Steven Spielberg, who had never made a movie with such stakes before, felt that
Jaws
would send him into independents. And Steven Spielberg, who hadn’t made a movie with such stakes before, had a feeling that Jaws would send him into independents.In an interview excerpted from the upcoming book “Spielberg: The First Ten Years”, the director recalls not only the terribly taxing production of Jaws
but how it convinced him it would be his last major studio project. I had some very depressing days when I thought I would never be hired again. I imagined that Jaws would be my last studio film. I thought that I would make independent films, if I could convince doctors and dentists of enough money to fund a small movie with four people in a room playing cards. Basically, I didn’t have much hope for any longevity for my career, but I wanted to finish Jaws because I had never stopped believing in the movie.”Such belief – and, you know, being one of the most skilled directors of his generation – pushed Jaws
out of the Atlantic and into the stratosphere, terrorizing moviegoers from day one, becoming not just the highest-grossing film of 1975 but of all time…before that pesky George Lucas got in its way. Even with the financial successes of droids, James Cameron’s blue people and the likes of the Avengers, Jaws still ranks as one of the biggest hits at the box office, sitting in the top 10 when inflation is accounted for.And of course Jaws
wouldn’t put Spielberg anywhere near the indies (or television, where he dabbled prior and hopes to return some day), hitting a string of mostly hits that included Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark and 1941…if any of his movies would knock him down a peg, it’d be that one…And instead of accepting accolades under the tent at the Independent Spirit Awards, he’d be one of the most nominated directors at the Academy Awards, even nabbing two Oscars (so far?). It’s pretty impressive for a guy that went from semi-trucks and great whites to a Steven Spielberg movie. Give us your top 3 below!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lW9MyhZGg8
