Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks – excerpt

The film Jaws turns 50 years old in 2025. A movie that could have been B-grade schlock was elevated by Steven Spielberg’s direction and played on humanity’s deep-wired fears: of the ocean depths, of hidden monsters, of being devoured alive. Add some clever marketing, and you had the feel-scared hit of the summer. Jaws is widely credited with creating the phenomenon of the blockbuster, and has so thoroughly entered our collective consciousness that just a few notes of its menacing John Williams score are synonymous with an approaching terror.  

Such was its penetration of culture that it had a devastating side effect – people began to kill sharks in huge numbers. Valerie and Ron Taylor, Australian cinematographers and divers who helped Spielberg capture footage for the film, were horrified by the slaughter, as were the filmmakers; Universal Studios sent the Taylors on a US-wide talk-show circuit to advocate for sharks.  

In this clip from the documentary Playing with Sharks, we see them desperately trying to turn the tide in a talk-show interview, and get a sense of how culturally impactful moments can metastasise far beyond their creators’ control. The couple fought tirelessly for most of their lives to protect marine life, but the effects of Jaws are still felt today. 

Warning: This clip shows footage of a hooked shark in distress.