There are all kinds of sharks in the water. But during the summer of 1975, audiences poured into movie theaters to watch a very specific eating machine, as it emerged from the depths of the ocean and terrorized a small New England town. These folks were experiencing the very first summer blockbuster, a movie that would go down in cinematic history and help Universal Studios Hollywood become the theme park it is today. I’m talking, of course, about the two hours and four minutes that put the fear of the great white shark in all of us: “Jaws.”
Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece set box office records, inspired countless filmmakers and became an integral part of the Universal backlot. As we celebrates the 50th anniversary of “Jaws,” let’s sink our teeth into its long-lasting theme park legacy.
You Yell Shark… We’ve Got A Summer Blockbuster
If you’ve ever wondered why summer is considered movie season, you need look no further than “Jaws.” When Steven Spielberg and his crew began filming on location at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, they did not realize the amount of setbacks they’d face. This included a mechanical shark (the star of the film) not working properly because of the ocean’s salt water. NBC Insider says, “Principal photography dragged on for roughly five months, almost three times what was originally intended, but the eventual payoff was enormous.”
The summer this movie finally hit theaters changed cinema forever. The film broke box-office records and became such a massive success, critics began describing it as a “blockbuster.” The term “blockbuster” was originally used to describe bombs powerful enough to destroy entire city blocks during World War II. That was the impact of “Jaws.” Today, summer blockbusters are an annual occurrence. As a movie lover, I practically live in the dark, air-conditioned movie theater during the hot months. But according to PBS, the summer months used to be off-season for the movie-goers.
“Jaws” did two things that are now standard practice: First, the movie opened in over 465 theaters, which was unheard of at the time. Before the 70s, movies would typically play for a few months at a single movie theater before it could screen somewhere else. Second, it was advertised on television — one of the first Universal movies to run TV spots ahead of its release. Before 1975, advertising on TV was too expensive and the commercials that studios put out didn’t usually garner much attention. But somehow, with “Jaws,” audiences took the bait.
“I remember when [the movie] came out,” says Universal Studios Hollywood creative director John Murdy. “I was eight. I wasn’t allowed to watch it in theaters, but the commercial was always on TV. I was afraid to go swimming in a pool!”
The commercial alone was enough to get people to fill up those theaters on the day of the film’s release. And Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece had those audiences coming back again and again to experience the terrifying 25-foot monster. “That was a phenomenon that happened with Jaws: beach attendance plummeted.” Murdy says. “[Spielberg] made people terrified of something that very rarely happens in real life: being attacked by a great white.”
With the unprecedented success of “Jaws,” major movie studios realized that summer was the perfect time to release their big budget films. If marketed correctly and released in several theaters at once, they could (hopefully) recreate what “Jaws” had done. And so a cinematic ritual was born: the summer blockbuster.
Ring the Dinner Bell: “Jaws” Arrives on the Backlot
While the great white was busy taking a bite out of the silver screen, Universal executive Jay Stein and his team of creatives were quickly expanding a little something they called the Universal Studio Tour. (Spoiler: future theme park enthusiasts will know it as The World-Famous Studio Tour.) What had started as driving through a working movie studio was evolving into a whole thrill-seeking experience unto itself. In the 70s the tour featured stunt shows, a tour of exterior city sets, visits to soundstages, and attractions like “Flash Flood” and the “Parting of the Red Sea.” (For more on the Studio Tour history, check out our blog here.)
Following “Jaws’” impact on Hollywood, the shark made its Studio Tour debut in 1976. “Jaws Lake,” as the attraction was called, featured a recreation of Amity Island’s beach, Quint’s “Orca” from the actual film, Ben Gardener’s boat and the killer shark itself. “[The movie] thrilled them, but it also scared the living daylights out of them.” Murdy says. “The attraction was trying to pick up on that suspense.”
The early version of this attraction took guests on a scenic view of the lake to see the character Ben Gardener fishing. A shark fin would come out of the water and knock down Gardner and his boat, filling the lake with blood. Just as guests thought it was over, a yellow barrel would appear to show us the shark’s location — just like in the movie. As the yellow barrel knocked down the bridge where the tram stood, the shark would appear, opening up its large mouth as if to devour them all.
You’re Going to Need a Bigger Theme Park
Needless to say, guests loved it.
The attraction was a huge success, with guests coming to the Studio Tour to face the terrifying creature they had only ever encountered on screen. The “Jaws” attraction paved the way for even more attractions that centered around major intellectual properties (or IPs), such as the “King Kong” and the “Earthquake” experiences.
With guests visiting from all over the world, the Universal Studio Tour would go on to turn its tour of the backlot into the major, must-visit theme park destination we all know and love today: Universal Studios Hollywood.
And even as Universal expanded its theme park locations, “Jaws” was still a major attraction, with stand-alone versions of it opening up at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Japan.
“[Jaws] is in my top 5,” John says.” It’s one of those movies I would consider to be perfect. I can’t imagine changing a single detail of it.”Before he was creating mazes for Halloween Horror Nights, Murdy oversaw the 2001 refurbishment of “Jaws Lake.” This included adding pyrotechnic effects and better animatronics to the experience, making the shark encounter even more thrilling. This is the version of “Jaws” you can still experience on the Studio Tour today. And you can plunge even further into the celebration with merch, snacks, and photo-ops at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort. Read all about it right here.
Do you remember the first time you ever encountered “Jaws” on the Studio Tour? Let us know down below!
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