Celia Pacquola and JAWS

This is Peter hell A. You're welcome to You ain't seen nothing yet The Movie Podcast, where I chat to a movie lover about a loved or classic film they haven't quite got around to watching until now. And today's guest comedian Celia pacuola.

Us Smarter.

Wax On wax Off.

I do wish we could chat, Latiner, but.

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Yet, the prayer phrase. Alicia Keys.

Celia Pecola is a girl on fire, bursting onto the Aussie comedy scene over a decade ago. She's gone on to become a household name and a triple threat. It might even been more with stage, screen and bloody dancing. She's the co writer, co creator and star of ABC's Rose Haven. She can be seen on the project Have you been paying Attention? She's starting the hilarious key. We featured the breaker up hers and if that wasn't enough, Celia Precola one last season of Dancing with the Stars

I'm Celia Piccola, and my three favorite films are No Pressure number one easily League of their Own. Hi, my name's me and that's more than a name, that's an attitude. It has everything. Number two, I'm going to say Labyrinth, every Boy.

And living up to your expectations.

Three. I know I should not do another comedy one, but for my heart, it's got to be drop dead Fred yourself. And up until last week I had not seen Jaws. It's really full on.

John Williams was in great work there. From the original summer blockbuster that sees the peaceful sea side tan of Amity being terrorized by the world's most famous killer shark, and then eventual Universal Studios back while tour attraction local sheriff Chief Brody played by Roy Scheider and Matt Hooper, a marine biolists played by Richard Dreyfus, and an old man of the sea or possibly pirate, Captain Quinn played

Hi. I thought that was going to be the briefest like summary of a plot ever, just would have been, there's a shark's up shark the end.

Well, it's so funny because I when you think of George, you just think, Dan, oh, it's the shark. You know, it's just about the shark, and it's the music and it's the shark, and that there is about, you know, closer two hours around around that, and there's some stuff that goes on, and I think there's actually some and we'll get into this. This is too deep to get into straight at the top. There's some parallels my goodness Jaws and twenty two and twenty But just a quick reflection,

Did I survive it? It was so much better than I thought it was going to be. Shock. It's actually good.

I don't know I've done. Steven Spielberg, I done, But like.

I think, I hadn't watched it because my only interaction with it was I went to, I want to say, Warner Brothers movie, what Universal Studios in America? And they've got the shark there and it looks so shit, And I just thought, how is it possible that that's anything other than watching it now comically ridiculous, Like I thought it was kind of famous for how bad it was, Like if you go back and watch the Never a Need Story, the Wolf with the Eye, the Robot Wolf, now,

There's so much going on in the production of this film that kind of leads to all those things that you just spoke about. And they started making this film without a script, like the script was a finish and they were They basically started the film without a script, without a cast, and without a shark really Yeah, so and and and these things will come into play when we come back to talking about Jaws, because the things

Yeah, I want to say, we'll get back to but it seemed so polished that surprised me, Like you watch it now and everything seems such a deliberate choice.

Yeah, well, I think the only thing that really dated for me. I mean, obviously if they did the Shark now, it would be a bit different.

Yeah, and the head and the head, the head underwater head was like, that's that's that's a bad Halloween mask. That was bad.

But there's someone that's the dialogue around around, you know, the setting up Like did you notice in the when the chief goes back to his office and makes it quick types up the report.

This is my favorite moment.

The phone call, the reception gets Yeah.

The reception is going, chief browdy. The karate school call. The nine year olds have been karate shopping. The fence. That was what I was. That's the only thing that I brought in.

And then she takes a phone that she takes a phone call and it's like Chief Brody's office, and then like straight away it's like Chief, it's the it's the coronel. Yeah, it's the mayor. And it's like there was no room for somebody to say, hey, it's the mayor, he is Chief.

I didn't notice that. I was still thinking about someone in a scripting room going, right, we need a small town problem. Okay, there's karate. A nine year old has been chopping a fence with their hands. Someone's hitting a fence. But I was getting Ghostbuster vibes from her for the like Gus Bus there's like some that Chief Browdy can't be doing, you know, and he's like, I got to

Let's get back, Let's get back to the Jaws, because you have three wonderful, wonderful films not necessarily. Some of these films have come up before. Uh maybe Labyrinth is the only one. I'm not sure if a League of their Own has come up. It may have come up once.

You need to rethink the guests that you were having on your show.

Peep. I will give you their names and numbers and you can follow up afterwards.

Because the League of their Own is has down the greatest. It's the greatest film of all time. It has everything in it. It's got Tom Hanks, Gina Davis, tears, laughs, dancing, Madonna, feminism, true story, family, it's the best. The quotable lines what's his name? John Lovets is in it. It's so good.

There's no crying in baseball?

Are you crying? No?

Are you crying?

There's no, there's not crying in baseball.

But there is.

But there is no crying baseball. But then there is crying baseball where Betty Spaghetti gets a telegram that her husband has died in well, oh my god, it's got Bill Bill Pullman, say his name, who's j Davis's husband?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just.

Start to finish. It's just such a great combination of of all of the things of the fields and then the laugh and then the big speech, which is the speech he's the Tom Hanks speech about quitting about the heart is what makes it great. If it wasn't hard, everybody would do it. You know, you can't walk out. I love it. I love it so much.

