‘A documentary that goes into the Jaws of Hollywood’
Sharksploitation is a 2023 American documentary that traces the legacy of Jaws and how an action horror subgenre has developed.
Written and directed by Stephen Scarlata. Includes interviews with Joe Alves, Mark Atkins, Paul Bales, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Scott Devine, Anthony C. Ferrante, Michael Gingold, Carl Gottlieb, David Michael Latt, Matt Mercer, Mark Polonia, Christopher Ray, Adam Rifkin, David Rimawi, Johannes Roberts, Misty Talley, Andrew Traucki, Mario Van Peebles, Vicky Vásquez, Scott Wheeler, David Worth and Emily Zarka amongst others.
Blurb:
“Dive into the birth of a subgenre in the shadow of the legendary Jaws. Discover a deep-sea documentary that navigates the bizarre legacy of shark cinema and humanity’s ceaseless intrigue.”
Reviews:
“It would be rude if Scarlata didn’t chart the Jaws series, but he also pays mind to the Sharknado series plus more serious and intense shark movies such as Open Water and a personal favourite The Reef. In terms of the ripoffs, films like Grizzly, Tremors, Tentacles, Piranha and Alligator all get airtime…” Bloody Flicks
“As a fan of most shark-attack films (I don’t have much love for the mock-blusters, sorry), there’s a lot to like in Sharksploitation. I appreciated the time given to explain Jaws author Peter Benchley’s later years of shark conservation and some of the more niche and even Australian shark films. Even with some of my issues with the back end of the film and the timeline jumping around, this is a must-watch doco for any shark film fans.” 7.5 out of 10, Explosion Network
“Rarely have I had the pleasure of watching such a complete and nuanced take of the shark horror genre. And it even covers every kind of sharksploitation movie from Corman’s 1958 She-Gods of Shark Reef to the release of Jaws, and the subsequent knockoffs. Yes, even a movie such as Sharknado.” 4 out of 5, Heaven of Horror
” …Sharksploitation moves along nicely and it will put viewers in the mood to revisit a lot of the films. It is fun and has little political messaging, beyond some noncontroversial advocacy for shark conservation and preservation. Recommended as a fun way to unwind in front of the television…” J.B. Spins
” …along with the low-budget “mockbusters” of The Asylum and the intentional ridiculousness of the Sharknado franchise, Scarlata reminds us that there are more recent entries (Open Water, The Shallows) that found ways to thrill with new rules for an old game. The film’s a little rough around the edges, and it suffers from a wandering nature that can seem like treading water, but Sharksploitation is an entertaining trip through the history of a beloved subgenre.” Maddwolf
“Not only will you get a nice history, but you’ll be able to relive many of your favorite shark films. Modern hits like The Reef, Open Water, The Shallows, and The Meg keep the genre alive. It’s a fun little documentary about a fun little subgenre. With the ability to learn a lot about horror exploitation and creature features, it’s well worth the time for any horror aficionado.” 6 out of 10, Sunshine State Cineplex
“What makes helps to make Sharksploitation stand out from too many genre film documentaries out there is just how entertaining many of the talking heads are […] I would have liked to have heard more from Mark Polonia on his school of no-budget shark films […] But there’s only so much you can fit into an hour and three quarters, and Sharksploitation does a good job of it.” 3.5 out of 5, Voices from the Balcony
Trailer:
Release:
Sharksploitation was available for streaming on Shudder from July 21, 2023, onwards.
Technical specs:
1 hour 46 minutes
#Shudder #Sharksploitation #Jaws #ActionHorror #documentary #StephenScarlata
