Jaws 50: The Shark Is Still Working Documentary

 

Happy Birthday Jaws! It was 50 years ago this very day that Bruce the shark first terrorized audiences, scaring them away from the water to this very day. It's my favorite movie, despite, or because, it frightened me to my core after seeing it from a too-young age. And I'm far from the only one with such an experience.

The Shark Is Still Working is a fan-made documentary that lovingly details the effect the film had on moviegoers worldwide. If you count yourself as a Jaws fan, you will see yourself in the documentary.

Enjoy it below or directly on YouTube here. Farewell and adieu!

Jaws 50: In The Teeth of JAWS (BBC Making-of Documentary, 1997)

Welcome back! I couldn't let the blog be idle during the 50th anniversary of my all-time favorite movie. Jaws celebrates its 50th anniversary this Friday, June 20th, and to celebrate, I'll be sharing some interesting documentaries of this landmark flick!

First up, In The Teeth of Jaws is a BBC-produced doc from 1997 featuring interviews with producers David Brown and Richard Zanuck, costars Richard Dreyfus and Lorraine Gary, and cowriter Carl Gottlieb, among others. Admittedly, Jaws documentaries abound, but each one still frames the facts of the making of the movie in an interesting light.

Special thanks go to The Daily Jaws, a FINTASTIC Jaws fan site that everyone should visit, for sharing the doc on their YouTube channel. I drink to their legs!

Enjoy! Please see the embedded video below or directly on YouTube here.

Peter Pan Records, "Jaws of the Shark"

As difficult as it might be for some to comprehend, summer is in its final throes. In two more weeks, most kiddies will begin the new school year--some others have already started!--and most summer vacations will have been taken and everyone will get back to their usual routine. I'd like to take this opportunity to get at least one more summer-themed post under my belt before the season ends. And nothing says summer to me like sharks!

Today I offer something I'm shocked I never heard of until this week--a release from the beloved children's record company Peter Pan Records. Instead of novel kiddie songs, this release is entitled Jaws of the Shark, featuring three scary tales (but not too scary, this is a kids record after all) of sharks. Clearly this was a cash grab on Peter Pan's part after Jaws was released. I'm surprised Peter Pan didn't release it under their Power Records' label, which they used for many kids adventure and superhero stories.

Enjoy! Have a great rest of the summer! And patronize my advertisers!

List O' Links for Friday, September 1, 2017

Hello all! I hope you haven't forgotten me. If not, thanks for checking in, even when I'm absent for awhile. I still love this blog and those who read it!

As we say goodbye to the commercial summer season, let us relax with these links!

I love the Cartoon Network series Teen Titans GO!, and I also love the '80s. The two combine perfectly in the characters' love for a real life song, "The Night Begins to Shine." Read how the show made this stock music library track a cult hit!

Comic books based on hit TV series are not uncommon in comics history, but it's not just hit series that have been adapted that way. Here are 13 comic books based on TV series you may not have know existed!

Did you know Mickey Mouse once suffered from extreme depression? Yep, it happened!

With the summer season about to wind down, this may not do you much good now, but next time you go back into the water, here are steps to help you survive a shark attack!

Beloved actor Bruce Campbell has a new book out, and season 3 of Ash vs Evil Dead has wrapped production, but you can also check out a rare homemade horror film of his from way back in 1974 called Curse of the Werewolf thanks to the horror news Web site Bloody Disgusting!

Finally, learn a little more about Labor Day and celebrate the way the holiday's founders intended--by doing nothing!

Have a great Labor Day weekend! Enjoy the fruits of your hard work! I hope you had a great summer! And stay tuned right here, as the blog will be back in business the rest of the year!

Tuesday's Overlooked TV: Nova, "Jaws, The True Story"

This week, Tuesday's Overlooked TV is the documentary film "Jaws: The True Story."

Produced by the BBC, this first aired in the US as an episode of the PBS documentary series Nova on December 4, 1984, but the taping I feature here is from the Australian documentary series The World Around Us. The special is a bit exploitative here and there, and we know much more about sharks today than we did then, but it's still interesting to see a shark documentary created pre-Shark Week.

Enjoy!

June's Underappreciated Music: Shark Alley Hobos, "Off The Deep End: A Musical Tribute to Jaws"

This week, The Discovery Channel is hosting it's most famous programming event of each year, Shark Week. I've been a fan from Day 1, so I'm always in the mood for quality shark programming this time of year.

