Star Wars collectors are used to paying large amounts for rare pieces of memorabilia linked to George Lucas’ epic space saga, but a recent sale saw an equally iconic blockbuster taking a bite out of its reputation as an auction leader. It is impossible to deny that Star Wars is one of the franchises that is guaranteed to attract a lot of attention when props and promotional material linked to the original trilogy hit the auction block. That was true this time around, with a rare early promotional poster for “Revenge of the Jedi,” – the original title of 1983’s Return of the Jedi– becoming a big hitter among <a href="https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/movie-posters/horror/jaws-universal-1975-folded-very-fine-one-sheet-27-x-41-roger-kastel-artwork-horror/a/162637-52194.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Heritage Auctions’ classic poster sale over the past weekend. Yet it was not the star attraction, as an original poster for an even earlier cinematic masterpiece swam out of nowhere to become the highest price lot of the auction.
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That poster belonged to Steven Spielberg’s horror classic Jaws, the movie that was released in 1975 and became known as the first true summer blockbuster. Despite its troubled production history, including many problems with the aquatic star of the show and some on-set clashes, Jaws became one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s and in fact of the first 100 years of movies. Spielberg’s direction elevated the movie into a tense and terrifying thrill-ride that left people scare to swim in the sea and became one of the only PG rated movies that came with an additional disclaimer that some scenes could be too scary for young children – something that Spielberg repeated two decades later with Jurassic Park. The legendary status of the movie is why the instantly recognizable poster for it managed to land well with bidders.
The Shark Bit Back in This Auction
The unforgettable image of a shark rising from the depths to take a chunk out of an unexpecting swimmer is the creator of Roger Kastel, and it has become one of the most parodied and inspirations poster designs ever made. The phenomenon of Jaws was in part thanks to this attention grabbing promotional material, which makes any original examples a holy grail to both fans of the movie and of Spielberg’s career. The one-sheet comes in a folder, “very fine” state, and the $2,625 it sold for is an example of just how much of a game changer the film was on its release. Jaws‘ importance in cinema cannot really be understated, as without it, so many other summer blockbusters would have had to find their own way.
Of course, several years later, Star Wars was taking over blockbuster mantel. In 1982, Lucasfilm began promoting the third movie in the original trilogy. Then called “Revenge of the Jedi” the earliest teaser posters carried this name, and any of those first pieces of promotional material that have survived in good condition are as highly sought after as any other Star Wars memorabilia. A Return of the Jedi poster from around the time of the sequel’s release is an enticing prospect to collectors, but a teaser poster with the film’s abandoned name is even more exciting. The poster ended up selling for $2,375 with buyer’s premium, just marginally behind the Jaws lot. If there had been other buyers watching the auction, then this could have easily turned out another way, but based on this sale it is clear that Jaws still is able to hold its against the biggest franchises even after more than 50 years since its release.
This Jaws Plot Hole Still Bothers Me
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