Completed despite production problems, equipment malfunctions and budget adjustments, the movie proved an enduring, thrilling work of popular filmmaking that virtually invented the summer blockbuster as we know it.

The 1975 summer blockbuster “Jaws” ignited a cultural obsession with sharks. Fifty years later, the its famed director will celebrate the movie with a NBC special. The network will commemorate the anniversary with a three-hour telecast of the film on Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m ET, featuring a special introduction from Steven Spielberg.

From a primetime special to screenings across the country, Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic is taking a victory lap this week.