Jaws at 50: a thinly disguised western by a nerdy young filmmaker that helped to rejuvenate Hollywood

By Barry Monahan, Senior Lecturer, Department of Film and Screen Media, University College Cork

The collapse of classical Hollywood’s studio system in the 1960s mirrored much of America’s cultural and political uncertainties at the time. The assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King, the civil rights movement and the escalating Vietnam war provided a background that destabilised the optimism with which the decade began.

It’s not surprising that narratives of many films at the time may have been hinting…

Read complete article

~	Colombia: One year on, women searchers for victims of enforced disappearance are still waiting for the country to deliver for them

~	Long after the guns fall silent, conflict-related sexual violence leaves lasting scars

~	How to stay safe during heat waves – and the heat stroke warning signs to watch for

~	Friday essay: ‘my heart is full of sparks’ – as war escalates, can I hope for Iran’s liberation from a tyrannical regime?

~	Is there any hope for a fairer carve-up of the GST between the states?

~	Despite decades of cost cutting, governments spend more than ever. How can we make sense of this?

~	New cases of meningococcal disease have been detected. What are the symptoms? And who can get vaccinated?

~	Jaws at 50: the first summer blockbuster is still a film that bites – even when the shark didn’t work

~	Bribe or community benefit? Sweeteners smoothing the way for renewables projects need to be done right

~	Global Voices News Quiz: Week of June 16 2025