If the past three years have been any indication, there is currently a wave of renewed interest in shark movies. Not even counting the numerous low-budget productions, recent theatrically releasedshark moviesincludeThe Requin,The Reef: Stalked,The Black Demon, andMeg 2: The Trench, the latter likely being the most widely known. Swimming alongside these new screen sharks isShudder’s recent documentary exploration of shark horror,Sharksploitation.
Directed byStephen Scarlata,Sharksploitationexplores the development and trajectory of theshark attack subgenre of films. IntervieweeDr. Emily Zarkadefines the subgenre as those film and media centered on what she calls the “metashark,” a cinematic depiction of the underwater creature that is loosely based on sharks of the natural world. For fans of shark films, these metasharks go beyond the bounds of reality either by stretching the limits of biology (thinkJaws’ “rogue” great white) or by completely breaking those limits (like the hybrid monsters of films likeSharktopus). Rather than drawing a strict line between these two kinds of shark movies (which often goes hand-in-hand with the difference between the slightly more realistic studio-budget films and their hyper-exaggerated low-budget counterparts),Sharksploitationsucceeds as a love letter to one of cinema’s most curious subgenres because it considers all shark films to be part of the same family, thus giving its subject the proper documentary treatment.
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‘Sharksploitation’ Respects Cinematic Sharks
Sharksploitationis primarily composed of talking head interviews supported by an assemblage of clips from a wide array of shark films. The experts interviewed include sharksploitation filmmakers, academics, and marine biologists, bringing a variety of perspectives to the subject. The documentary is, therefore, not exactly reinventing the wheel when it comes to non-fiction filmmaking. However,Sharksploitation’s interviews stand out because the experts interviewed discuss the affection of shark movies earnestly without ever taking the object of said affection too seriously.
The interviewees first express their commitment to the subgenre by genuinely exploring the question of what cinematic pleasures this subgenre offers for filmgoers. Rather than merely dismissing shark movies as nothing more than schlock, the experts seriously consider how shark films speak to us through the medium. As suggested by the interviews, shark movies seem to speak to a collective kind of thalassophobia, or a fear of deep water. The brand of thalassophobia activated by shark films expresses our anxieties about what might be lurking beneath the surface, especially that which cannot be seen. As the legendary B-movie filmmakerRoger Cormansays at the beginning of the documentary, “The ocean has great psychological effects,” and shark movies exploit this psychology by realizing our fear that something is out there.
By demonstrating their respect for the cinematic power of shark films, the interviewees avoid mocking sharksploitation, even when they explore the most ludicrous of films. Even ifSharksploitation’s experts and filmmakers believe certain shark films to be better quality than others, their admiration for the subgenre extends across all examples. This is particularly evident because the filmmakers interviewed are not restricted to exclusively those that participated in the biggest budgeted films of the lot. For example,Thomas P. Vitale, who headed acquisitions in the early days of theSyFy channel, discusses how the channel built its brand by placing its focus on ridiculous-sounding titles rather than completed scripts.Anthony C. Ferrante, director of theSharknadofranchise, proudly declares he took on directing the first installment because he would have the opportunity to make the most ridiculous movie possible. Significantly, each of the low-budget filmmakers speaks admirably about their creative works while keeping their tongues firmly in their cheeks about what they are actually making.
‘Sharksploitation’s Interviews Are Refreshingly Candid
Not only do the interviews with filmmakers demonstrate both an admiration for and a self-awareness of sharksploitation, but they are also examples of the documentary’s refreshingly candid discussions.Joe Alves, production designer on the originalJawsfilms and director ofJaws 3, openly discusses the problems with bringing the iconic shark to the third dimension.PiranhadirectorJoe Danteexpresses his gratitude forSteven Spielberg’s saving of his killer fish film from a Universal lawsuit.Johannes Roberts, director of the47 Meters Downseries, chuckles as he calls the CGI inRenny Harlin’sDeep Blue Sea“absolute bullshit.”
