Jawsis one of the most important films in the history of film. The landmark classic from directorSteven Spielbergestablished the blockbuster as a certifiable subgenre, defined by roller coaster thrills, inventive visual effects, and mass appeal. In the wake ofJawsfilmmakers around the world began trying to reverse engineer and reconstructthe elements that made the film so universally acclaimedwith many landing upon the same conclusion.Jawsfeatures outstanding acting, compelling effects, and is the breakout project by a man who would go on to be regarded asone of if not the greatest directors of all time…and yet Hollywood was certain the film’s success could be boiled down to one word:sharks.
Immediately after the film’s release theaters were awash with not only films about sharks but, piranhas, swordfish, alligators, and any other aquatic animal that could conceivably damage a human. This trend of aquatic horror was playfully dubbedSharksploitationand has remained a hallmark of b movies long after even Jaws' own sequels proved unpopular. Shark films run the gamut from big-budget cheese like the recentDeep Blue SeaandMegfilms to made for tv Shark WeekclassicslikeSharktopusand2-Headed Shark Attack. So prevalent are shark films that their parodySharknadobecame a cultural force in the 2010s and then itself was run into the ground via constant repetitive sequels. The most blatant and apparent rip-offs of the universal classic, however, took place largely in the years immediately following the 1975 hit. The legacy of Jaws is the legacy film and since the blockbuster era beganthere have been many terrible films attempting to recreate the magicof the acclaimed classic. But whenever a film is as undeniably amazing as the original Jaws is, it is worth countless imitators.
10’Orca' (1977)
Directed by Michael Anderson
Jaws 2opens up with the decimated corpse of a killer whale. This visual is a direct response to a scene inOrcain which the titular sea creature eviscerates a shark, and it is a definitive statement ofJaws' dominance over one of its most successful ripoffs. Released in 1977,Orcafocuses upon a killer whale who,upon seeing its mate get killed by fishermen, begins a parade of vengeanceupon the local community. It’s a very similar plot to what would becomeJaws: The Revenge, in which an animal is treated more like a Hollywood slasher than an instinctive beast, and it is for this reason that Orca has beenone of the most remembered b movies inspired byJaws.
Being remembered is not the same as being good, however, andOrcasuffers from many of the same problems that plagueJaws: The Revenge. The premise is too absurd to take seriously and yet the movie never gives way to full-on goofy fun. The effects are impressive in a few shots but otherwise lacking and clearly fake in others, and overall the film offers very little that countless others of its genre can’t duplicate. Perhaps the most interesting thing aboutOrcahowever is simply its choice of animal.WhileJawsmischaracterized sharks and exaggerated their lust for blood, Orca simply lies as there has only ever been one documented attack of a human by a wild orca (as opposed to abused ones in captivity) and the instance was nonfatal. Reflecting the film’s desire to one-up Jaws,whales were chosen for their matchup against sharks, rather than their status as a threat to humans.
9’Dark Tide' (2012)
Directed by John Stockwell
While most of the trueJawsknockoffs were released shortly after the original film and later films chose to overtly homage to the cinematic classic, some modern shark films do so little original, noteworthy, or compelling that they fall out of homage status entirely.Dark Tideis one such case, as the film focuses on a “shark whisperer” played byHalle Berry, who must take a rich billionaire and his son into the dangerous “shark alley” on an expedition. With a 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes,Dark Tideis as bland a thriller as they come, with its only unique factor being the presence of sharks, a hook which itself was almost 40 years old when the film was released.
Berry and the film’s other stars deliver a lifeless and dull performance, rightfully seeming to check out of the film and its dull and uninspired script. Released among an early-decade shark movie revival,Dark Tide, came out after contemporaries likeThe ReefandShark Night 3D. Unfortunately forDark Tide,it lacks eitherthe surprising quality of the underrated formeror the astounding B-movie cheese of the latter. This Halle Berry-led slogis one of the worst thrillers of the last 25 years, a moniker that stands out even more as its grandfatherJawsremains one of the greatest thrillers of all time.
8Tentacles
Directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis
Whenranking the creatures of the deep by their ability to provide terror, the squid is likely second only to the shark. These alien-looking creatures come with a range of abilities and appearances that are unnerving at best and incomprehensible at worst. Add in the fact that abysmalgigantism allows these creatures to grow to recorded lengths of over 42 feetand the squid seems like the perfect subject for a film to not only capitalize onJawsbut to rival it. Unfortunately, for mollusks and audiences alike, 1977’sTentaclessuffers from too many poor choices and mistakes to be a suspenseful rival to Jaws or an exemplary outing for the creature it attempts to showcase.