I wonder if it's one of those films that has been this like this not dismissed. That's too strong, because I know people do love this film and it is held up in that kind of as a great feminist film and you know, alongside like a film and Louise, you know, but it's I wonder if it's been like dismissed by some as like oh, that baseball movie or that chick flick, you know, and I wonder if it's if not enough people actually.

With the respect absolutely because I hate baseball and chick flicks, like it's really neither of those things. And the very simple basis it's funny. It's so funny. And if people don't know the story, which is based on a true thing. All the men went away to war, so there was no baseball players. All the baseball players got constripped and went off to war, so they were so's this one man had this idea, but girls playing baseball, and they

I must go back and revisit it. I saw it when it came out and really enjoyed it, and I'm sure that I've seen it a second time, but it's been used as I've seen it.

Our dog is named Jimmy after Jimmy Dougan. His full name is Jimmy. There's no crying in Baseball Chocolate Ship.

It's his full name, but yeah, can you tell listeners who you're what you're at?

A dog is rather dog is called Deirdre Chambers from the character and m.

So you couldn't find a character and drop dead Fred.

Or no, no, Well, I don't know. I thought I was trying to think. I don't know what people based there what. It's really a tough question, which I'm sure finding with people coming in your favorite three movies, because there's some movies that I loved on a single watch, but I feel like the ones, these ones on my list are the ones that I give me fond feelings when I think about them and have at least had a few rewatches. But I know I could have called

I've seen it, but it hasn't lived in my mind.

I don't know if it's a classic. I really struggled for that third one, and that in anyone who's watched it. There's one thing that I do hate is at the end of the film, they kiss, right, it's gross. He's her imaginary friend and he's a stupid, idiot goofball who destroys things and cuts ahead while she's a sleep and ruins her life. And then she tries to kill him by taking medication. So it's this, it's this whole thing

It feels like a possible studio note.

Yeah, I don't know. It's weird, like he's not sexual, he's not a person, he's a weird being best friend guy whose head gets squished in a fridge and his and my favorite moment and dropped her friend is when he chases the pigeons around with a shovel guy, which one of you taught her how to do it. He said that they taught her how to have sex, and he's very mad about that.

I remember seeing it because I was a massive young ones fan. Well, Rick, male, here we go. And I was at an age where when I first saw it where I was like, oh, but well, why are you doing different things now? Why an't you being Rick?

It's a telescope telescope? Yeah, yeah, it was clearly him under studio. Note you know, like a family friendly film, because are you? Did you get into Bottom as well?

Yes?

Yeah, so you know, and like Guest House Paraducer was great, that's the movie that they that they did, but Bottom, like, it's dark and brutal and vicious.

I've been to a car swapping party. A car swapping party, great, all the men stand around in a circle and throw their wives in the middle. Then you picked the one you want and she escorts you to your car.

You're not married. I know. That's why I came home on the bus.

So I feel like Drop Dead Friend was light? Yeah? Was that light for a family friendly audience?

And if I was older when I watched, I would have you know, I would have gone, well, he's allowed to go and make a family.

Yeah, but he's definitely not talking about about, you know, killing himself and the people. Everyone's being devastated that the people's poet is dead.

But Vick is dead.

The people's poet is dead and it's accidentally laxatives. I mean, see this is this is beautiful colty. Young Ones.

Go back.

Anybody who hasn't see the Young Ones, go back and see that. Who's your I mean now I want to talk about the young Ones.

Well.

I mention the young on the other day because I kind of I said, for the uninitiated who maybe have not discovered Undie Donnah, who were a friend killing it on Netflix at the moment, go check out their show. I said. They're like a modern day kind of young Ones. Yeah, you know that they are, you know, subversive and hilarious and unpredictable.

And super weird, just stuff that there's no why, you know, like in the young that you know, you watch stuff and you go you can just imagine if they probably must have had any Network notes too, you know, if someone went, why would you do that? Why have you got a carrot ice skating in the sink for twenty seconds?

I can't remember what about Labyrinth? Oh, Labnth Why why Labyrinth? Did you see that? Young?

Yes? That was when you rent movies from, you know, from the VHS. When you'd rent it, we'd always get Labynth or I think I taped it off the TV. I just watched it start to finish. It was like because I lived in the country and there was nothing to do and it was so boring, so it would often be running around with a stick, making up sort of

Do you think the writers then meant that as a like you said, if she had gone that way, the movie wouldn't exist. It would be a very simple way of getting there. Do you think it was a joke or was it something more?

No I do think it was a joke. I thought I just went, wouldn't it be weird because she doesn't know that she could have? And I that bugged me. I hate that there was an easy option and if she it was just luck because she didn't. And also the worm's talking to no one now. But I like that movie, but just that thet of it, Yeah, a puppetstone.

That obey sometimes when there's no one else around.

They do. And I love But if you watch it, like the quality of the puppetry in it stands up. It's so good and so clever. And there's a little guy I should have I haven't really thought about the guy who who guards the pit of stench, who has no sense of smell. He rides a dog. He's a little tiny puppet. I think he's like a fox. And

Well well played Labyrinth. I must I must go back and revisit that one, because I did say when I was young, and it hasn't resonated for me as much as it has some of another I guess.

