In 1975 little known director Steven Spielberg released the cinematic classic called Jaws. Today (well, yesterday really, but today somewhere else) marks the 40th anniversary of it’s original release in theaters. I am not going to go over the actual plot of the film, I don’t want to spoil a 40 year old movie. I also don’t want to confuse you as I go over the alternate history version of it below, after all, this is Alternate History Thursday, things aren’t allowed to be normal.
The main plot of the film from Alternate History land revolves around a giant snake that has been let loos in the middle of sunny South Dakota. Think a cross between Tremors and The Abyss. The giant snake has lived in the area for thousands of years, it’s not thousands of years old, it’s not a Basilisk, it’s descendants have lived in the area for generations. Humans, being the humans that they are, start mining for aluminum in the hills of South Dakota. The aluminum mines are pretty standard mines (in this universe anyway), with tunnels, and mine cart runs and lots of nocturnal animals making their home in the tunnels. While blasting a Floyd’s tunnel open with an old hammer, our secondary character “B” spots something. The main character, “Ted”, doesn’t believe him, and the warden of the mine says to dig on, but over time, people are gobbled up by the snake, eventually having Ted start to believe.
Ted works with B to build a makeshift explosive device from spent uranium and aluminum casings. Together they lure the snake into the main chamber of the cave and try to destroy it. But, before the bomb goes off, ancient Indian ghosts pop up and protect the snake. They warn Ted & B to leave the area, this snake is the master. Being the only ones left alive, Ted & B make a run for it, while the Indians hold the snake back.
The End.