In 1975, Steven Spielberg's thriller "Jaws" came out, pioneering the summer blockbuster genre and completely redefining what was possible in movies. The creepy shark "Bruce" in this film not only left an indelible mark of fear in the hearts of the audience, but also aroused unprecedented attention from marine biologists and shark experts to the protection of the great white shark species and marine ecology.
The global success of "Jaws" has also made sharks a unique cultural phenomenon. People's interest in shark attacks has surged, and it has even spawned commercial activities such as Discovery Channel's "Shark Week." Spielberg's ability to instill fear in the hearts of audiences around the world with this film is a remarkable feat of cinematography.
There is no doubt that "Jaws" is one of the most important and influential works in the history of film. What is surprising is that there is a trace of reality behind this seemingly fictional story. Spielberg was inspired by Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name. Benchley developed a fascination with shark attacks, an interest that coincided with the producers of "Jaws."
In fact, preparations for the film had already begun before the novel was published. Recently, researchers have pointed out striking similarities between Benchley's novel, the Jaws movie, and a series of real-life events that took place in July 1916.
The interweaving of fiction and reality
The real shark attack in 1916, A series of brutal shark attacks staged a real version of the thriller.
For ordinary people, ocean beasts like great white sharks are unimaginable. Before the blockbuster release of Jaws in 1975, little was known about this species. Even today, scientists continue to work tirelessly to uncover the mysteries of great white shark behavior.
However, as early as 1916, scientists were witnessing the horrors wrought by this formidable creature. That year, a juvenile shark wreaked havoc off the coast of New Jersey, killing multiple victims while enjoying an Atlantic swim in what became the first fatal shark attack in U.S. history.
The tragedy known as the "New Jersey Shore Shark Attack" has implications far beyond "Jaws." In 2004, the Animal Planet channel also produced a TV movie called "12 Days of Terror", telling this thrilling history.
In this real tragedy, the victims included 25-year-old Charles Van Sant, 27-year-old Charles Bruder, 11-year-old Lester Sitwell, 24-year-old Watson Stanley Fisher, and 14-year-old Joseph Dunn.
The shark's rampage quickly made headlines in major newspapers, even overshadowing the news of World War I. Scientists have questioned whether a juvenile great white shark can actually cause so much damage.
In just 12 days (July 1st to 12th), this terrifying creature caused 5 casualties within a radius of 112 kilometers, of which only 1 survived.
An expert at the American Museum of Natural History speculated that an ancient man-eating shark was at work, a suggestion that sparked public panic and even violence against sharks.
Benchley refers to these real-life attacks in his novel, emphasizing that everything in his story could happen in reality because they did.
Comparison between the movie "Jaws" and the real story
In 1916, the warriors who defeated the beast did not need a "big boat"
It is true that the protagonist team in "Jaws" is completely fictional, but the horror of sharks in reality The reign ended in a heroic fashion. Two fishermen managed to kill the great white shark to protect themselves and their boat. The sequence of events leading up to this triumph is eerily similar to the plot of the blockbuster thriller.The real shark killed four people, including a man who was killed at the mouth of the river, a scene that was also shown in the movie.
Furthermore, politicians and scientists try to deny the threat posed by real sharks, prompting public outcry and heroic sacrifice, a plot all too familiar to fans of Spielberg's classic.
Benchley injects his own creativity into the story in many ways, creating unforgettable characters and thrilling kills, while Spielberg transforms it into an iconic horror experience.
The mayhem of 1916 takes place on the New Jersey coast, and Jaws as we know it is set in the fictional Eastern resort of Amity Island.
"Bruce", the mechanical shark used by Spielberg in the film, became a legendary threat, but no one is sure what kind of shark was responsible for those incidents more than a century ago. It could have been a bull shark, or a bull shark. Probably some other dangerous sea creature.
"Jaws" aficionados believe that the movie may be in some ways a metaphor for the real world. But as researchers reveal the details of the 1916 attack, it's clear that the film's legendary status stems from the sheer terror it delivers of great white sharks.
In this way, "Jaws" has not only become a thriller and entertainment blockbuster, but also a unique bridge connecting history and art, reality and imagination. It invites us to reexamine humanity's relationship with nature, consider the nature of fear, and how art shapes our perception of reality.
The success of this movie lies not only in its excellent visual effects and gripping plot, but also in that it touches the most primitive fears in human hearts, and at the same time cleverly connects this fear with real historical events, creating a An unforgettable cultural phenomenon.