Yeah, it as I say, I think it was a adventures I us. I just loved. That's how I passed the time, thinking about stories and adventures and that kind of stuff. There was another one, The Dark Crystal, which was around there at the same time, which was too scary. Is that one they made They made inter series which I have on It was so scary, the skexies, these vulture like terrifying monsters that suck souls. There just wasn't There was like one moment of sort of fun in

Sounds like a good time to hear from my sponsors. So let's talk about Jaws. Let's talk about Jaws. Let's get into it. I saw this when this film was released four days after I was born, when we that peet June twenty, nineteen seventy five. I was born on the sixteenth right, and I saw it in the cinema four days later. No, I saw it on VHS years later, and it frightened me. It really was. It had the impact that it was supposed to have.

I'm really shocked at how frightening it was, which I think is just it's so clever, the build up of tension, Like when you actually think about it, there's not that

Yeah, and the economy of it, like both at the start and at the end of this film, like it starts with the you know, there's some teenagers, young people at least having you know, the bonfire on the sand and the young the young girl and the young guy go away. They break away from the grien you know,

But that was amazing. That was a really I thought that was a really clever thing that you see the peer, the bit of peer that it's pulled off, turn around, coming.

Back, Yeah, without ever seeing like So it's such a

I was thinking, this is a long time. Last time I was at the beach and the water was in the water somewhere, and I thought, the ocean is even just if you're up to your ankles, is a terrifying. Is not a good place for a paranoid person, because anything that's in all the ocean could be at you, like you know what I mean, There is no you can't see like anything in the ocean could get you. The entire ocean could get you at the same time if it wanted, Like, you don't know, there's no offense,

It really felt like because it's the fact that they says, is it true that most shark attacks happened with the Yeah, and he says yes, And I was like, is that really a fact?

Yeah? And I think the fact that we didn't see it, it's what this film benefited from is that we all sort of know what a shark looks like.

You know what I mean.

If this was a murder mystery and you never saw the like we had no description of the guy, you'd be in trouble. Yeah, But it's like a shark. We're like, well, it's going to be big with big teeth, and you know, we can picture it. We can picture it. So that kind of helped it as well.

But there's also a natural fear most of us have of sharks, like, we might not walk around fearing sharks, but the idea of being taken in the shark attack would have to be right up there in the worst ways to go.

Yeah, I know. And they spend a long time trying to get this shark in increasingly ridiculous ways when they're just supposed to punch it. I mean, why didn't.

Anyone tell them should have been advised.

I didn't tell them. That would have been the labyrinth worm of this film is if at the beginning they'd walked off going we've got it. Sorry, we can't talk right now, Bud, We've got to deal with a shark, and he went, well, maybe I could just punch it, and then too late they've gone.

I'm pretty sure that might happen in Jaws three.

D Well, I mean, this is the other thing that I have not watched Jaws two and three, But I mean, is it just another is it a two more sharks?

No, it's a new shark. Yeah, it's a new shark. And for memory, and the second one is kind of they basically try to just repeat Jaws, and then the third one is where they jump the shark. I feel they they they bring a shark into a like a sea world star, and the mother shark after them and takes revenge on them for you know, in prison, their shark baby shark.

It's interesting as well that this film that they had to come up with it to make this a whole film to go for as long as it is, because it has such a simple solution, which you stay out of the water. Like when you think about it, you're like, all right, when I feel about a shark, well, to make it plausible that they'd go, well, the solution is just don't go with the water, because then there's no movie.

Yeah, you know, but I think they did really really well at holding once theys right now, as soon as it's a shark attack, the beach is closed, yeah you know, and and so yeah that girl gets taken, her body gonna washes up. Sure it should be okay, beach is closed and everyone should be on board.

Yeah, surely.

Yeah.

But they do a really good job at prolonging and they need because they need they need to obviously, So you have the skinny dipping and then the mayor says it's a boating accident, and even though the current has already told the chief Chief Brody that no, this was a shark attack, and he's written that up with missus ghostbusters, and then the coroner backflips. He's obviously being spoken to because he wasn't a.

Shark with a nine year old karate kid karate turd deare.

So because obviously they did really well that July. The fourth of July is coming up regatta and it's done nicely with banners and posters around, and you've got Mayor Vaughan who's kind of saying, you know, this summer this, this, this is all about summer. This, this town exists on summer dollars in the tourism, so you can't shut the beach down. And then and then the kids get the kid gets taken and you have that scene which is kind of I must say I almost giggled at the

Yeah. She was an interesting choice I thought for that casting. She seemed a lot older to have a little which is great. I mean, you know, of the time. And I also point as well because that scene reminded me there was some pretty incredible extra work going on in this film whenever they when they panic in the water, when they put just a lot of the screaming and the pushing the children out of the way, like like there.

Was a lot of a lot of George Costanza going a lot of pushing kids.

There really was. I found that really remarkable that they were so scared when it happened. They're like, if you were that scared, you wouldn't be in the water. I thought that went a bit a bit a bit, just get out. There was one girl who didn't even She said like oh wow, and just started swimming away and didn't scream shark. So anyway, there's some really good background work.