Yes, I just used the phrase "quality shark programming" in a sentence. I defy you to find that anywhere else.

I came across this gem yesterday thanks to Spotify. The album is called Off The Deep End: A Musical Tribute to Jaws by a group called the Shark Alley Hobos, a San Fransisco-based band that obviously has an affection for the best shark movie ever made. Here you will find tongue-in-cheek ballads and lyrics all related to Jaws. Some songs are even from the point of view of the characters.

I've been a fan of "nerdcore" music for some time now, and this Jaws-based effort is a delight. I'm happy to have found it and to share it with you here.




To learn more about the Shark Alley Hobos and purchase the album for yourself, visit their Web site.

"Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women!"

List O' Links for Friday, May 27, 2016

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I hope you have a safe and happy one. Start the Summer of 2016 right with these fun links!

The Discovery Channel kicks off Shark Week earlier than ever this year, starting Sunday, June 26th through Sunday, July 3rd. Here's the lineup!

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Gen-X movie classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The city of Chicago celebrated in style by recreating the most famous scenes from the movie in real life. Sweet!

Many viewers, including me, are mourning the death of yet another beloved character from the HBO hit series Game of Thrones this week. But what exactly caused this to happen? A theoretical physicist makes the case for how this tragedy was sealed years beforehand.

How does your current mobile phone plan stack up to CellularOne's plan from back in the late 80s? Crunch the numbers and find out!

Your favorite band and mine, The Monkees, release their latest album today! Check it out!

Finally, Golden Girls pins. They're a thing.

Have a great holiday weekend! Remember those who sacrificed their lives for our country.

List O' Links for Friday, April 22nd, 2016

It's an unseasonably warm day in Philadelphia today, and I haven't posted any links in forever. Here are some to entertain and edify you. Yes, have some!

You can now invest in a collection of Credence Clearwater Revival songs in infant lullaby format. I listened to all the songs, and I highly recommend them if you work in an office. Very soothing!

Also in music news, Eddie Vedder has recorded a cover version of the Batman '66 theme song with his 7-year-old daughter Harper. It's very cute (and one to add to my Batman theme song collection)!

Keeping the music theme going, we might, if things go as planned, have an official soundtrack to the 1980s Transformers animated TV series in our future. Nothing like that awesome theme!

Jaws shoes. 'Nuff said!

Did you know there is a blog that features photos of current businesses that are housed in what used to be Pizza Hut locations? You do now.

Finally, the pop culture site Nerd Out With Me has graciously provided 51 geeky pics for all of us to enjoy. Fun stuff!

Thanks! Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, July 10, 2015

I haven't done a List O' Links in awhile, so it's high time I did so. Click away!

I love Sesame Street, and I love learning more about the series and seeing things about it I haven't seen before. This takes the cake: Sesame Street characters playing hockey against the Chicago Blackhawks! This soundless home movie reel is dated circa 1970, but I think it may actually be from much later in the decade. Either way, it's fun to watch!

This being the 40th anniversary of one of my all-time favorite movies, Jaws, here is a collection of fantastic Jaws fan art! You can also find a few other pieces at my Tumblr site!

While I type away right now, San Diego Comic Con 2015 is in full swing! It's practically always Comic Con here at the blog, but in honor of SDCC, here is a defense of the existence of the awesome Cartoon Network series Teen Titans GO! The article describes it as a "necessary evil," but I think the show is wonderful. It's my favorite product DC Entertainment is making--with the exception of The Flash TV series.

Summer is most famous for its hot, sunshine-filled days, but there are plenty of people who enjoy the rain. If you're one of them--and I do appreciate a good rainy day here and there--this site is for you: Rainy Mood. For those days you're feeling serene and introspective, this site provides the sounds of a soothing storm. Rain--it's not just for sadness!

Here's a chance to step back in time to October 1978 and see what was on the tube back then according to TV Guide magazine! 

Finally, artist extraordinaire Alex Ross has unveiled a set of work featuring the Beatles as they appeared in the animated movie Yellow Submarine. I loved Ross's work and the Beatles, so to see the two together is a real treat!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday's Overlooked Film: Bait

This week's Tuesday's Overlooked Film is the Australian thriller Bait.

