Want a good excuse to visit Martha’s Vineyard this summer? (Though who needs another one, right?) It’s the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie “Jaws,” and Martha’s Vineyard, where most of the movie was originally filmed, is going all out to commemorate and celebrate.
“All eyes are going to be on Martha’s Vineyard this year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘Jaws,’” says Erica Ashton, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce. “The movie has become an iconic piece of our island’s history.”
“Jaws,“ which was filmed on the island in 1974, and released on June 20, 1975, was the film industry’s first summer blockbuster, breaking box office records. The Academy Award-winner, considered one of the greatest films ever made, struck fear in the hearts of swimmers and beachgoers worldwide, and its familiar slow, repetitive two-note soundtrack — dun-dun, dun-dun — has become synonymous with impending danger and dread. Later, the negative portrayal of sharks as bloodthirsty predators would lead to wider research and conservation of the species.
“‘Jaws’ really put Martha’s Vineyard on the map,” says Ashton. “We wanted to do something really spectacular to honor it.” There will be special screenings, talks, and parties, during Jaws 50th Anniversary (June 20-22) and during the following Amity Week, June 22-29 (see sidebar for more information), but also a variety of summer and yearlong activities. The onetime Broadway play “The Shark Is Broken,” about the filming of “Jaws,” will run from July 5-20 at Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center. The new “Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive” exhibition, dedicated to the film’s production on the island, will open at Martha’s Vineyard Museum and include rare photos, oral histories, movie props, a lifesize replica of Bruce the Shark’s head, and a scaled recreation of the Orca interior cabin (on view for a limited time). It will also feature a section on the current real-world biology and conservation of great white sharks, in partnership with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
We spent a few days on the island, visiting movie sites and exploring all things related to the movie. Even if you’re not a “Jaws” fan, it’s a great way to see the island and its most picturesque and historic spots. DIY-ers can download the SetJetters’ free film tourism app, for a list and map of “Jaws” scenes on the island, or hop on one of the specialty tours, like the Ultimate Jawsome JAWS Tour offered by HomeGrown Tours. This four-hour island tour features special guest Jeffrey Voorhees, the actor who played 12-year-old Alex Kintner, the second victim in the movie. Voorhees, a longtime MV resident, shares photos, movie insights, and stories with tour participants as they travel around the island, visiting movie sites.
We took the Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven and checked into the family-owned and welcoming Mansion House in Vineyard Haven, a grande dame property with a health and fitness club, spa, pool, sauna, steam room, and a rooftop lounging area, with sweeping views of the island (a great place to hang out after a day of exploring.) The vibe at the hotel is friendly and historic, with old photos decorating the walls and comfy, traditional furnishings. And you can’t beat the location, within walking distance of the ferry, shops, restaurants, and the Chamber of Commerce, where you can pick up information on “Jaws” events and other activities on the island. Martha’s Vineyard Museum is also a short stroll from the hotel. As advised, we didn’t bring a car and found it easy and efficient to get around by bus. And all buses are free this year in honor of the “Jaws” anniversary.
‘Get out of the water!’
“I died when I was 12,” Jeffrey Voorhees said as he greeted us in the lobby of the Mansion House. Voorhees agreed to give us a “Jaws” tour of the island, and a behind-the-scenes look at the production.
“Everyone we knew was in that movie,” Voorhees explained. “Most were hired as extras earning $40 a day.” Voorhees got called back for a speaking part, making $140 a day, and because he signed a SAG agreement, he continues to earn royalties. He also has a website selling signed merchandise (how about a blood-splattered raft with a shark bite out of it?), does Cameo greetings, and travels to special events and festivals to do signings. He still receives postcards in the mail from fans: Thinking of you, dead another year! On Martha’s Vineyard, he’s a bit of a celebrity. “Hey Vintner! Be dead already!” a man walking his dog shouted at us as we stood in front of the Telegraph Hill Lighthouse in East Chop, our first stop on our “Jaws” tour. Around the corner was Chief Brody’s house (much of it replaced). Voorhees explained that this is where Brody’s wife infamously screams to their son, “Did you hear your father? Get out of the water!” There were no sharks lurking, only pretty views of Vineyard Haven Harbor and Vineyard Sound.
Amity Island welcomes you
Our next stop was Aquinnah Cliffs, with an expansive green space, a lighthouse, and striking, lofty views of the Atlantic Ocean. “This is where the ‘Welcome to Amity’ sign was,“ said Voorhees. “It had one scene in the movie, but everyone likes coming out here.” Why not? It’s beautiful, and we stayed awhile to take in the views.
Voorhees told more stories as we headed into the small fishing village of Menemsha. The mechanical shark, he told us, was designed for freshwater and kept breaking down. “My friends and I knew where it was stored in the back of an old, beat-up warehouse,” he said. “We used to climb all over that thing.” Not everyone on Martha’s Vineyard appreciated the filming. It caused congestion and inconvenience, and it was smelly for days. Remember the tiger shark that was dissected? “It was a real shark that they hung up by the docks in Edgartown,” Voorhees says. “It stunk up the whole town. The local fishermen dumped a pile of fish carcasses at Spielberg’s rental house as a payback.”
In Menemsha, we looked for cans of Crush It Like Quint Narragansett beer (reportedly the company is selling crushable cans in honor of the 50th anniversary), but settled for a You’re Gonna’ Need a Bigger Boat T-shirt and an Amity Island ball cap. We strolled the tiny, stuck-in-time village, and watched as fishing boats chugged in and out of the harbor. “Nothing has changed since they filmed here,” Voorhees pointed out. “It looks exactly the same.”
‘This is where I died’
Many of the movie’s filming sites were in Edgartown, an affluent, classic island village. We walked the village streets, lined with historic buildings, now housing shops and restaurants as Voorhees pointed out movie sites. The Edgartown Town Hall that served as Amity Town Hall in the movie looks the same inside and out. We went inside to see where Quint scratched his fingernails on the blackboard during the town meeting. We also stopped at the Rockland Trust Bank to see the Amity National Bank sign that was used in the movie. Voorhees pointed out the hardware store (now the Port Hunter restaurant), the Chappy ferry, the hoist where the tiger shark hung, and the Kelley House and Harbor View hotels, where many of the cast members stayed.
Heading out of town, we drove past State Beach, and near where Chrissy and Pipit the dog met their demise. And finally, to the infamous Jaws Bridge (a.k.a. American Legion Memorial Bridge). “This is where I died,” said Voorhees. “Right there at the end of the jetty.” There’s a No Jumping sign posted on the bridge, but we watched two young boys leap off it. “Everyone does it,” Voorhees said. Unless there’s a shark in the water, dun-dun, dun-dun…
The many ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘Jaws’ on Martha’s Vineyard
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