Surviving "Jaws": Steven Spielberg's Battle During Movie-Making
Spielberg experienced distress following the production of the movie 'Jaws'. - Filmmaker Steven Spielberg suffered anxiety attacks following the production of "White Shark".
Let's dive into the dramatic story behind the legendary film, "Jaws," celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This was Steven Spielberg's first significant project moving from television to feature films, and boy, it came with a hefty price tag! The pressure was on, and the director nearly had a nervous breakdown, as he confessed in the BBC's documentary "Jaws @ 50: The Inside Story."
Up Against the Ropes
Making this cinematic gem was no walk in the park, with high stakes and expectations weighing heavily. According to reports from "Entertainment Weekly," Spielberg was scrutinized in Hollywood, raising questions about whether he'd ever work again following the shoot on Martha's Vineyard. The mounting pressure from cast, crew, and studio investors was a constant burden on his shoulders.
The documentary reveals that Spielberg's conversations with his mom weren't your usual chit-chats. He'd be on the phone crying, "Mom, this is impossible. Help!" according to his accounts.
"Completing the film in Martha's Vineyard triggered a full-blown panic attack," recalls the successful director. "I couldn't breathe, I thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn't catch my breath. I kept going to the bathroom and splashing water on my face. I was shaking."
Haunted by Shadows
Spielberg pins his mental breakdown on being overwhelmed: "It was everything that happened on the island, trying to keep myself and the crew together. I felt responsible for keeping them there as long as we needed to."
Despite the global box office success of "Jaws" catapulting Spielberg into Hollywood's elite, the nightmares didn't stop. Spielberg admitted, "I had a really tough time when I finished the film." The film's aftermath left him waking up drenched in sweat, and "the sheets soaked," he says. In those days, the term PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) wasn't common, but Spielberg experienced symptoms for years.
The Comfort of Meme-ories
Spielberg later described sneaking onto the "Orca" boat exhibit at Universal Studios and seeking solace in it during unnoticed moments, crying his heart out. He referred to the iconic prop as his "therapeutic companion," helping him slowly recover from the emotional turmoil.
The documentary "Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story" delves deep into the making of the 1975 film and will be available on Disney+ starting July 11, among other platforms.
- Steven Spielberg
- Panic attack
- Hollywood
- Jaws
- In an unusual phone call with his mother, Steven Spielberg confesses, "I can't breathe, I thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn't catch my breath. I kept going to the bathroom and splashing water on my face. I was shaking," revealing his struggle with a full-blown panic attack during the challenging filming of "Jaws."
- The global box office success of "Jaws" propelled Spielberg to Hollywood's elite, but the film's aftermath left him fighting nights of wakefulness drenched in sweat and soaked sheets, a symptom later associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- Despite experiencing emotional trauma, Spielberg drew solace from an unexpected source: the "Orca" boat exhibit at Universal Studios, referring to it as his "therapeutic companion" that helped him navigate his way towards recovery.
