Bruce, Jaws’s original rubber shark, restored by effects expert
To mark the 44th anniversary of Jaws, special effects experts have restored the fourth and final model of the shark featured in the film.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced that a full-scale model from the Jaws shark mould has been “fully transformed” after special effects expert Greg Nicotero and their own conservation team took on the project.
The fiberglass model, which is nicknamed “Bruce”, was given to the museum by Nathan Adlen in 2016. His father, Sam Adlen, had acquired the prop after it had been scrapped by the studio, and kept it in his own junkyard.
The last surviving model of the original mould, it was not actually used in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film, but was made for display at Universal Studios.
The mechanical sharks in Spielberg’s film were infamous, partly because their poor functionality informed the decision to use ominous music and shots to simply suggest the shark’s presence.
Just in time for the 44th anniversary of #Jaws (1975)...��
An update on Bruce the shark's restoration! Special effects legend @G_Nicotero, his studio KNB EFX, and the #AcademyMuseum conservation team have fully transformed this undersea giant.
Photos by Greg Nicotero. pic.twitter.com/np2SEzPkld— Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (@AcademyMuseum) June 20, 2019
Finally, film fans will be able to see a restored model up close in real life, although the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is not set to open until 2020.
