Renowned Jaws poster design, often perceived as fearsome, revealed to be less intimidating than assumed
Behind the Scenes of the Iconic Jaws Movie Poster: A Closer Look at the Short-Fin Mako Shark
Contrary to popular belief, the shark depicted in the legendary Jaws movie poster is not a great white shark, but rather a short-fin mako shark. The artist responsible for the poster's design, Roger Kastel, based his illustration on a 3-meter short-fin mako shark specimen housed at the American Museum of Natural History[1][3][5].
This revelation may come as a surprise to many, as the great white shark is synonymous with the terror portrayed in the 1975 film. However, the short-fin mako shark, while smaller and less menacing, offers a more streamlined and athletic appearance that enhances the dramatic tension for movie audiences[1][3][5].
Roger Kastel, a renowned illustrator who has created several iconic book covers and movie posters, including The Empire Strikes Back, was hired by publisher Doubleday to recreate the artwork for the Jaws novel[2]. Initially, Kastel believed he was illustrating a great white shark, based on his own observations and the story's content[6].
Upon seeing his initial sketches, Doubleday requested that Kastel make the shark bigger[4]. To achieve this, Kastel studied and photographed a short-fin mako shark specimen from the American Museum of Natural History's ichthyology collection[1][3][5]. The final design, while not an exact replica of the short-fin mako shark, captures the essence of the species and adds to the poster's overall impact.
The Jaws movie poster, with its striking design and minimalist approach, has become a permanent entry in the annals of best movie posters. Despite the original artwork being missing, with Roger Kastel speculating it was taken by an unknown Hollywood executive[1], the poster remains a testament to the power of minimalism in communicating a book or movie's content[1].
The short-fin mako shark specimen that inspired the poster's design is still present in the museum's collection[7], and the poster itself continues to be a symbol of the fear and suspense that the Jaws franchise has come to represent.
[1] https://www.artnet.com/art-world/roger-kastel-jaws-shark-artwork-american-museum-natural-history-792643 [2] https://www.saatchiart.com/blog/roger-kastel-interview-the-art-of-jaws [3] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-shark-on-the-jaws-movie-poster-was-not-a-great-white-180969897/ [4] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jaws-film [5] https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/the-jaws-movie-poster-is-a-stark-example-of-minimalism/396678/ [6] https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/jul/02/features.g2 [7] https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/hall-of-saurischian-dinosaur-evolution/shortfin-mako-shark
The artist who designed the iconic Jaws movie poster, Roger Kastel, based his illustration on a short-fin mako shark specimen housed at the American Museum of Natural History.
The short-fin mako shark, while smaller and less menacing, offers a more streamlined and athletic appearance that enhances the dramatic tension for movie audiences.
Roger Kastel is an award-winning illustrator who has created several iconic posters, such as those for The Empire Strikes Back and Jaws, demonstrating his creative design skills in the realms of art and entertainment.
Upon seeing his initial sketches, Kastel's publisher, Doubleday, requested he make the shark bigger, leading him to study a short-fin mako shark specimen from the museum.
The final design of the Jaws movie poster, while not an exact replica of the short-fin mako shark, captures the essence of the species and adds to the poster's overall impact.
The short-fin mako shark specimen that inspired the poster's design is still present in the American Museum of Natural History's collection, providing a unique connection between the world of movies-and-tv and the realm of art and science.
