“And the thing about a shark is he’s got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn’t even seem to be livin’… ’til he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then… ah, then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin’. The ocean turns red, and despite all your poundin’ and you’re hollerin’ those sharks come in and… they rip you to pieces.”
So went the immortal words of Robert Shaw’s salty sea captain Quint in Steven Spielberg classic Jaws, summing up just why we’re all so afraid of the underwater killers. The terrifying power of the shark strikes at the nerves like no other creature, and for this reason, they’ve been used as efficient onscreen killers time and time again.
Cage Dive is the latest brutally effective shark horror. In this intense thriller, three friends from California head to the rugged Australian coast for a cage-dive encounter with deadly sharks. But after attracting a swarm of vicious sharks, their tour boat is destroyed by a massive rogue wave. As clouds gather and darkness descends, the three friends find themselves alone and defenceless, afloat in the chilly ocean as hungry man-eaters begin to circle. With little hope of rescue, they must fight to survive using only their courage…
To celebrate the release of this new entry into the canon of frighteningly realistic shark features, we’ve taken a look back at the history of these amazing beasts in films, from humble origins to the extreme interpretations of today…
Sharkfighters (1956) “Man Against Tiger Shark!”
Possibly the earliest example of sharks onscreen was this adventurous offering based on a true-life story. Leading man Victor Mature headlined the science vs. sharks tale of US scientists and their mission to create a shark repellent for use by sailors and stranded aviators in World War II. While the emphasis may have been on the human drama the film contained some impressive underwater photography for its time with solid scenes of action and some gruesome deaths.
Shark (1969) “Will Rip You Apart!”
It would be over ten years before another notable shark-based action adventure came along, this time starring Burt Reynolds as gunrunner Caine, who is duped into diving into shark-infested waters by a pair of treasure hunters. Controversy circled this film when a shark, supposedly sedated, killed one of the stuntmen. The studio then used the death to help promotion, which caused the director, Sam Fuller, to quit.
Blue Water, White Death (1971) “The Hunt for the Great White Shark”
Into the 70s and we have this exciting documentary wetting audience appetites for what was to come. Director-producers Peter Gimbel and James Lipscomb travelled across the world, made countless dives and caught some of the most exciting footage then seen on camera on a quest to encounter their most elusive and deadly target, a Great White. This awe-inspiring doc would prove a direct influence on a film that would alter not only the way we thought about sharks but also the nature of the movie business forever…
Jaws (1975) “You’ll never go in the water again!”
Fledgling director Steven Spielberg stepped behind the camera to film this adaptation of Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel and, along with scaring a generation of viewers away from the water, he created the template for the summer blockbuster movie. Set in the quaint New England beach resort of Amity, a series of vicious shark attacks rock the small community at the height of tourist season. The town’s water averse sheriff, a marine biologist and a grizzled fisherman then set off to hunt and kill the creature. Roy Schieder, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw turn in fine performances but are outshone by a malfunctioning mechanical shark, (‘Bruce’) and an unforgettable soundtrack in one of the greatest blockbuster pictures of all time.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