There was one woman as well who held her baby or toddler in her arms and then screamed and everyone rushed past out of the water.

Totally fun.

You can still scream, but just move forward, but they did.

They did. That wasn't really I felt a really powerful moment when the kid when that before when he got taken the kid, everyone running into the beach and going no, everyone knowing someone had been taken and just waiting for who hasn't come back out of the water, you know what I mean, because they did a really good misdirect where you think it's going to be Chief Brodie's kid.

Yeah, and watching it last night, I'd forgotten if it was, and I was wanting to remind myself, is that this one of these kids get taken?

Ye. Also I just remembered and the fact that he doesn't like water, Like there's so many things in this film. I'm like that that's awesome, but extra little, I know.

But the thing I would argue about that is because, as I mentioned earlier, the script wasn't finished. I was still working on the scrip. This was a Hallish production, and I reckon there are some touches in this script, and they're very Spielberg familiar Spielberg kind of things about you always make sure the families not quite you know, completely happy family. You know, like et there's a dad who's not there on the scene and most of his you know, there's a lot of broken families. This is

Well, I know, I think there's one hint of it, which when he's drunk on the boat, because he has to get drunk to go to go out on the water, and he says, is like, in the big city there's so much crime, we can't make a difference, but here a man can make a difference, right, something like that. So I feel like that was the not is that whether something happened in the city. That's what I thought.

And then why is he scared of water?

I don't know. I they didn't say anything about it, which I think is a.

Really big thing.

And he hates boats, but he actually kind of handles himself pretty well on the bat. But yeah, pretty rarely do you see him really like killinging on like unnecessarily would maybe if you had a fear of boats. Yeah, water, but considering there's a killer shark. True, I feel like, again, if they just had another more time with that scripts,

Maybe they didn't need to do that because if we believe that that he hates water and eats bots, You're right, why did he go with them when he hired the guy due to the end of Bite. He didn't need to go. He's not an expert the other guys in it. He wants to go. He wants to see the shark.

Yeah, basically a pirate and the marine biologists like.

That's your shark fighting team. And then a guy who doesn't want to be there or know what he's doing. Do you get in the way? Mate? He doesn't how to tie not get the cheap like. You can't give anyone a ticket. You're not going to arrest the shark. If the shark needed to be arrested, then I understand why.

They're But yeah, why was he there if there was going to be a scene with Jaws with his fins behind his back being handcuffed by Roy Scheider. That would be great, but to get back to Yeah, So the way they prolong and then they catch because they catch the shark and they think that's a great moment. They think, oh they've caught Jaws and and they're celebrating. You know, everything's back on. The mayor's happy, that the sheriff, Chief

The reason why you know that shark is not the shark is because it looks like a shark, because we all know the one in the water who's actually eating people looks like a suitcase with the tea. So you're like, well, that's not it. That's that's a real shark. The way we're fighting is made of played it. But that was that was nice. But we going, like you were mentioned about about, so it's the economy. So the way they set up, not because me if my flight make kellyf stick.

Anywhere in the world. I mean this like I was just my mind was blown. I've never thought of Jaws as being like a parable for the pandemic.

Absolutely, there's a danger out there and what do you do. Do you choose the economy or do you protect the people who are going to who are going to be affected by it? The help And because I tweeted at the time, don't mind telling you had how to wine if I ever do a tweets because I've had a

Oh yeah, shit, seriously, let's come back to that prank. But yes, the pond, the shark got in the pond.

The shark it in the pond, and the kids are doing or not and then some guy in a widow in a little rowboat. It's like, hey, you're tying a knot? Do you need help tying that knot? And then he gets it, he gets in and no one is upset, like, no one cares about that guy. That guy's got no mum in a veil, coming up and slapping the chief. He's just some dude who just in my mind, he's a creep He's a creepy creeper. Who. That's how he

I'm sure that was the backstory for that actor.

Yeah.

But the other thing about the the parallels of twenty twenty, I thought even the idea that the mayor is more focused on catching the graffiti whoever did the graffiti on the Oh yeah, it's another distract. I'm not focusing on what needs to be done. And this is maybe lends itself to more parallel with what's happening in the States in other parts of the world. But this is this idea of life. No, it's not. It's not the real issue here. The real issue is a graffiti we need

Yeah, and everything's fine, don't you don't want to panic peel like that that you don't want to panic people, whereas no, you should absolutely should be panicking people. It's fine, it's probably fine. No, No, but that choice of going let's just pretend it's fine and maybe it will be versus this is an inevitable thing that needs action taken.

But yeah, what is what is the the go back to that prank? What is the shittiest prank you've ever pulled? Have you ever pulled?

No, I'm not a prank I'm not a prankster, and I hate pranks being pulled on it because you never know where someone is in there in their day or how they're gonna react, do you know what I mean?

You never know what's gonna you get. You know, I was thinking that one you know on YouTube where there's a guy like in a bin and he jumps out and goes, yeah this kid, and the kid just punches it and he passes out back into the bin. I'm like, yeah, that's what you get, Like, that's you You can't risk you know, the confidence that they're going to go. You're so funny. So I don't think I've pulled any pranks.