At the end of Roberts’s comments, he looks down briefly and says, “Sorry, Renny,” which adds additional levity to the moment. The candid interviews are, therefore, not just candid because they are frank, but also because they capture the delight with which many shark horror fans speak about sharksploitation.Misty Talley, director of a number of recent, low-budget sharksploitation features, begins giddily laughing when she talks about adding roaring noises to her films’ sharks, even though, as biologistDr. David Shiffmanimmediately points out, sharks cannot make noises. When talking aboutJaws 3,James Nunn, director ofShark Bait, explains that he saw the thirdJawsfilm too late to be convinced by the visual effects. However, as he is describing the film, a smile crosses his face, and he says, “I mean, fuck, it’s good actually the more you think about it.” Even when discussing elements of shark films that may align them with dreck, Talley’s and Nunn’s interviews exemplify the winning charm shark movies have on their fans.
‘Sharksploitation’ Honors the Legacy of ‘Jaws’
While the interviews balance respect for the subgenre while winkingly acknowledging its silliness,Sharksploitationdoes recognize where honor is due. Despite the wealth of examples explored in the film, the obvious hero of the shark horror subgenre isJaws, andSharksploitationabsolutely honors the original blockbuster’s lasting legacy. When discussing why sharksploitation films scare us, film technicianTom Chapinsays, “The beginning ofJawssays it all.” Chapin’s statement can easily be extended beyond just the prologue of Spielberg’s film.Jaws“says it all” for all of sharksploitation cinema. As the interviewees explain early in the film, what sharksploitation exploits is the sensational idea of a giant, killer shark. What actorMatt Mercerastutely points out, though, is that what all these films are really exploiting isJawsitself. This is why, as the interviews make clear, nearly all the animal attack films of the immediate post-Jawscycle in the late ‘70e and early ’80s reproduce the cinematographic conventions of Spielberg’s film, particularly using point-of-view shots. Even whenthe animal takes its rampage to land, as in 1976’sGrizzlyor 1980’sAlligator,Jawsremains the eternal animal horror formula. It is for this reason thatSharksploitation’s experts include bothGrizzlyandAlligatoras sharksploitation, even without the presence of a shark.
According to the documentary,Jaws’ conventions are also routinely replicated at the level of character. As the experts discuss, and as the film supports with dozens of split-screen film clips, most sharksploitation films recreate the archetypes established byRoy Scheider’s Martin Brody,Richard Dreyfuss’s Matt Hooper, andMurray Hamilton’s Mayor Vaughn. Most of the films are thus populated by a heroic male protagonist whose fear of the shark (who he later destroys) is proven right, a scientist who helps the hero confirm his suspicion and an antagonistic authority figure who refuses to acknowledge the shark’s threat.Sharksploitation’s character analysis demonstrates the entire subgenre’s debt toJaws.
Sharksploitationdoes not just honorJawsby arguing it is responsible for the subgenre, though. Additionally, the documentary highlights the pop culture frenzy that surrounded the film’s original release. Using archival footage and images,Sharksploitationportrays the innovation ofJaws’ marketing and merchandising through television spots, magazine covers, licensed t-shirts, and even a Crocodile Dentist-style game. Footage of an ABC News report from the year ofJaws’ release also speaks to the collective fear of the water incited by Spielberg’s film. Many of the interviewees add to this archive their own personal stories of having seen the film in theaters.Sharksploitationconsequently serves as a sort ofJawsarchive, honoring the legacy of the momentous film, and accordingly connecting the disrespected sharksploitation subgenre to one of the most significant films in the history of cinema.
Luckily,Sharksploitationdoes not just honorJawsby exalting Spielberg. Included in the ABC News report mentioned above isPeter Benchley, author ofthe book of the same titleon whichJawsis based. Benchley makes numerous archival appearances throughoutSharksploitation, demonstrating the film’s commitment to including the author as the originator of the subgenre. Some of the most affecting interviews come from Wendy Benchley, his wife, who discussesJaws’ impact not just on the world, but also on Benchley himself, who spent many years, alongside Wendy, as a fierce ocean activist. By making sure to highlight Benchley as the originator of the sharksploitation subgenre,Sharksploitationdoes true justice to the legacy ofJawsin both its literary and cinematic forms.
