The first “Summer Blockbuster” film was released on this day, June 20 in 1975. Jaws, by the then little known director, Steven Spielberg, became the highest grossing film of all time, only to be bettered several years later by Star Wars. Its history and story are well known and is still celebrated in Martha’s Vineyard, where it was filmed.
The effect of the film can still be seen today, as shown by one person’s recent swim around the island, just this year, and by the instantly recognizable soundtrack, “Dun Dun Dun Dun” beat that ran when the shark appeared.
I can personally attest to the film’s effect myself. I refused to get in the ocean for seven years after watching the film and still listen for that beat on the rare occasions when I step off a boat. On one occasion years ago, what appeared to be a massive shark followed my boat into Virgin Gorda Sound. We stayed out of the water out of caution, only later to learn that it was a whale shark, which is no danger to humans and not even a shark.
