8 Intense Real-Life Stories Behind Famous Movies
6. Jaws
Of course, it comes as no surprise that shark attacks are in fact a real-life thing, but the story of Jaws goes further than just the simple idea of a rogue toothy fish preying on those that go swimming in the ocean. The film is originally based on the novel by Peter Benchley, but parallels can be drawn between his subject and other events across the years when it comes to fishy situations.
Jaws actually links back to an eerie case of shark attacks in the resort town of Beach Haven in 1916, in New Jersey, where the first recorded death by shark in American history riled up newspapers up and down the country.
With people upset at a juvenile Great White Shark killing off their residents, they mounted up on their boats with pitchforks and rifles and decided to hunt the thing down, managing to kill it when it attacked a man's boat. Which all sounds pretty familiar when you think about it...
Even the grizzled Quint is based off of shark hunter Frank Mundus, who landed a 3,500lb great white off of Long Island in 1964: a record breaking behemoth and the biggest ever caught. Mundus spoke to Benchley about his experience catching that particular shark in great detail, forming the basis for his character in the process - even if the author denies the inspiration now.