Revelation: The famous Jaws poster design, known for its horrifying impact, may not be as frightening as originally perceived
The iconic poster for the blockbuster movie Jaws is a permanent fixture in the best movie posters, thanks to its starkly dramatic design that masterfully communicates the theme of terror. But did you know that the shark species depicted in the poster is actually a Shortfin Mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), not a Great White shark?
Artist Roger Kastel, who was hired by publisher Doubleday to recreate the artwork for the paperback release, carefully studied a Shortfin Mako shark at the American Museum of Natural History for the poster's shark design. The poster shows a Shortfin Mako shark rising towards a woman, creating a sense of danger.
| Aspect | Shortfin Mako Shark | Great White Shark | |--------|--------------------|-------------------| | Average Size | About 10 feet (3 meters) | About 15–20 feet (4.5–6 meters) | | Maximum Size | Up to 12 feet (3.8 meters) | Up to 20 feet (6 meters) or more | | Speed | One of the fastest sharks (~60 mph) | Slower, but powerful swimmer | | Danger to Humans | Rarely attacks humans, less aggressive | Responsible for the majority of unprovoked shark attacks on humans | | Behavior | Pelagic, fast hunter of fish and squid | Apex predator, known for ambush bites on marine mammals and humans |
While the Jaws poster features a Shortfin Mako shark artistically representing terror, the film itself centers on a Great White shark as the menace, recognized for its greater size and risk to humans.
Roger Kastel, who also created the artwork for several other notable book covers and movie posters, including The Empire Strikes Back, was encouraged to take artistic liberty with the proportions of the shark in the Jaws movie poster. Doubleday requested a larger shark after seeing his initial sketches.
The original artwork for the Jaws movie poster is missing, with Roger speculating that it may have been pilfered by an unknown Hollywood executive. However, the Shortfin Mako shark studied by Roger Kastel still exists in the American Museum of Natural History's ichthyology collection.
The art for the initial hardback edition was more minimalist, on a black background. Extra foam was added on the surface of the Jaws movie poster to cover the swimmer's nakedness, emphasizing the minimalist design. Accounts of makos trying to attack or prey on humans are very rare.
Roger Kastel passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of iconic artwork that continues to captivate audiences. The Jaws movie poster, with its captivating design and the drama and tension it embodies, remains a testament to Kastel's artistic talent and the power of minimalism in communicating a book or movie's theme.
[1] Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century (Gavin Naylor, 2016) [3] Roger Kastel's Jaws Artwork Revealed: The Truth Behind the Iconic Movie Poster (American Museum of Natural History, Instagram post, 2021) [5] Shark Attacks of the 21st Century (Gavin Naylor, 2021)
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