I'll tell you the worst one. This is not for me. I'm not a prankster really either. My this is the way. And my brother in law hates me telling this story, and I think my sister does as well, but he hasn't listened. So years ago, and I'll say this at the start. My my, my sister, and my brother in law are still together, be married twenty years and three beautiful kids. But before they had kids, you know, they're obviously trying to get pregnant, and you know, obviously stressful time.

We're pregnant.

What is amazing. It's amazing, and he's like yeah, yeah, And then I think, you know, at the point sometimes when you realize that you're you're pregnant, the joke is ship, oh yeah, listen, just jokes. It's just a joke.

That is.

That he is a cracking blow. I couldn't ask for a better brother in law. But and he likes a joke. But that is next level.

That is was she mad?

I mean she was she forgave him, you know. But and you know, like I said earlier, three beautiful children, I have one.

I mean the closer way we've got is I tried when I was a kid, I tried to frame my sister because we had we had a piano and it was the one thing in the house that was you kids messed with that piano and she done something and I carved her name into the piano. Oh they were like, and she was like it was Celia. And I'm like, why would I write her? Doesn't make sense? But no, that prank those do you know how I knew it was a prank. So this is when I think in

Ye, a wet suit and there yeah.

Yeah, But that's but if there's no music, it's definite that the music means it's definitely real. So that when you saw the Finn, I was like, and but there was no music. I was like, there's something up.

That's well read.

But that look that was It was funny though. The kid when they when they're busses being kids, they almost got shot, like it was really fly. They could have got shot. If I was those kids' parents, oh my goodness, they would be in so much trouble. But they were also quite equipped. They look like they're about twelve, but they're in wet suits, snorks and stuff. They had like they had like you know, night vision goggles. I don't know, but it was funny and they get busted and the

It was good.

I thought it was a nice little moment.

Did you There were a couple of Aussie alerts. You there's one. There's one kind of a behind the scenes one which is interesting, but you did you there's a point in where Richard Dreyfuss is on the phone and he's screaming when everything's going a bit kind of crazy and they really know everyone's on board. There's a killer shark that needs to be found. He yells into the phote. I can't come to Brisbane, Australia because we have a great white shark here.

Oh yeah, I did not know. I mean I swam on past that.

That's it's Brisbane.

Richard was great by the way. I thought he was fabulous. I liked his character. It was good very much.

It was comedic, had some fun.

Even though I'm like, every time I look at it, I'm like, you're mister Holland's opus is when I remember him from.

And also I kind of I mean, I don't really care, but he he had a weird thing recently. I meant to google it. This remind myself. I'm really like, I'm the best person to tell secret to or you know, to disgrace you something fun because I forget.

It's really me too, the number of times some said something to me and I've gone, who said that? You did shit that?

Richard Dreyfuss came on the project and he did an interview and and he was asked and I wasn't on this night, somebody else. I won't try to nominate who it was. But he was asked about which he had been told, we will ask these people have been told about me too? Was in the METO was a hot thing, and I think there had been some, you know, some rumors or stories about his own behavior over the years.

Oh no, that's disappointing.

But I think, you know, that was a weird time for everybody. You know, obviously he hadn't been told. It's his manager's fault, but I just kind of thought to go on and say, you've been you that's not that's not a real mugging. I don't think.

No, that's disappointing. Well, let's let him live in nineteen seventies Richard Dreyfuss, because I liked his like his look. He's got his little he's got a little pop belly. He had a real sort of gnome Ish vibe to him. He sort of track suits a little traxit it.

Almost like a Paul Gmaty kind of going on.

Yes, he's weird shaped spectacles. And also the other man, who's the guy who gets it? What is his name? The man? The hunter Man?

Oh, the hunter Man is is he likes to be famous?

And I don't know.

Robert Shaw, he is incredible. He was like from Russia with love.

He was.

He was in the sting maybe like a whole heap of you know, like a British Irish actor.

Am I wrong? Though? It was brilliant. I was just thinking about that speech. I mean the two speeches, you know, and the chalkboard moment. I didn't know it was from this film, Like that's one of those references I've seen in a million other things. Yes, and I didn't know that's where it was from.

And it's like it's almost comical to watch it now, but that's like this is where it kind of started that idea.

But he's like that speech was like he's just the control that just when he was talking the power and everything he said. It was just captivating that his speech about the shark. I was watching that, and I could picture it written down and thought, that would be so hard if you got given this monologue to not to talk through the taking you time and be like it's

And I completely when I watched it when I was young, I completely missed that. I was like, get back to the shark's side is one of the boring bits. It is one of the boring bits back of the Shark. And then when I watched it, like years I watched it. Probably the last time I watched it was about six to eight years ago with two of my old older boys who loved it. And that was when I first paid attention to that speech. And it's an amazing speech.

No is it real? Is it a real?

A real thing? So they go they go to the deliver the innards and some of the parts for the Little Boy, which is basically a part of Hiroshima to be dropped, you know, tragically. And it's July nineteen forty five. I think on their way back, they get torpedoed by the Japanese. It sinks in twelve minutes. There's twelve hundred crewman on board. Three hundred went down with the ship. So you got you got eight hundred and ninety people in the water. It's they're in there for four days

Believe that's real. I was like, this is a great thing to a horror full story to add this shark movie. It's truly terrible news.

