NEED TO KNOW
For Steven Spielberg, making Jaws had a profound impact on his mental health.
Fifty years after the shark thriller’s premiere, the 78-year-old filmmaking legend opens up about the harrowing experience of directing the classic film in the forthcoming documentary Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, from National Geographic.
“When the film wrapped Martha’s Vineyard, I had a full-blown panic attack,” Spielberg says. “I was in it, shall I say, over my head, for about seven or eight months on Martha’s Vineyard. It was, logistically, I think the most difficult movie I think I’ll ever make.”
“I couldn’t breathe; I thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t get a full breath of air,” he continues. “I kept going to the bathroom and splashing water on my face. I was shaking. And I was out of it — I was completely out of it.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Zanuck/Brown Productions/Universal Pictures / Album
“I had a great crew, and yet I felt responsible for everybody there,” the director adds. “And I felt really responsible for keeping them there for as long as had to stay.
“And I think I just lost it,” Spielberg says.
Courtesy of Everett
Despite all the logistical difficulties — like the functionality of the shark — and the long shooting schedule as a result, Spielberg vowed not to throw in the beach towel.
“Even though we wrapped in Martha’s Vineyard, the film kept shooting for another two months,” he recalls, of working on more scenes at the MGM Studios water tank.
And while “the success” of Jaws “was fantastic” after all the hard work from its cast and crew, Spielberg says he “had a real tough time” despite the acclaim the film received. (Jaws took home three Oscars in 1976: Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score.)
“I didn’t stop me waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, where the sheets would be soaking wet,” he says. “We didn’t have the words PTSD in those days, and I had consistent nightmares about directing Jaws for years afterwards.”
Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty
Looking back five decades on, Spielberg can see the bigger picture, and feel the pride. As he explains in Jaws @ 50, “To me, Jaws was a life-altering experience.”
“On the one hand, it was a traumatizing experience for me that was mostly about survival. And I think all of us feel we survived something,” he continues. “And I just hope that all the people who worked on Jaws wore that experience proudly, like a badge of honor.”
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
“And were able to go through life in the glory of the success that Jaws became,” Spielberg adds. “To be able to say, each individually, ‘Hey — I helped make that movie. I helped tell that story. I share in its success.’ ”
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story premieres July 10 on National Geographic, and is streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.
For more on the 50th anniversary of Jaws, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now.
