And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, July 31, 2022
When they knew how to make a good summertime movie
They made good moves then because it was before Political Correctness took over the country. And the actors weren’t a bunch of whiney primadonnas then either.
The movie came out of a screenplay inspired by the book which documented a world wide hunt for large sharks.
Peter Benchley was down on his luck, failing as a writer. He had connections to Cape Cod from whence the idea originated to embark on a hunt for the largest predator sharks.
Peter Matthiessen wrote the book, Blue Meridian, which documented the expeditions of the late 1960s - early 1970s.
Peter Benchley sold the idea of a seashore resort town with a killer shark to a publisher. Based on a NJ town in 1916 and a Mr. Mundus killing a giant Great White In 1964. Benchley had a lifelong fascination with sharks. The movie was from the last 2/3rds of the book. Screenplay cobbled together by numerous writers including Benchley.
When I lived in Princeton attending seminary I had a side job as driver for a spinster heiress. One of my more memorable jaunts was taking her to Peter Benchley's house for a son's engagement party. Pleasant folks for the two minutes I got to meet them.
They made good moves then because it was before Political Correctness took over the country. And the actors weren’t a bunch of whiney primadonnas then either.
ReplyDeleteJust watched that last night on "Tubi"
ReplyDeleteMighty fine movie
Classic…
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie in Nuremberg when it came out. With English subtitles.
ReplyDeleteGood movie, never read it but everyone who did says it's a mess
ReplyDeleteActually it's a good read and I like the book better.
DeleteThe Wind and the Lion was as good or better, but Jaws crushed it at the box office, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteThe movie came out of a screenplay inspired by the book which documented a world wide hunt for large sharks.
ReplyDeletePeter Benchley was down on his luck, failing as a writer. He had connections to Cape Cod from whence the idea originated to embark on a hunt for the largest predator sharks.
Peter Matthiessen wrote the book, Blue Meridian, which documented the expeditions of the late 1960s - early 1970s.
Robert Shaw steals this movie.
ReplyDeleteRobert Shaw stole every movie he was in. Great actor, gone far too soon.
DeletePeter Benchley sold the idea of a seashore resort town with a killer shark to a publisher. Based on a NJ town in 1916 and a Mr. Mundus killing a giant Great White
ReplyDeleteIn 1964. Benchley had a lifelong fascination with sharks. The movie was from the last 2/3rds of the book. Screenplay cobbled together by numerous writers including Benchley.
When I lived in Princeton attending seminary I had a side job as driver for a spinster heiress. One of my more memorable jaunts was taking her to Peter Benchley's house for a son's engagement party. Pleasant folks for the two minutes I got to meet them.
ReplyDelete