws’ poster
In the summer of 1975, the beaches were abandoned. Steven Spielberg had struck fear in the hearts of swimmers and cinemagoers across America with Jaws, and people found themselves suddenly terrified of the ocean. The movie’s iconic poster, created by artist Roger Kastel, tapped into their universal fears of the great beyond, suspending the film’s name in menacing red text as swimmer floated by, just out of reach of the shark lurking below.
As is proudly mentioned on the late artist’s website, his poster for Jaws was included in both 200 Years of American Illustration and The Illustrator in America. Kastel’s artwork was so revered because he distilled exactly what Spielberg did in two hours and four minutes on a single page. Part of the menace of the great white shark was that beachgoers couldn’t see it until it was too late, and the naive swimmer Kastle suspended above it did just the same.
What’s more staggering about Kastel’s work is that it stood out in one of the most elaborate marketing campaigns in history. To the tune of £1.8million, beach towels and water pistols were pedalled, but it was the poster that stuck in the public consciousness. It took six months to create, with advertising head Tony Seiniger recalling: “No matter what we did, it didn’t look scary enough”. When it was decided they needed the perspective to be almost from underneath the shark so you could see its teeth, they were onto a winner.
On it’s lengthy creation, Kastel later said: “I did a very rough sketch, and [they] said, ‘That’s great, just make the shark realistic and bigger. Make him very much bigger!'”
Kastel’s background in illustrating book covers was well utilised, because both books and films demanded a image that would draw audiences in. Over the span of his career, he bought the vision of over 1,000 authors to life. His Jaws poster was a pop cultural staple, and was often used by comic illustrators in pivotal political moments – notably parodied to depict Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan in the run up to the presidential election.
While cinemagoers will likely remember him best for the Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back posters, his family will remember his lifelong love of art. In a touching line on his website, a moment he turned to his wife, Grace, and declared: “Art is my life!” is recalled, in heartfelt ode to his craft. The artwork he created has inspired hundreds of illustrators, and his legacy continues to bolster the creative community – in lieu of flowers, his family have requested donations to The Artists’ Fellowship.
The organisation provides artists will financial support in times of emergency, disability and bereavement. It was one of Kastel’s favourite charities.
