Latest news with #WendyBenchley
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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. 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.' 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. '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. 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. '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.' 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.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
50 years on, Jaws 'is like the Mona Lisa' - no one should remake it
Just when we all thought it was safe to go back into the water, Jaws returns to celebrate its 50th birthday. Released in 1975, Steven Spielberg's breakout film endured a hellish, high-seas production involving a constantly broken shark and a frequently drunk Robert Shaw. The end result? The summer blockbuster template that Hollywood has tried to replicate ever since. The whole bloody journey is chronicled in Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. This new film by Spielberg's long-time documentarian Laurent Bouzereau aims to deliver on its titular promise. Produced by Wendy Benchley, wife of late Jaws author Peter Benchley, it gathers plenty of starry faces to celebrate this one-off classic and its impact on Oceanography. Guillermo del Toro, J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, Jordan Peele and George Lucas each reveal the impact Jaws had on them as filmmakers and fans. Science boffins discuss the rollercoaster effect it had on shark conservation, one that began with reckless cruelty but ended in increased protections. Meanwhile, Spielberg himself candidly reflects on the whole tumultuous experience, revealing some unexpected takeaways that he's still dealing with today. It's a celebratory look-back that dives deep into the creation and real-world legacy of the movie that changed movies. However, as we endure an age of remakes, reboots and legacy sequels, one element that Bouzereau happily left lost in the depths is whether Spielberg's Great White (playfully nicknamed Bruce after his lawyer) is likely to return to screens. "There are some movies that should not be touched," reasons Bouzereau, suggesting that to remake Jaws, you'd not only need a bigger boat but a damn good reason. "Personally, I feel Jaws captures a flavour that is un-remake-able. It's something that should be preserved." To remake Jaws, you'd not only need a bigger boat but a damn good Bouzereau According to Bouzereau, this very modern quandary was something he put to each of his famous interviewees. However, in the end, he realised it had a very obvious answer. "I did ask that question to everybody in the film but decided not to include it because it just felt like a rabbit hole," he tells Yahoo. "You can really answer it yourself - just look at all the remakes that have already been done on classic films." "Benchley's wife has similar thoughts: Honestly, I don't see any reason to remake it," adds the environmental activist. Over the years, she's seen firsthand how her husband's book and Spielberg's film have impacted fans. "Not only did so many people want to become marine scientists like Hooper but it impacted people in so many different ways," says Benchley, referencing Jaws' loud-mouthed shark expert, played by Richard Dreyfuss. "Families have used it as a teaching tool to get their children interested in the ocean." With a core story focusing on a battle between an unwavering, unstoppable threat that feels more relevant than ever, she feels a reboot would be pretty redundant. "I think every generation that sees it pulls their own meaning, importance and celebration out of it. "It's an age-old story about how people react to a menace they can't control - whether it's Covid, a shark or something else," says Benchley. "Just leave it as it is and let each generation enjoy it in whatever way they want to." Floating the idea of a remake might not be the most welcome news to Spielberg. While discussing his post-Jaws experiences, the filmmaker speaks openly and honestly about the intense levels of post-traumatic stress he was left with after returning from the sea. "There was always the fear that not only were you almost destroyed by Jaws, but also 'How do I top this?'", says the director, commenting on Spielberg's state of mind post-Jaws. "Of course, he did top it with Close Encounters [of the Third Kind] right afterwards - but I could see the anxiety level to which he was able to regress to during our interview. It was quite a moment," admits Bouzereau. "I knew I'd captured an emotional aspect that, if not new, had not been discussed in that manner before." Lingering stresses aside, Bouzereau believes there are too many indelible qualities that stand in the way of any reboot or remake having the same level of audience impact. Bruce's inherent clunkiness is a great example. "Everybody is obsessed with that shark and yet it looks fake," he says, pointing to the screen-used model of Bruce that was saved from decay, recently restored and currently sits high above the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. "And yet, with composer John Williams, [Spielberg] was able to give the shark a voice that we can all relate to. The brilliance of that collaboration alone can't be copied or reproduced. "To me, Jaws is like the Mona Lisa," continues Bouzereau. "It can be copied, but it's never going to match the journey the artist had with it. [A remake] is something I hope never happens - and if it does, I don't think we'll be talking about it for as long as we have been talking about the original Jaws." Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story premieres Friday, 11 July at 8pm on National Geographic and streams the same day on Disney+.
