Universal Sued OverThis JAWS Ripoff...and WON!

Summary

In this video, Mike Bracken, aka the Horror Geek, reviews 'The Last Shark,' an Italian Jaws knockoff from 1981. Notorious for its plagiarism lawsuit by Universal, the film features Jimmy Franciscus and Vic Morrow in a tale of a monstrous shark terrorizing a beach town. Bracken humorously critiques the film's low-budget effects, including recycled stock footage and a laughable fake shark. Despite its lack of gore, 'The Last Shark' earns its status as a cult classic among shark movie enthusiasts.

Takeaways

• 🎬 'The Last Shark' is a 1981 Italian film known for its similarities to 'Jaws', leading to a lawsuit from Universal.
• 🐋 The film features Jimmy Franciscus and Vic Morrow, who are likened to characters from 'Jaws', playing roles similar to Brody and Quint.
• 📽️ The movie is filled with reused footage and low-budget special effects, including a notably unconvincing shark.
• 🏝️ The setting involves a beach community where a shark attack threatens to disrupt the local way of life.
• 🎶 The film includes a notably poor title song that is criticized for its quality.
• 💸 The production appears to have a low budget, which is evident in the use of stock footage and low-quality props.
• 🤣 The script is filled with humor and sarcasm, often mocking the film's low production values and plot.
• 🌟 Vic Morrow's performance stands out as particularly over-the-top, adding a layer of entertainment to the film.
• 🦈 The film's climax involves a dramatic showdown with the shark, featuring explosions and a race against time.
• 🏆 Despite its flaws, 'The Last Shark' has achieved cult status and is appreciated for its entertainment value in the realm of B-movies.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is a review and humorous critique of the 1981 Italian film 'The Last Shark', which is known for being a rip-off of the movie 'Jaws'.

Who is Mike Bracken and what is his role in the video?

Mike Bracken, also known as the Horror Deacon, is the host of the video. He provides a comedic analysis and review of 'The Last Shark', diving into its plot, characters, and notorious status as a 'Jaws' knockoff.

Why is 'The Last Shark' considered a cult movie?

It is considered a cult movie because it was sued by Universal for plagiarism, leading to its removal from theaters, which in turn made it a sought-after film for cult movie enthusiasts.

What are some of the alternative titles mentioned for 'The Last Shark'?

Some alternative titles mentioned for 'The Last Shark' include 'The Shark', 'Great White', and 'L'ultimo squalo'.

Which actors from 'Jaws' does the script compare the characters of 'The Last Shark' to?

The script compares the character played by Jimmy Franciscus to Chief Brody and the character played by Vic Morrow to Quint from 'Jaws'.

What is the significance of the 'five barf bag rating' mentioned in the script?

The 'five barf bag rating' is a humorous metric used by the host to rate the quality of gore and overall enjoyability of B-movies, with a higher rating indicating a more 'satisfying' level of over-the-top or low-quality effects and scenes.

What is the host's opinion on the quality of the special effects in 'The Last Shark'?

The host humorously criticizes the special effects in 'The Last Shark', pointing out the use of stock footage, fake plastic sharks, and other low-quality effects as part of the movie's charm and entertainment value.

How does the script describe the character of Vic Morrow in 'The Last Shark'?

The script describes Vic Morrow's character as a 'Bargain Basement Quint', hamming it up and providing a caricature of the Quint character from 'Jaws'.

What is the significance of the mention of 'Cruel Jaws' in the script?

The mention of 'Cruel Jaws' is significant as it is another Italian 'Jaws' rip-off movie, and the script implies that 'The Last Shark' borrows or 'ripped off' scenes from it, further emphasizing the unoriginality of 'The Last Shark'.

What is the final 'barf bag rating' given to 'The Last Shark' by the host?

The host gives 'The Last Shark' a 'two barf bag' rating, indicating that while it is not as gory or over-the-top as one might hope for in a 'Jaws' knockoff, it is still a legendary cult classic.