Steven Spielberg ‘Didn’t Think’ Critically Acclaimed ‘Jaws’ Would Succeed: ‘In My Mind, The Shark Looked Dumb’
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Even Steven Spielberg, one of the most important filmmakers in the world, “never” truly knows whether or not a film will succeed.
The acclaimed director who helmed a number of classic films, including 1975’s “Jaws” when he was just 26-years-old, admits that he “never would have guessed that so many people would have gone to see” the popular film about hunting a killer shark.
“In my mind, the shark looked dumb,” Spielberg tells W for the magazine’s Directors Issue. “When I went to the first preview, in Dallas, and people were screaming and popcorn was flying at the screen, my first feeling was—Oh my god! I didn’t think any of this was going to work. The truth is, you never ever know.”
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Looking back on the start of his career, specifically his first job directing Joan Crawford in an episode of “Night Gallery”, Spielberg recalled trying to capture all sorts of shots by even putting the camera in the floor.
“I didn’t care about getting another job. I knew I would eventually work again,” he explained, “but I didn’t work for a year because of my clever camerawork on that show.”
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“I did jump cuts, shots through the chandelier, all kinds of great shots. I didn’t care if it cost me work; I just wanted to do what I thought was right for that show,” he continued.
From “Jaws” and “E.T” to “West Side Story” and most recently, “The Fabelmans”, Spielberg, 76, has received numerous awards and nominations for his celebrated projects, including seven Academy Award nominations for the upcoming Oscars for his most personal film yet, “The Fabelmans”.
