From time to time, you saw sharks in movies before Jaws, particularly as the pets and executioners of Bond villains. Obviously, the Spielberg classic took them to a whole new level. Naturally, there is analysis of all three sequels, but a lot of viewers might wish for more dish on the notorious Jaws 4: The Revenge. Weirdly, it is almost like nobody who was in the film wants to talk about it anymore.
Scarlata’s coverage of Jaws 2 gives the first sequel some of the credit it deserves. It really is a great film, but it gets unfairly lumped in with the next two sequels, which were dreadful. (However, it is hard to believe Murray Hamilton could still be the mayor. Honestly, Bill de Blasio must be the only other mayor who did more damage to his town.) It is also important to remember “just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water” was the constantly quoted tagline for Jaws 2.
Scarlata and company survey shark-specific imitators, as well as other sea predator rip-offs, like Joe Dante’s Roger Corman-produced Piranha (both of whom off on-camera commentary). There is coverage of reasonably presentable films like Orca, Open Water, and 47 Meters Down. Unfortunately, the French film Year of the Shark might have been too recent and not widely enough screened to make the cut, but there is a good hard look at The Last Shark, an Italian copy-cat that was so shamelessly derivative, Universal successfully blocked its release. Of course, no films were more exploitative than the Sharknado franchise.
Nevertheless, Sharksploitation moves along nicely and it will put viewers in the mood to revisit a lot of the films. It is fun and has little political messaging, beyond some noncontroversial advocacy for shark conservation and preservation. Recommended as a fun way to unwind in front of the television, Sharksploitation starts streaming tomorrow (7/21) on Shudder.