Peach. So they are surrounded by sharks, dying from hypothermia. They got no food or drink, They've only got the clothes on their back. And so in the end, yeah, I think the three hundred eight ninety went into the water. Three and sixteen survived, so a lot of them were taken by by sharks. So the Navy eventually saw them. He here four days, four days into it.

That is so upsetting that that's real.

God damn, it is a magnificent speech. I mean, I actually organized that. I'm so glad you liked it, because let's have a listen to that speech by Robert Shaw playing Quin in Jaws.

Very first lab chief shoffs conclusive. So we formed ourselves into tight groups, you know, like gold squared in the battle like you see in the calendar and the Battle of Waterloo. And the idea was, shark comes the nearest man man managed to bounding, hollering and screaming. Sometimes the shark, golly, sometimes he wouldn't go. Sometimes that sharky looks right into you, right into your eyes. You know the thing about the Shocky's got lifeless eyes, black eyes like a doll's eye.

It's so good.

I mean the fact that it was powerful before, but knowing it's real, and it is unfortunate with how serious and upsetting and horrific that is. That unfortunately that actor does pronounce the word bomb, like bum that was that that's that's a shame. But otherwise that is the most incredible. But like think of when what other film has a monologue that that long?

When we you know, we really play that length of speeches. But yeah, yeah, you have to take it all in and you're right, this this is a blockbuster. Well before they it's the first blockbuster, but they knew what they were making. They were making it like a They probably thought they're making a big action film. And and to put that monologue in there is just.

Like from memory, like one shot, it's one take.

Yeah it is.

Man, imagine how many bloody audition piece people would have used that as their audition piece in the seventies.

So they got that, they got somebody to write that speech who I think had been involved or had some involvement or some knowledge of the Indianapolis USS Indianapolis. So they wrote that. I think it came out as eight pages, and then Robert Shaw himself edited down to four pages. And then and then he was an alcoholic. Robert Shaw continuing the fine tradition of English actors of that generation, and he asked Steven Spielberg if he could have a

Are you serious?

This is the bear?

Yeah? And then Spielberg says it's not fatal, but we can get Let's go again tomorrow, and he arrives the next day completely sober and delivers.

That I mean that makes me feel physically ill and then wonderful, you know, I mean, like that's the nightmare scenario is on set, just like everyone going, we can't because you can't do it, So can't everyone go home? We can't.

Yeah, let mcgregors up.

Had some clough syrup and he's like, I can do it.

We'll go home and try to get tomorrow. The great thing about that scene, though it starts off when they're comparing injuries. That's great, you know, and it's there's a few purposes going on here. It's kind of humanizing Quint probably specifically, who up until that stage is a bit of a you know, parody almost like you know, he's a bit parody and you're not really sure. You're not

Fact that it's the true story is just yeah, yeah, I like that because that was you know, I liked, as I say, the chief did not need to be in this on the boat at all at this point, but because I'm interested in the story, it's more of

I'm sure for you. I've gone through the stages with stand up where I'm like, I need to have a drink before I go on stage, just just to kind of shake off the day, you know, just to kind of feel like, Okay, it's not the show beers. You know, I'm you know, i might have been at work, i might have been at home with the kids, but now I'm backstage. I'm gonna have a beer and you can get yourself into it. You know, this is as far as Robert Shaw. You're feeling like you needed a few

For me, it's more prominent with doing have you been paying attention?

Right?

I don't do it anymore because I used it. Because the thing with you know, whenever you're on any panel show, the pitch is always the same. They go, we wanted to feel like a dinner party. We wanted to feel like a fun dinner party. And I'm like, well, I have a fun and dinner party, won't bit tipsy. So I used to, you know, have a wine before doing have a bit, and then I would get more paranoid

It's funny. I always have a drink during and and and it's and it's great, and they were happy for you to do that. But the last time we were on on a few weeks ago, I was like, no, actually I won't have one today, and it was and there was part of me and because I had a pretty big nutform, so I was like, I probably don't need it, and and of course it's fine, it's fine. You know, I don't drink before I go and did

Sometimes, Yeah, but then Steven Spielberg gets mad at you and about it. I think, I think that would stop me doing anything. But if I've got a phone call from Steven spielgo.

Santa Claros and a calling since Spielberg, that's me.

Actually, if Santo called me and said he was disappointed in me, I think I might die.

That would be a heartbreaking hit.

The other thing I wanted to say about this film before i'd not having not seen it and knowing what it was, that I was surprised because I was waiting for We're going to need a bigger boat. And that's not what he says exactly, Like, it's not a moment. Like the way that it's set up is it's like every every time it's in a reference in something else, someone looks at something and then they pause and they go, we're going to need a bigger boat. And it's so

Yeah, there's no there's no move into that line.

It's not like it's not made a moment in the film, but it has been outside of the film.

Yeah, you've got to need a p He refrains it a couple of times. It becomes like a.

Year, now we get a bigger boat. Now we should get a bigger boat of something. But it wasn't it was weird. And then I mean, what else don't need to talk about the guy And then the guy gets it. I mean, obviously we're doing spoilers in this, the poor quinck getting getting eaten. How did you feel about that.