Bait features a simple story: a tsunami hits a coastal Australian town, flooding a supermarket and inundating the store with two large great white sharks in the market's murky waters. A mixed bag of survivors do their best to escape the water and its toothy guests, working out their personal issues along the way.

Bait is by no means the next Jaws, but for a shark story fan like me, it fits the bill; especially when you record it off of SyFy in November and keep it in your DVR until June like I have.

Here is the film's red band trailer if you so inclined. Thanks!

Random Images of Awesomeness Part 3

It's been a really long time since I've done a Random Images of Awesomeness post (over two years in fact), and since I've amassed quite a collection of rad images since then, it's high time I displayed some accordingly. Without further comment, here are some pleasing images for the eyes. Artist credits are given when known. Enjoy!

Jaws by Scott Lava

Masters of the Universe by JP Valderrama

Wonder Woman by Kris Anka

For more cool images, follow my Tumblr site here. Thanks!

List O' Links for Friday, February 20th, 2015

If it's Friday, it must be List O' Links time! And boy do I have a fine selection for you this week!

This article presents some amazing outer space artwork from French comics published in the 1970s. Beautiful stuff, and something I want to see more of!

You guys! Star Blazers action figures from Japan!

Speaking of toys from Japan, here are oodles and oodles of Japanese TV commercials for the original Transformers toys. This was long before they came to America; they weren't even called Transformers at the time!

One of my most well-received articles for the blog is the one I wrote on Jaws movie posters, and how iconic the original poster is in pop culture. I've since been sorry to learn that the original painting by artist Roger Kastel used for the first paperback edition of the novel and movie poster has been missing for many years! For shame!

For ages I tried to find information on a kids show that aired on PBS briefly in the 80s that was a blatant rip-off of Nickelodeon's You Can't Do That On Television, but couldn't find anything--until now! Read all you ever wanted to know about the YCDTOT clone Don't Look Now!

Finally, to end on a positive note, enjoy these lovely superhero-themed inspirational messages courtesy of Imgur.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, September 5th, 2014

For the first time in a long time, I'm posting a List O' Links to round out the week. I hope you find these links as entertaining as I do!

Sticking with the Back to School theme this week, the retro 70s site Plaid Stallions showcases a sampling of back to school attire from the polyester decade. As bad as 70s fashion often looks, I kind of wish people still dressed like this!

If you're a fan of animation like I am, you've no doubt heard of the legendary Don Bluth, the former Disney animator who broke out on his own. Learn more about his story here thanks to the Onion AV Club.

Now that it's September, General Mills is once again offering its Monster Cereals for the adoring public. This year, Frankenberry, Chocula, and Booberry get redesigns from top DC Comics artists Jim Lee, Terry and Rachel Dobson, and Dave Johnson. Take a look!

One of my favorite video games growing up in the 80s was the Activision classic Kaboom! Thanks to modern technology, I can play it again online (even though I have two Atari 2600s at home). You can play too!

Finally, this link is almost a good year old, but still worth checking out: amazing Jaws-themed alternative art. As is the shark movie Jaws. Not artwork about human jaws. Because unless you're a dentist, that would be boring. And even if you are a dentist, that might be boring.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday's Overlooked Film: Blue Water, White Death

As I'm sure Discovery Channel has let you know, this week is Shark Week, their annual week-long marathon of shark-related programs. As a big fan of sharks myself, I have no qualms about riding the shark zeitgeist. Therefore, Tuesday's Overlooked Film is the 1971 documentary Blue Water, White Death.

The film tracks the efforts of underwater photographers Peter Gimbel and the legendary Ron and Valerie Taylor to film the great white shark, one of the first attempts to do so. Audiences were amazed at the sight of these creatues up close, making stars of the Taylors. They would later go on to film the live action footage for Jaws and other films. Even with all the seemingly thousands of shark films available today, Blue Water, White Death remains a landmark of nature filmmaking.

You can enjoy the film in its entirety here. Thanks!

List O' Links for Friday, July 19th, 2013

It feels like it's been awhile since I've posted some links, so it's high time I get back to that. Cool off from the ridiculous heat with these fun links!

I won't go into my love for the movie Jaws yet again, but if you want to experience the film in a flash, enjoy Jaws in 3 animated GIFs. These pretty much sum it up!

While we're on the subject of sharks, here are 10 close shark encounters. Too close!

