The ultimate deep dive into the world of shark cinema: filmmakers, critics, scholars, and conservationists explore the cultural impact on audiences and this misunderstood species.

For in-depth thoughts on Sharksploitation, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original streaming release here.

Video Quality

Sharksploitation comes to Blu-Ray from Shudder with a terrific HD master which delights every bit as much as it should on the format. This feature is made up of a mixture of newer interviews along with archival clips from these features plus other odds and ends to help round out the presentation. Any footage from the movies seems to be sourced from the best available master at the time of this film’s completion. While the age and scarcity of the film can impact the overall quality, most of it holds up as a pleasant viewing experience. The newer talking head interview segments look excellent with natural skin tones and surprisingly detailed facial features from the stable filming locations. The colors on display in the footage have a notable sense of vibrancy to them. The encoding holds firm with no semblance of digital nuisances. This Blu-Ray presentation is a first-rate effort.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray disc comes with a favorable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures the desired experience without fail. This is primarily an interview showcase with a copious amount of talking heads to go along with some footage from the array of films. Dialogue emanates from the center channel as you get anecdotes shared in a controlled environment. The score comes through with an agreeable fidelity that fills the room. The material is not going to shake your couch, but it sounds robust within its ambitions. There are no ugly digital anomalies, drop-outs, or other issues spotted. This track stands tall on all fronts. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Writer/director/producer Stephen Scarlata and producer Josh Miller provide an informative commentary track in which they discuss why they wanted to dive into this subject, how they crafted a narrative to guide the experience, how they secured certain interviews, and more.

Interview with Film Critic Michael Gingold: A new 25-minute conversation with the film critic in which he discusses his background with creature features, notable shark movies he is fond of, the place of the subgenre in horror, and more.

Extended / Deleted Interviews: A collection of unused interview segments totaling 70 minutes of material is provided including material with David Worth, Glenn Campbell, Joe Alves, Mario Van Peebles, and more.

Original Trailer (1:07)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “Chomp Chomp: How Sharks Were Exploited in Cinema Following Jaws” from film critic Sam Cohen is provided here. This piece gives a well-rounded analysis of the subgenre.

Final Thoughts

Sharksploitation is a valuable look at a beloved horror subgenre that is nearly as concerned about educating you on the creatures featured on film as the movies themselves. The feature is pretty thorough as it takes you through narratives both mainstream and independent, although some fanatics are likely to make a list of movies that should have been included instead. As you go along this journey, your affection for these ocean-dwellers and the movies they occupy continues to grow. It delivers exactly what it sets out to do, so those thrilled by the topic should have a good time. Shudder has released a Blu-Ray featuring a very good A/V presentation and a strong assortment of special features. Recommended

Sharksploitation is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shudder and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.