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How 'Jaws' Redefined Movie Tech And Ocean Awareness
Director Steven Spielberg on the set of Jaws with the mechanical shark in the background. 'Jaws' is one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable movies ever made. When it premiered in 1975, it didn't just terrify audiences—it reshaped filmmaking technology and introduced groundbreaking techniques that changed cinema forever. National Geographic's new documentary, Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, provides a fascinating look into the tools, tech, and improvisation that helped a young Steven Spielberg turn catastrophe into cinematic innovation. Directed by Laurent Bouzereau and produced by Amblin Documentaries in partnership with Wendy Benchley, the documentary offers an unfiltered view into how Spielberg navigated major technical hurdles. I spoke with Benchley about the documentary and the legacy of the movie. Most famously, the mechanical shark—nicknamed "Bruce"—failed so often it became a liability. Spielberg adapted by filming from the shark's point of view, a now-iconic approach that turned absence into tension. 'The genius of Steven,' Benchley notes, 'was knowing when to show less and let the audience imagine more.' Tech Trouble at Sea The film also revisits lesser-known tech struggles, like camera malfunctions from saltwater exposure and the logistical nightmare of ocean shooting. These details underscore a core point: innovation doesn't always start with new technology. Sometimes, it starts with failing technology and a director who's willing to think differently. From Fear to Fascination Incorporating never-before-seen footage from Spielberg's and the Benchley family's archives, the documentary also unpacks the unintended impact of the film on marine life. "We were horrified that some people took 'Jaws' as a license to kill sharks," Wendy Benchley recalls. "We determined then and there to learn about sharks ourselves and fight for their protection." Turning Data into Defense Benchley has since become a global advocate for ocean conservation, helping to drive tech-enabled approaches to protect marine ecosystems. 'We can now track illegal fishing vessels using satellite data, and follow shark migration patterns online in real time,' she explains. 'Technology has been a game-changer for ocean advocacy.' A Legacy of Curiosity That transformation—from shark villain to shark protector—is one of the most compelling narratives in the documentary. Benchley says the legacy of Jaws includes a 30% spike in marine science enrollment at universities shortly after the film's release. 'Peter got thousands of letters from young people who wanted to be the next Matt Hooper,' she says. 'That fascination led to real science.' "Jaws @ 50" premiers on National Geographic on July 10. Creative Impact, Then and Now The documentary also showcases modern filmmakers—including J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele, and James Cameron—explaining how Jaws shaped their creative process and technical approach. Their reflections show how Spielberg's improvisation set a new benchmark for cinematic problem-solving. Final Cut Fifty years later, Jaws @ 50 reframes a pop culture milestone as a masterclass in creative adaptation. It's a reminder that great storytelling isn't about having the best tools. It's about knowing what to do when those tools break—and turning that breakdown into something unforgettable.
New York Post
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Jaws' author's widow reveals she still visits the film's shooting location 50 years later
The legacy of 'Jaws' lives forever for Wendy Benchley. Benchley, the widow of 'Jaws' author Peter Benchley and an executive producer on the new documentary 'Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story,' exclusively told The Post about the special connection she still has to the iconic film. 'So my wonderful husband, John Jeppson and I, we've been married for 12, 13 years, and we've been summering in Martha's Vineyard every August,' Wendy explained of the Massachusetts island where 'Jaws' primary filmed. 9 Wendy Benchley, 'Jaws @ 50' executive producer and ocean conservationist advocate. National Geographic/Chris Johnson 9 Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider in 'Jaws.' Courtesy Everett Collection 'Yeah, so Martha's Vineyard is very much dear to our hearts and part of our life,' she added. 'We see all these sites all the time.' Wendy's late husband wrote the bestselling novel about a great white shark that was turned into a thriller film by Steven Spielberg. Peter died in 2006 at age 65. 9 Peter Benchley signs a copy of his 'Jaws' novel in June 2005. Christopher Polk Being involved in 'Jaws @ 50' gave Wendy new insight into the incredible success of the 1975 film. 'Peter and I, after 'Jaws', went on to live our life,' she recalled. 'Peter went on write more novels, we did a lot of expeditions with National Geographic, and we got into working with ocean conservation issues, and I did a lot of work with non-profits, and I have not been intimately connected to all of the fan clubs of 'Jaws,' and all of that happened afterwards.' 9 Wendy Benchley in her interview with The Post. New York Post 9 Peter Benchley with a picture of a shark in 1976. Getty Images 9 Peter Benchley for the 'Jaws' 30th Anniversary Edition DVD. Christopher Polk 'So for me,' she continued, 'there was that added fun and joy of reacquainting myself with the nuances of 'Jaws' and how brilliant Spielberg was with the techniques which the movie directors talked about. But also, I thought he was brilliant the way he had the local people and gave that great depth of character and all the wonderful faces that you saw and the people you got to know. I think that is one of the most powerful aspects of the film.' 9 'Jaws @ 50' director Laurent Bouzereau with Wendy Benchley. National Geographic/Chris Johnson 9 Peter Benchley holds the 'Pan' award from Pan books in 1975. Getty Images Wendy added, 'And that's also what Peter did in his book. The book was about a great white shark, but it was also about the people who lived on this island who needed to make money to get through the winter and about how there are different approaches to this menace that they couldn't control. So that is I think very much the heart and soul of what the book and the movie is about.' The ocean conservationist advocate was 'moved' by Spielberg's retrospective comments about 'Jaws' in the documentary. 9 Wendy Benchley speaks at the 2015 Peter Benchley Ocean Awards. WireImage 'That was wonderful to listen to him talking about it and in such a personal way,' Wendy stated. 'And honestly, I had not known and I don't think anybody really knew how traumatizing it was to him to make this film and to have the shark breaking down and to have it over budget. And I'm so glad that David Brown and Richard Zanuck just stuck with him and that he was able to finish it off.' 'Jaws @ 50' premieres July 10 on National Geographic and will stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Japan Times
