'The Jaws Log': 5 stories about the classic movie

Even as real-life shark attacks continue to fascinate the public, Steven Spielberg's 1975 film "Jaws" (shot on Martha's Vineyard) will come to Blu-ray for the first time this year. The classic movie is going on 40 these days but it still keeps some of those who first watched it decades ago out of the ocean. The "Jaws" shoot was famously riddled with disasters, from a malfunctioning shark – that's why you don't see it until more than halfway through the film – to production delays due to shooting on the water. Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb shares his memories of the production in the book "The Jaws Log," first published in 1975 and reissued this year.

1. Too close for comfort

Al Seib/Los Angeles Times

Gottlieb was first brought on as an actor in the film, playing the character of local newspaper editor Meadows, but as he and director Steven Spielberg discussed ideas for the script, he was invited to work as a screenwriter as well. Gottlieb recalled being given the official title and then traveling to location the next day. "Steven and I flew to Boston and Martha's Vineyard, to start shooting a script that had not been through its final rewrite and that was still largely uncast," he wrote. "As much fun as it was to be working a definite 'go' project (I had sold five screenplays already, but none had reached the screen), this was a little too close to 'go' for comfort."

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