Yeah, I mean I assumed and I thought I remembered it happening. I think at that time, the first time I saw it, I was probably horrified. What's interesting is the fact that Hooper survives, and there's a story behind that as well, because in the book, this is based on a book.

There's a book.

Yeah, I think Peter eventually. I think it's Peter eventually. So he wrote writes his best seller selling book. But the book's quite in a way. Okay, there's a lot of sword inness about the book, and you actually have something in common with Stephen Spielberg. Steven Spielberg hates exploring sex in his if you think about it, like sex is never kind of part of it.

Don't need it. It ruins everything.

So in the book, in the book, Hooper sleeps, has an affair with Chief Brodie's.

Wife that's unnecessary, and he's.

Supposed to die in the shark cage. In the book, you kind of feel like, okay, you know, okay, he just deserts in a way. Spielberg didn't like any of that, and he basically uses the third act of the book

No, they did.

A little person in off the coast of our great nation Australia. In Britain Australia. There was a great right and Valerie Taylor end up shooting this vision and it's a little person put into a cage and a shark, a real shark taking If you look at that vision, it's it's incredible visions. It looks really I didn't know that.

That was the only point where I thought, oh, there is a real shark. Wh you just see the tail flip, tail flick for all that stuff.

So the shark is trying to get into the cage, the little person has a heart attack. He's okay, he's okay, but that's so that's and then they and then they said, I think they and then they had they got him out and the sharks are still ram in the cage. And they rang back and they said, this vision looks amazing. And they're like, is the is the little person in the in the cage when he's ramming he gets Oh no, we got him out. Eventually they're like, well we can't.

Of the cage.

Outside of the cage. Yeah, put your hands in the cage, mate.

Well I did not handle your hands in the cage. You know, hands inside card at all times. What are you thinking? But I didn't understand why he hid under a rock, Like he got out of the cage and then he he hides under a rock until the shark gets exploded. Like why didn't he go up?

Yeah? Because because if you think about it, it could have easy died. He should have died. It should have really just been it's more powerful if it's Chief Brodie by himself. He has then swim back by himself. Yeah, there's no reason why.

He's just props up with it. But it doesn't help. He just hides under the rights. It was so that would confuse me. And also the system of what was the plant for them for Hooper to tell them to bring him up, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, they just went well, we should bring him up now, and it made it made no sense.

Yeah, when he went down to kind of go okay on the third, I had like a y ink or something. There's no that was done.

And then yeah, they just got footage of him hiding, just hiding under a rock. And then because he obviously would have seen the ship sinky, Yeah I don't look. I know that part was weird. He could have he could have easily gotten killed.

And then he goes on the Today Show and he blames the project for it all. Did you get how many? How many frights? Did you have? Any genuine frights?

As I say, I didn't like the head was no good, the floating head.

But you know what I must say, I actually got an forget that. I forgot what was happening. So when he was like got the shark's tooth and he and I just wasn't expecting it and I completely forgot about it, and actually it by myself, I audibly went.

Yeah, I think I still got to frite. But then I was like that books, yeah, I did. What were the actual moments the.

Other I'll tell you the other one I got. I had two frighten moments where I yelped. Was when they were pulling the rope in. I don't know, I should have been expecting it for some reason. And then the shark kind of comes up, which is kind of like the angle. That's almost very much the Universal shark right there. That's almost the angle you see if you go to Universal Studios and it comes up beside the boat. That's almost exactly what you see, Yes, when it comes out.

There was one where it was Chief Brody was sitting on the back of the boat complaining about doing the chum. That was when he's like, and then it goes out and he actually does a like a double tap, you know, it does that, and that's a kind.

Of famous scene, you know, like that shot when you come to that.

Shot, and also when he's on the beach and they did that that. I don't know what that shot is called the perspective.

The performance is almost coming forward, but the background is moving backwards, yeah, or vice versa.

Yeah, yeah, but I'd like it was more of it was a full boat. It was oh no, no, no, yeah. I can't remember the exact moments, but I didn't I was scared by it. I didn't like it. See, I don't really watch scary things because my instinct is to go make this stop, you know, you like, oh something well, that something bad is going to happen, and then and then it does and then or you just go hide

Not just a plan to get Hooper back up from the shark cage, but even there's the plan.

Of what he was supposed to do is going to try. And also like it was so I felt for that actor for Roy when he's like stabbing it, he looks so bad. Then when he's stabbing it and it looks like he's like just poking a bit of plastic. Like, it's amazing feat of this film that you still take him here, you still believe. Yeah, the actor performances.

Yeah, And I think seeing it in nineteen seventy five though, like you know, we've come so far that seeing them I imagine seeing in nineteen seventy five, well, it was it was terrifying for people. Yeah, And I don't think the music and the fact that we wait so long to see the shark plays a part in that. But I think also I imagine the shark looked more real to them, yeah, than it does to us.

And also the little boy, when the boy got humped, that was bad too. That was quite yeah, distressing. Yeah, I didn't like that. I don't like it when a little boy gets into shark.

Peter.

I've got out. I've probably on my own here.