It may be too early to think about Halloween just yet, but in the spirit of Free Comic Book Day, the comics industry is having its second annual Halloween ComicFest October 26th and 27th. Get the details here!

I won't go into my love for the Incredible Hulk TV series yet again (sound familiar?), but this blogger does a great job of explaining his.

Your mileage may vary, but here is a list of the 10 Greatest Syndicated Comic Strips in American History. I think you know what I believe should be #1, but this isn't a bad list.

Finally, with all the crazy weather we seem to be having all the time, it might be a good idea to invest in a good weather radio to stay on top of the latest conditions, especially in times of severe weather. The Surfing Pizza recommends just such a model.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, January 11, 2013

The first list o' links of the year. I hope you think it's a good one!

“Oh, Yeaahh!” 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Kool-Aid

Superman and Friends Greet Fans in Hilarious Greeting Cars from 1978

This is a great site for those with an interest in forgotten or obscure rock from the late 60s and early 70s, The Rising Storm. It gives reviews of albums that fit in that category and lets you know of upcoming reissues. They also have video and a podcast. Highly recommended!

In the spirit of my article on Jaws movie posters, here is a list of 12 completely awesome movie posters featuring sharks

Finally, here's a deep question to begin your weekend: does quantum physics make it easier to believe in God?

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday's Forgotten Film: Cruel Jaws

We're well into the summer season now, which means many of us are getting deep into our usual summertime activities, such as the beach, camping, sports--and sharks.

Yes, summer is the season of the shark, thanks to Jaws and other shark-related fare such as Discovery Channel's Shark Week. But not all shark projects are created equal.  Case in point--this week's Tuesday's Forgotten Film, Cruel Jaws.

Released in 1995, Cruel Jaws is arguably the worst shark film ever made. That's saying something, considering how many God-awful shark movies exist, as anyone with SyFy on their cable system will admit.  But even in this crowded genre, Cruel Jaws is a standout, not just because the acting is terrible (which it is), and the story is stale and tired (which it is), but because it blatantly, callously, shamelessly, and most of all, obviously steals footage from previous shark movies.

The original Jaws? Yep. Jaws 2? Yep. It even steals the orchestral score of other films, including Star Wars. Star Wars music? In a shark film? Yep.

The one film whose footage gets devoured by Cruel Jaws the most is a movie I've written about before, the 1981 film Great White, aka The Last Shark. What is ironic is that Great White itself is a blatant rip-off of Jaws. Cruel Jaws is a rip-off of a rip-off! And the shark from Great White isn't even a scary looking shark.

That shark has about as much bite as Jabberjaw.

The auteur behind this travesty is Bruno Mattei, who is notorious for this sort of thing. Cruel Jaws was just another in a line of Mattei-created films that stole footage from existing movies, which has made him somewhat of a cult film lover's hero (or fool, depending on your point of view). Mattei is so brazen that he actually released the film under the title Jaws 5 in some countries!

Here is the film's trailer, followed by the film in its entirety. See how many scenes and music clips from other movies you can recognize. It could make for a great drinking game--"If you see the shark from Jaws, take a drink. If you see the shark from Great White, do two shots." Enjoy--you lush you.

So there was this time I hosted Jaws Week...

Today is the 37th anniversary of one of my all-time favorites movies, JAWS, and with Todd Mason bringing my defense of JAWS 2 to attention via Tuesday's Forgotten/Overlooked last week, I want to remind you about my JAWS Week event I held back in 2010 for the film's 35th anniversary.

I devoted an entire week of the blog to articles about the movie in particular and sharks in general, specifically about how the film affected pop culture. My article about JAWS movie posters is one of the most popular articles I've written here. With today also being the first official day of summer this year, I thought it apropos to mention JAWS Week again. I had a lot of fun writing those articles, and I hope you have fun reading them.

To access my JAWS Week articles, and all of my JAWS-related posts on the blog, click on the JAWS label along the right of the blog or simply click here. There are some deleted videos here and there, but I'm working on updating those as I write this.

Thanks!

Random Images of Awesomeness

I had such high hopes for blogging this week, but once again, life got in the way, so today I'm just going to post various images I've collected off of the 'Net that I think are cool, funny, or just eye-catching.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I hope so. Enjoy!

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not swim, I'm tellin' you why...