Need a doc to watch in the dog days of summer after the Fourth Of July? Well, National Geographic has one that headlines this year’s SharkFest celebration in a major way.
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The channel’s month-long celebration of the oceans’ most efficient predators kicks off with “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story.” Made with Steven Spielberg‘s full participation and approval, Laurent Bouzereau’s new 90-minute doc covers every and all aspects of the 1975 blockbuster, from its notoriously troubled production, eye-popping box-office success, and its legacy as one of the greatest movies ever made. And the doc’s subtitle isn’t lying: Bouzereau’s film is truly definitive, featuring never-before-seen footage from both Benchley and Spielberg’s archives, rate outtakes, and home videos from the “Jaws” set.
“Jaws @ 50” also boasts a wide swathe of exclusive interviews with the film’s original cast and crew, including composer John Williams, production designer Joe Alves, actress Lorraine Gary, screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, actors Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), Jonathan Filley (Cassidy), and Jeffrey Vorhees (Alex Kintner), and Ian Shaw, son of Quint himself, Robert Shaw.
Then there are interviews with several filmmakers, actors, and artists inspired by Spielberg’s pic, including J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, George Lucas, Cameron Crowe, Greg Nicotero, Jordan Peele, Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Robert Zemeckis, and more. Other interviewees include members of “Jaws” novelist Peter Benchley‘s family and prominent shark experts like Phillippe Cousteau, Candace Fields, Austin Gallagher, Gibbs Kuguru, Dr. John Mandelman, Dr. Greg Skomal, and National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry.
Spielberg’s Amblin Documentaries produces the doc with Nedland Films, with Wendy Benchley and Laura Bowling.
“Jaws @ 50” premieres on National Geographic as part of “SharkFest” on July 10 and then is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu on July 11. Watch a trailer for the doc below.