Jaws @ 50

50 years after its release, Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story takes a look back at Steven Spielberg's Jaws examining the troubled production, its immediate box office success, and the film's lasting legacy 50 years later. Director Laurent Bouzereau uses both new and archival interview footage from cast and crew to take us through the years from the publishing of Peter Benchley's novel, which inspired the film, to how the film is revered today.

There's plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and photographs from the troubled production which Spielberg describes as something akin to surviving a war leaving him traumatized by the experience for several years (but also, thanks ot the film's massive success, able to move forward and have the control to make his movies moving forward). A good bit of time is spent on the mechanical shark as well as real sharks and the experts who study them who helped make the creation come to life by providing real underwater footage used in the film.

I don't know that there's anything groundbreaking here, but the documentary is quite interesting, including the discussion of the use of locals in the film, as it highlights the highs of Jaws' success (through interviews with celebrity fans including James Cameron and Emily Blunt) in balance with the toll it took on those who made it out at sea battling the elements day after day. For fans of the film, or those just interested in the struggle of making a film, it's worth a look.

• Title: Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
• IMDb: link