Why Steven Spielberg left the set of ‘Jaws’ before the film was finished
There have been many shark films made since Jaws changed the face of modern cinema, but nothing comes close to the terror that Steven Spielberg managed to capture with his movie. The music, the direction and the acting all contributed to a film that had audiences on the edge of their seat and beaches empty for months. It took a while for people to get back into the water, and it turns out they weren’t the only ones who wanted to avoid the sea.
Jaws wasn’t only a horror movie for those who saw it but also for those who worked on it. It was originally expected that the movie would take about 55 days to film; however, it ended up taking triple that, as the production didn’t wrap until day 159. There were a number of reasons why this was the case, namely a tide that wouldn’t play ball and an animatronic shark that refused to work.
By the time the movie was close to wrapping, the cast and crew were bored of filming, and some tension had grown between them and their director, Spielberg. As they neared the end of the process, people behind the scenes started plotting how they might be able to get their own back, and it was decided they would throw the director into the water once the final shot had been filmed.
Spielberg caught wind of this plan, so he made up his own on the final day of filming. The shot was of the shark blowing up as a bullet hits the oxygen tank it carries in its mouth. It was an iconic shot that cinemas everywhere cheered at and one that Spielberg didn’t stick around for.
He lined up the scene, and then before the team started rolling, he jumped on another boat that took him to shore. The shot was filmed, and Spielberg was already in the process of leaving as it had happened. From the shore, with a cast and crew still in the process of wrapping up his movie, the direction said, “That’s a wrap. I shall not return!”
Despite the negative aura surrounding the movie’s closing, Jaws was a commercial success. It is still seen as one of the most iconic horror movies ever made and ultimately cemented Spielberg as one of the greatest directors of the time. He decided to take action on the final day of filming as an omen, and rumour has it he still leaves every movie set before the final shot as his movies wouldn’t be successful without it.
Who is to say if there is a true secret to film-making? You need to have a good knowledge of writing and directing, but sometimes pictures just don’t resonate with audiences. Spielberg may have unlocked the secret, as his commercial success speaks for itself.
