Steven Spielberg Honors Peter Benchley

"Peter Benchley gave the world a jolt when he found the perfect formula for combining human nature and nature itself -- and JAWS was born.  I owe so much to Peter because the success of JAWS gave me artistic freedom in all of my films thereafter.  What I will ultimately never forget about Peter was his complete devotion in the post-JAWS era to giving the world a better understanding of the life and evolution of sharks.  He made a commitment to reserve the species and help dispel the fear and loathing of them that the
JAWS phenomenon extended."

- Steven Spielberg