Take a Bite Out Of This: Behind the Scenes Facts About Jaws

Spielberg Had Numerous Mental Breakdowns

Photo Credit: Universal Studios

Before making Jaws, the pressure was on the young director who had just directed the box office flop The Sugarland Express. Unfortunately, Jaws would turn out to be a nightmare to make. He was buried under a mountain of pressure from the studio, producers, and accountants who were expecting results despite the endless setbacks that Spielberg was experiencing.

Between fighting actors, unpredictable weather, and countless mechanical failures, Spielberg began to have mental breakdowns. He was afraid that he was going to be fired from the movie and blow his career as a director. He even had a pillow sent from his home in California and slept with celery under it because he found the smell soothing.

Can you tell which scenes they used an actual shark in?