Anika Patel
Prepare to be amazed by one of the most iconic pieces of movie poster artwork of all time. We’re talking about the original art for Steven Spielberg’s horror classic Jaws, created by the talented artist Roger Kastel.
Unfortunately, we received some sad news this week. Kastel, the genius behind the equally iconic poster for The Empire Strikes Back, has passed away at the age of 91.
The legendary Jaws art, which has been parodied and imitated countless times, was initially designed as the cover art for Peter Benchley’s novel. Universal eventually acquired the artwork and used it for Spielberg’s movie.
In the documentary The Shark Is Still Working, Kastel shared his creative process, saying, “I did a very rough sketch, and [the publisher] said ‘That’s great, just make the shark realistic and bigger. Make him very much bigger!’” Kastel, of course, obliged and created a terrifying oil painting that undoubtedly contributed to the success of the book and the film.
Kastel’s painting remains one of the most recognizable pieces of pop culture artwork to this day. It has become a significant part of Universal’s merchandise and the enduring Jaws brand.
If you’re curious about Kastel’s incredible career, his official website provides a fascinating overview. Born in White Plains, New York, Kastel began his art journey while still in high school. He studied at the renowned Arts Students League in Manhattan and later became a professional artist, working for various studios and ad agencies in New York. His talent and dedication made him one of the most respected illustrators in the business, with over 1,000 illustrations for different publishers.
Today, we mourn the loss of another creative genius. Drew Struzan, a fellow movie poster legend, tweeted, “We lost another creative brother … Roger Kastel who gave us the iconic Jaws poster among other wonderful pieces of art. It saddens me. Could the lesson be to appreciate all the more our living creatives?”
We lost another creative brother … Roger Kastel who gave us the iconic “Jaws” poster among other wonderful pieces of art. It saddens me. Could the lesson be to appreciate all the more our living creatives? pic.twitter.com/I2p4lk5unP
— Drew Struzan (@DrewStruzan) November 15, 2023
Saddened to hear about the passing of ROGER KASTEL, the artist behind one of the most iconic images/posters of the movie and pop culture. Roger created the artwork as a cover for the paperback of Peter Benchley’s bestselling classic JAWS for Bantam Books in 1974. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/GHx66QmbNP
— Francesco Francavilla (@f_francavilla) November 15, 2023
Roger Kastel created two of the most iconic and beloved movie posters ever. JAWS brilliantly sold its powerhouse beauty/beast inciting incident with haunting purity, while EMPIRE lavishly captured the grand, romantic sweep of an old time epic. His art will endure forever. R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/UpDb4wk0X2
— (@Lauzirika) November 15, 2023
