“Jaws,” widely considered the first summer blockbuster, has been putting the fear of sharks into every oceangoer for the last 50 years.
I know this, because I am one of its victims.
A cinematic masterpiece, “Jaws” is one of those rare examples that perfects every aspect of film, from the acting to the script, score and cinematography. It’s iconic, creating the concept of the blockbuster, building tropes used for decades and providing quotes that endure in pop culture.
The creation of the film is also one of Hollywood lore — feuding actors, technological disasters and a director, in Steven Spielberg, facing a career-making or career-ending film.
Each of those elements could be a column in itself, but I’m going to tell you my “Jaws” experience, one I think many can relate to.
I’m the youngest of four, and my siblings are much older. I was about 7 when one of my siblings was supposed to watch me while our parents were out. They agreed to let me go with this sibling to a friend’s where they were to watch a movie: “Jaws.”
I was told I didn’t have to watch if I didn’t want to, but what else was I going to do? So I looked on as an unseen monster tore people limb from limb.
I still remember the exact scene when my sibling took me home: Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider, is looking through a book that shows dismembered victims of shark attacks. That’s an image that’ll stick with you.
The plan was for my sibling to take me home, where another sibling would put me to bed. The light was on downstairs when we got to the house, so my sibling dropped me off, and I went inside.
No one was home.
I looked in every room, even the closets.
I had just seen the scariest movie of my life. It was dark and quiet. My only solace was that I wasn’t in a houseboat on the ocean.
I decided to walk to a friend’s house to wait for my parents, after writing a note to inform them of my whereabouts, but I saw a car approaching as I walked down the street. It was my sibling’s car. I was saved.
The car pulled into the driveway, and not far behind it was my parents’ car with my other sibling in the back seat.
While I was crying and scared about the evening’s events, I never blamed anyone for how things transpired, although someone might have gotten in trouble. But the fear of sharks was instilled, regardless.
Living in landlocked Idaho, shark encounters don’t come up often, but about a year later I was told we were going to Hawaii. I got up in the middle of the night, after having a nightmare about sharks, and informed my parents I would not be going with them. They disagreed, and I went anyway, limiting my time in the ocean.
That’s more or less how I’ve lived my life. If I go to an ocean beach, I stay on the sandy side; if I go in, it’s not for more than 20 minutes. I make note of the location any time there’s a news story about a shark attack and vow to never go into those waters. Even seeing a picture of a shark makes me shudder, and I could barely watch “Life of Pi” or “Unbroken,” films that also feature shark-related scenes.
When I was in high school, I finally decided to face my fear and finish “Jaws.” That’s when I realized what a masterpiece it is. I loved it so much I eventually bought it for my own film collection.
While I became a fan of “Jaws,” I haven’t joined Team Shark. I don’t participate in the Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week, though viewing occasional National Geographic specials has made me more tolerant of shark images on screen. I’ll let sharks keep doing their thing, and I will do my thing by not going into their house and offering myself up as dinner.
I believe every person is entitled to an animal fear, and the one I have chosen — or chose me — is sharks. People who are scared of spiders have to deal with their trauma on a more regular basis. But me, I don’t have to live every day like it’s Shark Week.
Brewster is a former Lewiston Tribune reporter who spends most of her time outside with both feet on dry land. If you feel inclined to contact her, you can email her at kaylee.brewster25@gmail.com.
“Jaws” is set to screen in U.S. theaters from Aug. 29 through Sept. 4. It’s streaming on fuboTV, Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus and can be rented or purchased to stream on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home, according to tvguide.com.
