50th Anniversary - "Jaws" - (content deleted by originator)

[WebWiseWoman]

Deleted due to apparently prompting upsetting memories and potential spread of misinformation regarding the subject of the movie.

[KellytheBelly]

Let the memories commence! My parents took us to see this in the theater, I was a mere tyke, and was okay with the movie, until they exploded Jaws, that was where I was crying, and my parents placed a coat over me, while leaving the theater. I was so upset they killed 'Jaws,' and I was only 5! In retrospect, I am also upset that my parents didn't like my emotions back then. If anyone is paying attention [even at the age of 5!] these sea beautiful beings need to be left alone! Humans are the doom of all! Stop it! Leave them alone! I haven't watched it since! [just like, 'King Kong.' ˙◠˙ ]

I asked AI about my feelings, and here are the results:

It's easy to feel sympathetic towards the shark in Jaws when considering the real-world impact of the film.

• Misrepresented: Jaws portrayed the shark as a vengeful, man-eating villain, when in reality, sharks do not hold grudges or target humans as prey.
• Real-world consequences: The film's depiction of sharks as a terrifying monster led to a widespread fear and misunderstanding of these animals, resulting in the decimation of shark populations due to increased fishing and hunting.
• Ecological importance: Sharks play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems as apex predators. The decline in shark populations can have cascading negative effects on the environment.
• Author's regret: Even Peter Benchley, the author of the novel Jaws, expressed regret for the negative impact his book and the film had on sharks, becoming a conservationist and advocating for their protection.

In summary: While Jaws remains a cinematic classic, its fictionalized portrayal of sharks has unfortunately contributed to negative public perception and actions that have harmed these crucial marine animals. Many now view the shark, not as a villain, but as a victim of this misrepresentation.

[papawofboo]

I liked the first one, the second one was a big drop off to me, and I haven't seen any of the others. I think the story lines got very unreal.

My wife hasn't been back in an ocean since she saw the first. That's just her thinking. I stopped going in several years ago when the real-life sharks started coming closer to shore. I will walk on the edge, but when I can't see my ankles, I move inland.

I've read where a lot of the people who were in the making of this movie hate what it did as far as how the public felt about sharks. My gosh, sharks live in the water, bears live in the woods and on ice packs, lions and tigers are in the jungle, be very very careful if you go to any of these places.