Watch: Great white shark circles boaters
A great white shark stopped munching on a whale carcass to circle boaters in Massachusetts, it even popped its head out at them.
- The movie, “Jaws” is turning 50 this year
- The movie was filmed almost entirely on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Fifty years ago, a movie about a man-eating shark took the world by storm.
“Jaws,” the Steven Spielberg classic released in 1975, was filmed in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts from May through October 1974 and went on to reach legendary film status.
The score for the movie was written and conducted by the Boston-based John Williams, who scored several blockbusters over the past few decades.
To make the milestone, the Edgartown Board of Trade is hosting a week of events on Martha’s Vineyard in June, coinciding with when the movie was released. Here’s what to know:
When was ‘Jaws’ released in theaters around the country?
It was released on June 20, 1975.
What are some events planned for the 50th anniversary?
Here are some of the events planned for Amity Week:
- Several nights of a “Meet, Greet and Mingle Party” at The Wharf Pub in Edgartown, MA that will include a meet-and-greet with Jeffrey Voorhees, who played Alex Kintner in the film, and other special guests.
- “Drink Like Quint – Beer Tasting at Rosewater Wine & Spirits” In the movie, Quint famously drank Narragansett Beer. There will be several days of tastings of Narragansett’s Jaws Lager.
- On June 29, there will be a “Barks & Sharks: A Jaws-Inspired Doggie Costume Meetup” for people to bring their dogs in costume.
- There will be meet-and-greets with with Martha’s Vineyard residents who were part of the movie’s production.
- Tours of filming locations will be held in partnership with local tour operators.
- The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will be hosting an exhibition with photographs, oral histories, and movie props from the film’s production.
Boston Pops ‘Jaws’ concert
Off island, other celebrations are happening in the state.
The Boston Pops will mark the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” by hosting a showing of the movie accompanied by a live orchestra playing the soundtrack at Symphony Hall in Boston, located at 301 Massachusetts Ave.
Performances/showings of “Jaws” will happen on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10. Both shows will be held at 7:30 p.m.
Ticket prices range from $50-$122.
There are still plenty of tickets available for both shows. You can purchase tickets on the Boston Pops website.
What are some spots in the first ‘Jaws’ film that can be recognized?
If you head to Martha’s Vineyard for Amity Week, you can visit some of the spots where the movie filmed. The first movie was filmed mostly on this island. Many of the places can still be visited. They include:
- The town center: The site where Chief Brody (played by Roy Scheider) gets materials for beach-closed signs is at the junction of Water and Main streets in Edgartown, a town on Martha’s Vineyard.
- The ferry launch: In the north section of Edgartown, at the end of Daggett Street, the ferry to Chappaquiddick Island can be found. This is where the Mayor of Amity (played by Murray Hamilton) has a talk with Brody about the potential for disaster in revealing the recent shark attacks to the public.
- Joseph A Sylvia State Beach: North of Edgartown, near the town of Oak Bluffs, is the beach where swimmers were panicked by a shark attack on a boy named Alex Kintner, who perishes in the film when he is swimming in the ocean on a raft.
- The American Legion Memorial Bridge: In the movie, the shark swims under a bridge to what was supposed to be a‘ safe’ inlet, Sengekontacket Pond. This bridge, located by Sylvia State Beach, is where the shark swims.