Tentaclesstars a shockingly high-profile cast includingHenry Fonda,Shelly Winters,and John Huston, but bears the dishonor of a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite these stars and equally competent visual effects. The sore spot for Tentaclesthat ranks it among other 0% flicks, is the film’s ludicrous yet uninspired plot, which follows the Jawsoutline to a tee except for the inclusion of trained killer whales which are used to battle the rampaging Giant Squid. The promise of creature-on-creature violence would become a staple in future aquatic b movies such asMega Shark Vs. Giant OctopusorSharktopus vs Whalewolf, but Tentacles treat it like an afterthought. The battle between orcas and colossal squids is not a feature of the movie, but rather a lazy excuse to quickly wrap up theJaws-esque threat, and as such is shot with the same lifeless zeal as the rest of the film.
7’Barracuda' (1978)
Directed by Harry Kerwin
By 1978 Hollywood was already running out of aquatic animals to make movies about. Hollywood seemed convincedJawshas succeeded not because of its timeless directing, compelling acting, or groundbreaking effects, but simply because fish were the trend of the day.Orcahad taken the most shark-like creature,Roger CormanandJoe Dantehadcreated a cheese masterpieceout of the small unassumingPiranha, and the animal killing genre had even moved to land with the surprisingly competentGrizzly. Barracudas were one of the last razor-toothed marine species out there and so they got their very own film, one which was met with the exact response the animal itself typically gets: “Oh, yeah I forgot about that one”.
Barracudais about a government lab that accidentally releases barracudas near a local town and a marine biologist who has to stop them. It’s as basic of aJaws-esque setup you can get and the movie suffers for it.Cheaper than the usual knockoff,Barracudahas incredibly shoddy effects, and not only doesn’t show its titular creatures often but doesn’t even focus on them that much, preferring boring scenes of people discussing barracudas rather than being attacked by them. Add in the fact that the film is shameless in its rip-off status (it uses theJawsfont on the poster) and you have a film that is rightfully forgotten (even if its titular animals shouldn’t be).
6’Deep Blood' (1990)
Directed by Joe D’Amato
Deep Bloodis an Italiansharksploitationfilm that attempts to set itself apart by adding the unique spin of its apex predator being a hoodoo spirit set out to enact a curse. When 4 childhood friends go on vacation, their past catches up with them, and the local area as a shark begins picking them apart, and they must band together to defeat it.Deep Bloodhas been described as a z moviewith its cheesy premise, impossibly low budget and limited resources of shark effects make it an extremely campy and uconvincing journey.
Unfortunately forDeep Blood, while its low production values provide some slack from the audience,it never truly crosses over into being cheap or corny enough to truly be memorableand worth the price of admission. The film’s unique mystical angle was enough to get it some recognition on a larger scale, but with later films likeShark Exorcisttaking up the mantle of magical aquatic goofiness,Deep Bloodis left feeling pointless. Add in incredibly stilted dialogue that matches up with some of the worst scripts of all time, and you have a shark flick that is undeniably bad, but undeniably watchable.
5’Blood Beach' (1980)
Directed by Jeffrey Bloom
The main conflict inJawsis the concern that media coverage of sharks would hurt the attendance of Amity’s prime beach-going season. While it is a villainous motive, it is also one that ironically bore true as the summer immediately following the blockbuster’s releasesaw a sudden and precipitous drop in beach attendance and summer activity.Five years later, 1980’sBlood Beachsought to re-instill this coastal fear in audiences, only this time eschewing the horrors of the water for the very sand itself. Focusing on a worm-like monster hiding underneath a Los Angeles beach, this horror film plays out like a prototypeTremors, only choosing to focus on a plodding and dry detective rather than the latter’s colorful cast.
Despite its title, poster, and marketing,Blood Beachdelivers very little in the way of suspense, horror, or even gore. Instead, the film largely consists of scenes of people talking about a monster on the beach interspersed with the very rare “action” scene of people writhing around on the beach and screaming.Moving out of the water makesBlood Beachfittingly dry, and the movie’s script and pacing issues are further compounded by its uninspired and dreary camera work. Critics at the time noted that while the cast seemed professional the film was frequently out of focus and blurry stating it was “as though someone had coated the lens with vaseline”. If Blood Beach succeeded in keeping anyone from returning to the coast, it would not be because they thought it was a dangerous excursion, but rather because they decided a ski trip might be less boring.
Blood Beach
4’The Last Shark' aka ‘The Great White’ (1981)
Directed by Enzo Castellari
IfDark Tideslipped from homage to ripoff then 1981’sThe Great Whitefalls from knock-off all the way to outright plagiarism. Of all theJawsrip-offs, The Great White is the most plainlyJaws-like of all of them. Alternatively titled “The Last Shark” this Italian rip-off tells the eerily familiar story of a coastal resort town who are terrorized by a string of shark attacks. A local teams up with a famous shark hunter but is hindered by a loudmouth mayor who is worried that publicizing the attacks will hurt the tourist season.Unlike most shameless knockoffswhich lift the visuals or design elements of the classic they aspire to be, the great white lifted nearly the entire plot beat for beat.
