Welcome to Things Worth Remembering, in which writers share a poem or a paragraph that all of us should commit to heart. This week, Peter Savodnik writes about the 50th anniversary of ‘Jaws,’ the mania that has overtaken Martha’s Vineyard, and what the best scene in the movie can teach us in an age of safetyism.
Peter is on the Vineyard for another few weeks, and he’d love to meet up with any FP readers, friends, or foes, or with anyone keen to discuss the state of America or the 50th anniversary of the release of ‘Jaws.’ Swing by Espresso Love, at 17 Church Street, in Edgartown, on Wednesday (August 20) at 10 a.m.—and bring a friend!
EDGARTOWN, MA — This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Jaws, and here on Martha’s Vineyard, everyone is talking about sharks and late-night swims and that terrifying, magical moment, in the summer of 1974, when this place was transformed into the fictional setting of Amity Island.
Jaws buses have been carting tourists around the little towns and beaches to see where the movie was filmed. The Y is hosting a big drive-in screening this month. The Cape Symphony performed John Williams’ iconic score. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum put on an exhibit: Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive.
Edgartown Books turned itself into Amity Books. A replica of the 1975 Chevy Blazer convertible that’s driven by Chief Martin Brody—the movie’s protagonist—was parked near the Triangle intersection. A replica of Orca, the fishing trawler where the final harrowing scenes were shot, was spotted in Oak Bluffs Harbor. And, of course, there is the famous Jaws Bridge, which is actually the American Legion Memorial Bridge, which had a bit part in the movie, appearing briefly in a scene where the shark’s fin is zeroing in on some kids on a rowboat.
