‘Jaws’ attacking theaters 40 years later

“Jaws” is returning to the big screen in select movie theaters for the film’s 40th anniversary.

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 thriller will be shown at Regal Columbiana Grande Stadium 14 at 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24.

The screening, which will include an introduction by Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, will be hosted by Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Let’s share some trivia about the movie that launched a thousand summer blockbusters.

▪ Arguably one of the best lines in Hollywood, “We’re going to need a bigger boat,” was not scripted, but ad-libbed by actor Roy Scheider.

▪ A female crew member volunteered to use her arm in a scene when it was realized a fake prop arm looked too fake.

▪ The point of view of the shark might have been a creative genius trick, but it was done because director Steven Spielberg’s mechanical shark was breaking down too often during filming.

▪ The shark was nicknamed Bruce, after Spielberg’s lawyer.

▪ Bruce also was the name of a shark in the Pixar animated film “Finding Nemo.”

▪ Extras were paid $64 to run and scream from the water.

▪ “Jaws” originally opened on only 409 screens in the U.S.

▪ Brody’s dog in the film was actually Spielberg’s dog, Elmer.

▪ It took three days to film the initial shark attack on a young woman, played by Susan Backlinie.

▪ Peter Benchley, the author of “Jaws,” later said he would not have written the book had he known the real behavior of great white sharks, who rarely attack people.

▪ Tourism in Martha’s Vineyard soared after filming of the movie. Apparently, no one was afraid to get in the water.

▪ The body of a real great white was supposed to be used in a scene, but it had decomposed badly by the time it reached Martha’s Vineyard from Florida, where it was snagged.

From Staff Reports