One of the greatest shark movies to ever completely rip-off Steven Spielberg’s 1977 film Jaws, and still be one of the most entertaining ones, is finally coming to Blu-ray. Granted not here in the states, but if you have a region-free player (which you should), Treasured Films is putting out a nice new special edition with plenty of extras.

This film did get released here in the states but only for a short time before it was pulled because Universal Pictures sued the producers of The Last Shark stating that it had plagiarized their film, Jaws. If you’ve seen the movie, it’s obvious that a few things might have been “inspired” by the Spielberg film, especially with Vic Morrow’s character and his “floating chainsaw” comment, but it is crazy enough on its own, that I don’t think it would have hurt much of Universal’s business. When I worked at a theater back in the early ’80s, I remember putting up the poster for Great White (what it was going to be called here in the US) in the “Coming Soon” spot, but we never got it.

That’s right, director Enzo G. Castellari’s 1981 film The Last Shark, also known as Great White, or the original title of L’ultimo squalo, is coming to Blu-ray in a widescreen transfer from a high-definition master. It will also have a brand-new audio commentary by noted scholars Troy Howarth and Eugenio Ercolani, as well as new interviews with director Castellari, actor Massimo Vanni, producers Maurizio Amati and Ugo Tucci, a video essay called Unfamiliar Waters: Casterllari Out of Action! by Mike Foster, and a video essay by Eugenio Ercolani called Squali! A Brief Introduction to the Italian Killer Animal Current. Add in an illustrated collector’s booklet with essays by Giacomo Calzoni, Sam Dunkley, and Nathaniel Thompson, an image gallery, trailers and TV spots, reversible sleeve featuring two different artwork choices.

And if you buy it directly from Treasured Films (just click HERE), you can get an exclusive Helicopter Shark Attack magnet and a reversible fold-out poster.

Priced at £18.99, which is about $25, but remember this is a Region B release, so for those here in the states, you need a region-free player to watch this. But again, you should already own one!

You can read my review of the film by clicking HERE.