“I thought it would be my last film”: 50 years ago, Steven Spielberg believed that his career as a director was going to stop with this work that has become cult

In 1975, Steven Spielberg revolutionized the film industry with the teeth of the sea! The film, with a modest budget, was an absolutely considerable success, thwarting all the forecasts. However, the shooting of the feature film was not easy for the director, who believed that his career in cinema was going to stop there.

Spielberg, then a 27 -year -old prodigy director, chose Martha's Vineyard as a location for the teeth of the sea; The filmmaker wanted to film on this island of the State of the Massachusetts because he wanted his mechanical shark to the terribly sharp teeth swimming in real waters.

“In most cases, spending the summer to Martha's Vineyard is a dream. But when you go beyond the budget and the planning, and that I am completely overwhelmed, this summer 1974 turned into a nightmare before even becoming the dream of a life”Steven Spielberg said in A video message Addressed to the public of Martha's Vineyard, on the occasion of the world premiere of the documentary Jaws 50: The Definitive Inside Story (“The teeth of the sea: the secrets of a cult film” in VF).

A colossal challenge

“The film shows how young and badly prepared we were in the face of the challenges of filming in the Atlantic Ocean, with a more capricious mechanical shark than any movie star with which I have worked since”says the 78 -year -old director.

After going beyond the schedule and the budget, I really thought that the teeth of the sea would be the last film I would make.

“He also shows how, after going beyond the planning and the budget, I really thought that the teeth of the sea would be the last film that I would make”Spielberg revealed. Note that the documentary mentioned by the filmmaker, “The teeth of the sea: the secrets of a cult film”, will be available on July 11 on Disney+. He will also be broadcast on the National Geographic channel on July 13 at 6:20 p.m.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdb3khmbis8

“We will need a bigger budget”

Steven Spielberg had reasons to panic because the film's budget tripled during the shooting, climbing up to $ 9 million. The schedule was also revised upwards, going from 55 days of filming to 159 days!

Then Spielberg stresses that the reception of the public in theaters saved his life and gave Hollywood a chance. “He was also helped by the unforgettable musical motif composed by John Williams For the soundtrack, which fueled a primal fear of invisible, prowling and approaching predators “analysis The Hollywood Reporter.

An unexpected triumph

Indeed, the teeth of the sea has been a real phenomenon, reporting $ 477 million worldwide for a budget of 9 million.

“50 years after its initial exit, the shooting of the teeth of the sea remains a founding experience for each of us, and 5 decades have in no way tarnished the memories of what remains one of the most overwhelming, exhilarating, terrifying and gratifying experiences of all my career”concluded Steven Spielberg.