The Shark Film Office

Goggle-Fishing Bear (1949) Directors: Preston Blair and Michael Lah TC4P Rating: 5/9 Shark appearance: cartoon shark (undefinable species), able to roar and growl, no sense of humor. So, who has it worse? Sharks in the movies -- where they are employed mainly to threaten the lives of the (usually) human characters in the film, or at the very least, imply that said characters are in mortal danger -- or sharks in cartoons? Certainly, the answers is "in the movies," since sharks almost always end up dying onscreen for their sins, and in some films (in the dark, olden days of the industry), really dying for our entertainment. Their menace is perceived as far more real, naturally, and the potential harm to the reputation of sharks in the real world is that much more immense. Cartoon sharks, on the other hand, not being flesh and blood, have a cakewalk. Or is that "cake-swim"? Sure, they show up, flash their pearlies, frighten the protagonist(s) and generally ha...

Shark! [aka Caine] (1969) Director: Samuel Fuller TC4P Rating: 4/9 Species: appears to be a tiger shark in most shots, though it seems like it flashes to other sharks briefly here and there. Downside: actual death of a stuntman used in the film. Just before the opening credits end on this early Burt Reynolds starring feature, the following dedication appears: "This film is dedicated to the fearless stuntmen who repeatedly risked their lives against attacks in shark infested waters during the filming of this picture." The film then gives up the Samuel Fuller's name as the director, and within about half an hour, the viewer will come under the realization that Shark! (also sometimes known as Caine , the name of Reynolds' character) is perhaps in that small but not so intimate circle of the worst releases ever to be lensed by a renowned international filmmaker. That it is available enough for low-budget schlock house Troma to gain the rights and release it as...