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Fifty years after 'Jaws,' the water's not safe ... for sharks
Fifty years on from the release of "Jaws," it's still not safe in the water ... if you're a shark. Steven Spielberg's legendary movie about a man-eating great white shark is a masterpiece. The iconic score, the camera work, the dramatic tension that comes from withholding the villain and a great script all make it a Hollywood classic. But its success disturbed both Spielberg and Peter Benchley, the author of the book the film is based on. The tale helped galvanize a fear of the ocean predators and potentially contributed to a huge backlash. An article published in the New York Times in October 1975 reports that the film spurred an interest in shark fishing tournaments. While some were terrified of swimming after watching the movie, there were plenty of fishermen keen to prove their bravery by catching a shark. In 2014, Christopher Pepin-Neff, an associate professor in public policy at the University of Sydney, coined the term "the 'Jaws' Effect,' arguing that because the public believed the fictional story of a vengeful shark so completely, it justified anti-shark policies while taking conservation off the table. In 2022, Spielberg told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that he feared sharks were "mad' at him for "the feeding frenzy' of fishing that happened after 1975.' Benchley dedicated his post-"Jaws" career to advocating for shark conservation and, after his death, his widow Wendy Benchley co-founded the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards. Still, Spielberg and Benchley aren't the only culprits for what's happened in the oceans during the last half-century. Sharks are in hot water, literally. A 2024 status report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that a third of sharks, rays and chimaeras are at risk of extinction. A 2021 study published in Nature found that the global abundance of sharks and rays in the ocean has declined by 71% since 1970. The problem lies in our demand for seafood. There's a perception that China's taste for shark fin soup was the main threat to these fish, but Rachel Graham, founder of nonprofit marine conservation organization MarAlliance, told me that's wrong: "So long as you have large scale fisheries, you're going to catch sharks.' These predatory fish, such as hammerheads and silky sharks, often end up as bycatch — tangled in nets or ensnared on long lines intended to catch other species. Couple that with humanity's growing taste for shark meat — now a multibillion dollar industry — and you've got a group of species that barely stands a chance against both accidental and targeted fishing. Plastic pollution and climate change are also emerging as existential threats. Part of the reason sharks are so vulnerable to overfishing is their slow life cycles. A great white shark like the star of "Jaws," for instance, reaches sexual maturity at age 26 if he's male and 33 if she's female. The Greenland shark is only ready to mate at a whopping 150 years old. Pregnancies are also long, averaging between nine and 12 months, and result in far fewer offspring than bony fish who release millions of eggs. That means populations can take years, potentially decades, to bounce back. However, there is a glimmer of hope in Belize, where Graham has worked for almost 30 years. The nation has set up 15 marine protected areas and completely banned the use of fishing nets while collaboration between the local fishing industry, marine scientists and management authorities have helped to transform attitudes towards sharks in the Caribbean nation. The results are stark: In the 11 years since Turneffe Atoll became a managed protected area, there's been a tenfold increase in sharks. It's a reassuring sign that, if you give nature a break, threatened species can bounce back. The work has also helped undo entrenched fear and hatred of the species. Rather than seeing sharks as a threat, Belizians now see them as an important part of their heritage and an economic opportunity now that shark-focused tourism is on the rise. MarAlliance has also employed and trained fishers to collect data on the fish — providing an alternative income source that isn't dependent on natural resources and teaching them how to fish sustainably. Graham is now working on setting up a "shark superhighway' between Belize and Mexico — which will help protect species such as whale sharks, reef sharks and sea turtles. You may wonder why, exactly, we want more jaws in the ocean. Well, picture a city with no trash collection and no police force. A similar sort of chaos would happen if we removed sharks from their ecosystems, Graham explained to me. They're responsible for keeping prey numbers in check, removing the weak and sick and maintaining balance to ensure species diversity. We can also thank sharks for maintaining seagrass and coral reefs. That said, as shark populations rebound — something I hope can be replicated around the world — and climate change alters prey availability and distribution, we'll probably have to get used to being around sharks more often. The IUCN report notes that, although shark bites remain rare and unlikely events, their frequency has increased since the 1980s. Most result in minor injuries — only seven people were killed in attacks last year, three of which were provoked by the swimmers — but every headline brings back that image of Jaws dragging his victims down to a watery, bloody death. Graham has some pointers to help us enjoy the ocean alongside our shark friends: Don't swim at dawn or dusk when these predators are likely to be hunting and may not be able to distinguish you from their food. Don't swim in murky water or where people are fishing. Stick with a buddy, don't wear anything shiny — and if you do spy a shark, give it space and exit the water calmly. Graham describes a moment diving in the Red Sea in 1990, surrounded by more than 50 grey reef sharks: "I never felt any alarm, I just felt serenity.' Half a century after "Jaws" convinced us that they're evil villains, sharks are the only apex predators in the world that you can be two feet away from quite safely. They deserve a break. Lara Williams is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering climate change.
