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New York Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Steven Spielberg reveals ‘one of the bad things' that came from ‘Jaws' success: ‘Horrified'
'Jaws' came with a price. In the new National Geographic documentary 'Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story,' Steven Spielberg spoke about how the success of his 1975 shark movie was harmful to marine life. 'One of the bad things that came out of the film was shark hunting spiked,' the 78-year-old director shared. 8 Steven Spielberg during an interview for 'Jaws @ 50.' National Geographic/Chris Johnson Executive producer and ocean conservationist advocate Wendy Benchley added: 'When Jaws came out, we were truly horrified to see that some people took it as license to go kill sharks.' 'The negative reaction hurt us and horrified us and we became passionate defenders with sharks,' said Wendy, the widow of 'Jaws' author Peter Benchley. 'We went with the National Geographic on expeditions and we were so fortunate to learn from these scientists and other experts.' 8 Steven Spielberg films the mechanical shark on the set of 'Jaws.' Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC 8 Steven Spielberg, Bill Butler, and crew on the set of 'Jaws' in 1974. Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC Cynthia Wigren, CEO and co-founder of Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, explained that trophy hunting became 'very popular' after 'Jaws' debuted, leading to the white shark population decreasing by as much as 80 percent. 8 Steven Spielberg on the set of 'Jaws.' Corbis via Getty Images 'People wanted to be like Quint,' Dr. Austin Gallagher, shark expert and chief scientist of Beneath The Waves, said about the shark-hunting captain played by Robert Shaw in the film. 'People wanted to have that trophy that they could show off,' Dr. Gallagher added. 8 Wendy Benchley, 'Jaws @ 50' executive producer and ocean conservationist advocate. National Geographic/Chris Johnson 8 Steven Spielberg and 'Jaws @ 50' director Laurent Bouzereau. National Geographic/Chris Johnson Shark conservation biologist Candace Fields agreed there was 'a negative connotation that came from 'Jaws' about sharks.' 'Which is very unfortunate,' Fields noted, 'because I think there's other takeaways as well.' In an exclusive interview with The Post, Wendy noted that the terror on shark life has significantly subsided in the 50 years since 'Jaws' premiered. 8 A crew member works on the mechanical shark on the set of 'Jaws.' Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC 'Shark hunting barely exists anymore,' she stated. 'It's mainly catching sharks for shark fin soup and that's been happening for honestly hundreds of years, but really expanded in the last 40 years when there was a huge population increase in China and other Asian countries.' 'So I've been working, and Peter worked, with many groups, and especially with WildAid, who has done an excellent job in China educating the Chinese who want to be good citizens,' Wendy continued. 'And when they realized that shark fin soup was actually killing the sharks, and a hundred million sharks were killed every year for shark fin soup, they listened. And the demand for shark fin soup has gone down 80 percent in China. So that's a wonderful thing.' 8 Steven Spielberg on the set of 'Jaws' in 1974. Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing LLC Wendy also gave a shoutout to Jackie Chan, Yao Ming and Maggie Q for their involvement with WildAid 'to really help with that particular issue.' 'Peter died in '06 and I wish he were here now to be able to see all of these changes and to see 'Jaws' is still relevant after 50 years,' Wendy said in the documentary. 'I think he'd be very pleased.' 'Jaws @ 50' premieres Thursday on National Geographic and will stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
The National
05-06-2025
- General
- The National
19th century ceramics recovered from shipwreck to go on display
The SS Eagle sank off the Isle of Arran on November 28, 1859, after colliding with a sailing boat, with the loss of 11 lives. The ship was sailing from Glasgow to Londonderry with a general cargo, 200 sheep and 54 passengers when the collision happened. The ceramics, discovered by Oban-based diver and maritime explorer Graeme Bruce and team in July 2024, were made by Glasgow-based Bell's Pottery. READ MORE: American investors buy UK's oldest ice hockey team based in Scotland During the 19th century, Glasgow was a major centre for the production of ceramics, and the items from SS Eagle will form part of the Scottish Maritime Museum's summer exhibition from Saturday. Bruce (below) said: 'Diving has been my great passion for 35 years. For me, a shipwreck is a time capsule hidden from view over time by the sea. (Image: Graeme Bruce) 'The privilege of being able to explore and connect with the past is beyond description. 'Enabling the artefacts from shipwrecks like this Bell's Pottery collection to then have a new life on show for everyone to learn from and appreciate is so important. 'Connecting people with a heritage like this means everything to me and those I dive with.' The Beneath The Waves exhibition at the museum in Irvine, North Ayrshire, brings together the ceramics, award-winning photography and an artist's marine sketches. Bell's Pottery is recognised as arguably the most internationally significant producer of ceramic wares in Scotland at the time. The haul from the SS Eagle is almost intact, which museum bosses say is unprecedented. Experts said this, coupled with the lack of surviving pottery from Glasgow's industrial ceramics period, which spanned three centuries from 1748 to the mid-1980s, makes the SS Eagle's ceramic tableware nationally significant. (Image: Scottish Maritime Museum in North Ayrshire) The SS Eagle collection features ceramics destined for trade and exhibition in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and artefacts from the ship's galley. Exhibits include seven plates and a bowl, a teapot lid, two bottles, a decanter and bell. Complementing the SS Eagle ceramics, Beneath The Waves also features cups and plates from the Scottish Maritime Museum's own national maritime heritage collection, as well as four vessels dating back to the Roman Empire on loan from North Ayrshire Heritage Centre. The SS Eagle launched from the Dumbarton yard of Alexander Denny in July 1857. The 324-tonne steamer was acquired by the McConnel and Laird Line of Glasgow in June 1859 for service as a passenger and cargo vessel. (Image: Scottish Maritime Museum in North Ayrshire) Eva Bukowska, exhibitions and events officer at the Scottish Maritime Museum, said: 'We are really excited to host the first showing of these fascinating ceramics recovered from SS Eagle. 'The vessel also has a significance for the museum as it was built by Alexander Denny, who was the brother of William Denny, whose test tank is now home to our second collection in Dumbarton.'