Soblatant was the plagiarism that Universal Studios filed a lawsuit againstThe Great Whiteto block the film from release in U.S. theaters. For 6 years following the success ofJaws,American cinemas had been awash in shark flicks that blatantly ripped off the universal film down to its very poster font, and yetThe Great Whitewas so egregious and bold in its plagiarism that it wasthe first Jawslike to be banned from the country entirely. Despite being handed both lukewarm box office returns and a lawsuit, directorEnzo Castellaristill considered making a sequel to the Italian film, ultimately scrapping the project due to the film’s mechanical shark being broken beyond repair. Had the prop been better maintained, audiences would likely have gotten to see not onlyThe Great White 2, but alsoThe Great White 3DandGreat White The Revenge.
The Last Shark
3’Santa Jaws' (2018)
Directed by Misty Talley
Aside fromJawsthe most famous series of shark films is likelytheSharknadoseries. This self-aware parody franchise arose to make fun of the plethora of shark films that had come out in the 40-plus years since Jaws and were massively successful thanks to their ability to point out a joke audiences had been whispering to themselves for countless years. Like Jaws, however,Sharknadoalso gave way to a slough of horrible sequels and imitators all its own. Shark Week films had been adapting horrible gimmicks for years but now, throughSharknado,they were given the ability to do so with impunity by making surface-level acknowledgments and winks towards their own poor quality.
The worst of these films adapt the basic straightforward structure of Jaws with nothing more than surface-level irony so that they can barely qualify as a parody. And, it is from this unholy blend of laziness and defensiveness that a film likeSanta Jawsis created. This Christmas-themed shark movie, featuring a shark with a narwhal-like candy cane spearisterrible for certain. But in this list,it serves to represent countless Shark Week flicksthat are mass-produced and churned out just as fast today as they were in the years immediately followingJaws, if not faster. While the likes ofBarracudaandOrcawere unoriginal, they were at least honest about what they were. Today’s sharksploitation films are often ashamed to bear that moniker and try to disguise themselves as satire.
Santa Jaws
2’Mako: The Jaws of Death' (1976)
Directed by William Grefe
Coming out a mere year afterJaws,Mako: The Jaws of Deathwas one of the first films to attempt to smell the blood in the water and join in on the feeding frenzy that was the shark movie era. Instead of just beinganothershark movie, however,Mako almosthad an inkling of pure genius. This shark flick focuses not on sharks as its primary antagonists but instead focuses on man with a magical amulet which lets him communicate with the creatures, and how he uses this ability to help them hunt their own hunters.This base premise could be that of b movie classic, but unfortunately,,Makofalls short of this infamy by never truly embracing its madcap idea, and wasted potential will always sting more than pure failure.
Adding to the absurdity ofMakoisthe title card which opens the film: “The producers wish to express their sincere gratitude to the members of the underwater crew who risked their lives to film the shark sequences in this motion picture without the benefit of cages or other protective devices.“Rather than relying on shoddy animatronics or phony, special effectsMakosimply placed real untrained filmmakers into the water with real sharks. While this absurd production provides an understandable explanation for the shaky, blurry, poor-quality shark footage used throughout the film, it almost nearly makes the film psychologically damaging to watch. Given the overall poor quality and the inherent risk of filming uncaged with live sharks any sane viewer is left wondering why so many would risk their lives forone of the worst shark movies of all time.
Mako: The Jaws of Death
1’Cruel Jaws' (1995)
Directed by Bruno Mattei
Cruel Jawsbrazenly advertised itself asJaws 5, and while this titling may seem like in-your-face blatant plagiarism, it is actually just scratching the surface of the 1995 shark film’s reality.Cruel Jawsis a masterclass in theftas not only does it copy the core concept, plot, and dialogue from Jaws, but it directly liftsfootagefrom not only that film but alsoTentacles, Deep BloodANDThe Great White.Cruel Jawsis an insane chimera of other Jaws rip-offs, so open and forthright with its identity that it is almost admirable. The film’s plot once again sees a shark terrorizing a resort town with a local mayor attempting to keep the killings hushed up.Cruel Jawsonly original idea, it seems is attacking the shark from a helicopter although even then this set-piece is underscored with the unbelievable line: “We’re gonna need a bigger helicopter”.
Cruel Jawslives in such a state of perpetual infamy due to its bold and shameless theft that the story of its numerous legal troubles have becomethe stuff of bad movie legend. Even the film’s soundtrack is not devoid of controversy and plagiarism. The film has a credited composer but largely seems to consist of royalty-free stock music except for one piece near the film’s center which appears to rip off theStar Warstheme of all things.Cruel Jawswas rightfully met with many lawsuits and obviously failed to challenge them. But where the film failed to succeed as a respected or worthwhile follow-up to theJawslegacy it has undeniably earned its place as one of the most rightfully bizarre and interesting parts of shark movie history.
