“I think I just lost it” - Steven Spielberg on thinking he had a ‘heart attack’ while filming Jaws

Steven Spielberg, 78, has directed 34 feature films. His impressive filmography also includes producing or executive-producing more than 150 projects. Among all his creations, Jaws is considered his breakout film. Released in 1975, he rose to fame for directing this iconic film at the age of 26.

Steven reflected on directing Jaws in Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. This new National Geographic documentary is included in the Jaws 50th Anniversary Edition. Opening up on experiencing a panic attack while directing one of his life's most impactful films, he said,

"I think I just lost it."

The shooting schedule for this 50-year-old thriller film exceeded the original plan by around 100 days, according to Entertainment Weekly. This led to a surge in the finalized budget. Along with all these, the cast and crew faced several obstacles on the way to wrap up the filming procedure.

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Steven Spielberg revealed getting a heart attack while working on Jaws

Steven Spielberg's career trajectory transformed after Jaws. Before this life-changing project, his resume included a feature film titled The Sugarland Express and work on television. This movie was his career's first film on a massive budget.

Initially, speculations guessed whether Steven would ever direct a film again, given the amount of money invested in the film. He had major responsibilities to fulfill and significant outcomes to present to prove his calibre. Realizing its potential, he stood by his convictions and continued working on it relentlessly.

Jaws was filmed at Martha's Vineyard. Recalling the end of the shooting schedule, Spielberg disclosed in the documentary, as Entertainment Weekly reported,

"When the film wrapped Martha's Vineyard, I had a full-blown panic attack."

Describing the distressing condition, the Raiders of the Lost Ark director further explained,

"I couldn't breathe, I thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn't get a full breath of air. I kept going to the bathroom and splashing water on my face. I was shaking."

The journey was difficult, and recounting those days, he also added,

"It was everything that I had experienced on the island, trying to hold myself together, but hold the crew together. I felt really responsible for keeping them there for as long as we had to stay."

The impact of Jaws on Steven Spielberg’s career was unimaginably career-defining. He became a household name from a promising director almost overnight. It was his first-ever major theatrical hit.

Despite the success and recognition, Steven struggled with a challenging period. Looking back on how "it didn't stop the nightmares," he spoke from his heart, revealing,

"I had a real tough time when I finished the movie."

Disclosing how he often woke up, sweating, and found himself on "soaking wet" sheets, he said in the documentary,

"We didn't have the words 'PTSD' in those days, and I had consistent nightmares about directing Jaws for years afterwards. I was still on the movie, and the film was never ending."

Remembering those days and the low phase he had to overcome, Steven Spielberg later noted,

"I had nothing to cry about. The film was a phenomenon, and I'm sitting here shedding tears because I'm not able to divest myself of the experience. The boat helped me to begin to forget. That Orca was my therapeutic companion for several years after Jaws came out."

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