Academy Museum exhibit dives deep into the legacy of 'Jaws'

LOS ANGELES (KGO) -- Fifty years ago, "Jaws" changed the movie industry as it became the first summer blockbuster ever.

"It has thrilled and captivated worldwide audiences over the past five decades," senior exhibit curator Jenny He shares.

"I was 26 years old. I just really was not ready to endure the amount of obstacles that were thrown in our path: the shark, the weather, the currents," director Steven Spielberg recalls. "I thought my career was virtually over halfway through production on 'Jaws' because everybody was saying to me; 'You are never going to get hired again. Fortunately, fortune smiled on us."

To celebrate the film's 50th anniversary, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is proud to present Jaws: The Exhibition.

"We are dedicating our largest exhibition space to one single film. This amazing film that everybody knows and loves," he explains. "We tell the story of Jaws through a variety of exhibition elements."

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Each gallery tells part of the "Jaws" story through original objects and interactive opportunities.

"You can play the famous two note theme yourself and you can even move 'Bruce' the shark through a scale replica," he says.

As you walk through the space, you'll learn more about the creative professionals that collaborated on the iconic film.

"Along the way, you will meet the people behind the film, including novelist and co-screenwriter Peter Benchley, co-screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, director of photography, Bill Butler, film editor Verna Fields, composer John Williams, and many, many more," he explains.

"Every room has the minutia of how this picture got together and proves that this motion picture industry is really, truly a collaborative art form," Spielberg adds.

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The exhibit also highlights behind the scenes stories chronicling the difficulties during the production of the film.

"My hubris was we could take a Hollywood crew, go out 12 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean and shoot an entire movie with a mechanical shark. I thought that was going to go swimmingly, and I had really no idea that the second you tempt Mother Nature and tempt fate, everything starts to conspire against you and us," Spielberg reveals.

The film would end up grossing $470 million worldwide and win three Academy Awards.

"I'm very proud of the movie," Spielberg states.

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