Shark Attacks Examined in New(ish) HBO Documentary; Watch Now
Ever since 1975, and Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Jaws, sharks and specifically shark attacks have captivated the collective consciousness.
The terror lurking beneath. Imminent danger in the depths. Nobody’s safe from bloodthirsty, aggressive, massive, man-eating sharks. Yeah, all that jazz.
Well, the smart folks over at HBO have realized that fear and fascination with sharks, and have capitalized on it with a documentary that swam slightly under the radar (pun totally intended), entitled After the Bite, which came out earlier this year.
Per the logline, the film follows this storyline:
“A 2018 fatal shark attack on a boogie boarder rocked visitors and residents in the idyllic summer community of Cape Cod, forcing them to respond to the encroachment of apex predators. The HBO Original documentary film After the Bite explores the far-reaching repercussions for this beach community when rapid changes in the natural world begin to clash with a cherished way of life.”
The community – surfers, swimmers, beachgoers, concerned citizens – are sent into a frenzy following the fatal shark attack. It’s controversial (“let’s kill the sharks!”); it’s scientific (“why is this happening?”); and it’s informative (“let’s tag these suckers and study ‘em!”).
Anyway, it’s worth a watch.
Of course, HBO’s been involved in another ocean-related, more surfing-specific docuseries in recent years, too – 100 Foot Wave. And that’s coming back for season three.
In a world where Hollywood has attempted many, many times to get the general public interested in surfing, 100 Foot Wave has been one of the only relative successes.
As for After the Bite, that’s available on HBO now.
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