In 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws became a hit summer blockbuster while simultaneously having its viewers think twice about stepping foot into the ocean. The story about a man-eating great white shark carries a degree of realism that, even today, makes it a suspenseful experience to watch. However, the techniques that brought that suspense to life weren't planned; they were improvised thanks to a faulty shark.

When Jaws began filming, many of the scenes used for Amity and when Police Chief Martin Brody joined Matt Hooper and Quint on the Orca to catch the shark were filmed on Martha's Vineyard. Although the location was picturesque for a small town in the throes of shark-induced chaos, the mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce, wasn't a fan of the saltwater. While it worked for brief stints during filming, the saltwater corroded the shark, causing its pneumatic hoses to leak. As a result, Bruce was more often found dead in the water than not.

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Rather than wait for the shark to be fixed, Spielberg decided to improvise instead. Initially, the script was filled with scenes featuring the shark. But since it was barely working, the "shark" became a mixture of camera angles and John William's now-iconic score. In Jaw's opening sequence and many of the attacks following, the camera glided through the water, representing the shark's POV. As audiences watched the camera blow past seaweed and other rocks, it was unclear what was being shown until it was too late -- and Bruce claimed another victim. The shark that became such a prominent headache during filming was turned into an invisible vehicle for suspense that personified the fear of the unknown.

The film teased the shark with scenes showing its fin as it ate Alex Kintner or when it just barely broke the surface before devouring an unlucky boater in Amity's estuary. However, when Bruce's features weren't shown, Spielberg employed other methods besides POV shots. The most iconic scenes often showed the shark dragging a large object like a piece of a dock as it approached an older fisherman. While hunting it, Quint used empty barrels attached to the shark to hopefully tire it out and drown it. Ultimately, it became a marker for its strength. Instead of drowning it, the shark pulled down three barrels at the same time. Now it was not only a powerful and ruthless animal but also defied all odds because of its size and strength.

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After spending over an hour wrestling with this force of nature, the suspense had been built up with audiences. The brief glimpses of the creature helped to paint a picture of what the shark looked like, even when nothing was seen. When the shark finally appeared as Brody chummed the water, it was not only a terrifying surprise but a reminder that whatever anyone thought it looked like, the reality was worse. Instead of screaming, Brody simply stepped back, staring into the eyes of the 25-foot shark, and uttered the iconic line, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." Today, that scene is still one of the best examples of the slow burn method of holding off on a reveal.

Since Jaws, many other films have utilized Spielberg's techniques to convey horror and suspense. The camera POV is famously seen in Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead and embodies the evil that terrorizes the teenagers. It later becomes a staple for the franchise, even being used today. However, the slow burn is now commonly seen in other creature features. For example, 2014's Godzilla employed it to help build up the scope of the monster and make its first appearance truly memorable. Jaws is a filming marvel in terms of improvisation and what it contributed to the box office and suspense in the medium. But the most surprising part of that success is that it was due to a malfunctioning shark.

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