But okay, weird, very weird. There's a couple of things about the production. It was so it was like movies were it's hard to believe this is even a thing, or there was a time when summer movies weren't really a thing, you know, like very rarely were movies put into some of the theaters in America with expectation. They decided to go with it because it was the beach theme. They went with the whole idea, before you get in the water, don't get in the water before you see

Movie because then we would never have had Sharknado. I blame Jaws for Shark Nado.

It is. It's still the best shark movie without a doubt.

I think it might be the only shark move I've ever seen. As I say, I got it. The only big scary animal film that I've seen is Anaconda, which was on a double date when I was like sixteen, because we were like me, I'm not scared. Yeah, so the snake baby, and it was absolute cheifier. I hated it so much.

Did your date pulled the older yeah, protecting arm over.

You're probably not. This is too this is too much. But it took me a while to grow into my nose pete, so I couldn't breathe through my nose for a very long time. So making out was a terrifying concept because I couldn't breathe. So should the young lad had made a move, I probably would have dodged it. But there you go. But Ana Conder John Boyd. Not only does it have a horrific scene which still haunts me.

Do you know what I mean?

Someone's choking and they get stabbed a pen in the throat so they can breath. And this is spoilers if anybody, if you haven't seen anaconda, you're too late. It's take it too long, you take you take it too long. John Boy gets eaten.

You need to see Jaws last night.

But I know what I think I knew what happened. I think he got exploited. I've probably got it confused because of the whole jump the shark thing. I would have been like, did you get hit by a bus by Fonzie. I'm confused. I can't remember something happened with the bus. John Boy gets eaten by the snake and then he gets vomited up. But he's only got one eye and he winks it. It blinks it and then dies and that is in my memory. I can't remember my mother's birthday, and that is in my mind forever.

August, Mum's best. Thank you, my pleasure. So Spielberg didn't shoot the last scene in this movie because he was fearing He actually jumped on the airplane and left, set the shot up, and then left without telling anyone because he feared the crew were going to push him in the water, and it started a tradition where he never shoots the final scene, not necessarily the scene we see in the movie, but just he will never shoot the final.

Shot, the shot or the wholes like a whole scene.

Well, I think I think it's just the shot.

Wow, who filmed it? Then?

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I know that David Fincher did a similar thing on the Social network because Aaron Sorkin wrote that and kind of just went, you know.

What it was to go home early. That's someone that makes such great sense, though, because.

Get the rat part.

It's get to the goodbye is are awkward, like any in any job. It's always like, you know, when you see someone you sort of know and you don't want to say hello. It's not because you don't want to say hello, it'scause you don't want to take ad bye because it's so like, well see you have a nice life, that kind of thing.

So that's great Spielberg knows is people are going to be saying, listen, I love to work on close encounters. The third would be amazing.

I've got this screenplay. I really think you should read. I was waiting. So that's a great idea to skip out right at the end.

That's a good one, and we're doing that.

If we do Rose having season five, Luke, you're on your own. The last the last scene is Luke. And just like a terrible version, a terrible puppet version of me.

It may be different. If you're an actor. Director can get away with it. Good luck. Let me know how that goes. The director, the writer of the original screenplay, Sorry book, I think of these Pete. Eventually, he regrets portraying sharks like this because he's had a massive impact on the way sharks were viewed. Like people just were terrified as sharks. This is before the conservation movement has

Are you serious?

Yeah?

That's too little, too late, mate, too late.

And Spielberg demanded shooting on the Atlantic Ocean. He didn't want to shoot in it. Things that's actually shot out in the ocean, and a final thing which I think is pretty interesting. Richard Dreyfuss, he's I think he's twenty seven when he makes his film. They wrap on the film, he goes off and he starts on doing TV appearances where he's just bagging out the film by just saying this is and he says, this is not Steven Spielberg's fault, but this is this is going to be a disaster.

Yeah, and absolutely from his perspective, it was a debicle. This is the shark never works. It's going to look it could have been. It could have been absolutely terrible. But you just keep keep it zipped until because what if it's not? Then that happened.

Give Steven Spielberg a chance to put this film together. You know, you've got a puck lips. Now they got Father Movies, Case Blanket started shooting without a script. You know, Star Wars wasn't really supported by the studio. Like there, you know that you gotta this give It's.

The same works. It works the other ways, well, like don't celebrate something until until it's out either. I think you shouldn't have been on TV. Just just just hide. Anytime you make anything, then you hide and you wait for the results and then because there's nothing to be gained from. But I get it, he would have been

Hey Seals, thank you so much for watching this film. I know it's a podcast that you need to do a little bit of homework.

I love it.

I didn't realize how many behind the scenes things that you were going to bring. I want to do it again with other films, so I can you do the research and I get to learn cool cool story.

You find one and we will do it. And by the time you come back and do it again, I would have watched a League of their Own again and Labyrinth again.

Oh my god, enjoy I will do.

Thank you so much and we'll see you.

Cons Cillia Percolla there chatting Jaws.

That was so delightful. She Anyone who's witnessed Seals do her comedy, whether it be in stand up comedy or watching a performance on shows like Rose Haven, would know that she is just a delightful presence. And I can guarantee you in person, she is exactly the kind of the person that you hope she would be. So thanks Seals for watching Jaws. We did, actually before we started recording, just play the music without her knowing the Jaws music, and she did actually jump up a little bit in