36 years ago today Steven Spielberg’s Jaws was released to theaters across America on June 20th, 1975. Based on the hit 1974 novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws is considered by many to be the first summer blockbuster (hotly contested by 1977’s Star Wars.)

Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw - Two opposite examples of 70s manliness

It seems bizarre to me now but I saw this movie in the theater at the impressionable age of eight-years-young. Jeeeeezus! This film scared the living chum out of me and (I’m not kidding here) I didn’t go more than a foot deep into the ocean for a good few years afterward. I was sure I was going to be eaten alive by a giant Great White at any moment. Hurray for Hollywood!

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat…”

Interesting Jaws factoids: Jaws author Peter Benchley wrote three drafts of the screenplay before dropping out of the project. Benchley does, however, appear in the film briefly as a news reporter.

Jaws '75. It's a kids film right? My local theater thought so.

Jaws Wiki, Jaws IMDb, Jaws novel