As 'Jaws' Returns to Big Screen, Martha’s Vineyard Makes Waves
A famous scene from Jaws. (Photo: Kobal Collection/Universal Pictures)
On June 20, 1975, Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” hit theaters across North America and quickly became the first-ever summer blockbuster. Now, 40 years later, the dreaded sharks fin will return to terrorize nearly 500 theaters around the country when the film is re-released this month from June 21 until June 24.
The film, Spielberg’s second as a director, forever changed the way we watch movies — and the way we swim in the ocean. (Who among us doesn’t still hear John Williams’ menacing score when jumping into the water?)
But it also changed the place on which it was filmed, a then-obscure island off the coast of Massachusetts known as Martha’s Vineyard. In the film, the Vineyard is portrayed as the fictitious Amity Island, and while you’d think an unstoppable, vicious, man-eating shark would be bad publicity, it instead opened a wave of tourism that has yet to subside after 40 years. The island has since gone on to become an affluent, private vacation paradise for U.S. presidents and Hollywood power players.
A view of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard. (Photo: iStock)
Six years after the movie was released, Jackie Onassis bought a vacation home there, signaling to the world that the Vineyard had arrived as an A-list getaway. Soon after, Mia Farrow bought a house on Lake Tashmoo off Vineyard Haven. A litany of Hollywood celebs followed suit, transforming the island from a little-known rustic beach town into a playground for the rich and famous in just a matter of years.
Spielberg’s film, loaded with Martha’s Vineyard locals, remains a beloved milestone for the small island today. But don’t expect to step off your ferry into a gaudy labyrinth of knock-off merchandise stands. The island’s profound love and appreciation for the film is subtle. There are no swag chuckers and no tacky shark tours, but the spirit of the film can be found in conversations with cab drivers, bartenders, and shop owners. Chances are every person you meet while you’re here knows someone who knows someone who was a part of the film in some way.
Related: WATCH: The Top 10 Most Terrifying Shark Attacks… Ever!
The vibrant pinks and purples in a Martha’s Vineyard sunset. (Photo: iStock)
And while Jaws may have been instrumental in drawing millions to the island, it’s the island’s natural beauty, its pink and purple sunsets, its rugged coastline, and its quaint, cobblestone villages that keep people coming back. Martha’s Vineyard, much like nearby Nantucket and Cape Cod, is an idyllic slice of small-town Americana, as charming as it is cultured.
The film was largely filmed in Edgartown on the east and Menemsha in the west. For the more traditional Vineyard stay, you’ll want to stick to the eastern, down-end section of the island around Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven (the ferry docks year-round in Vineyard Haven and seasonally in Oaks Bluff).
Related: Great White Shark Headed Up East Coast (and Making a Splash)
The Bite, in Menemsha, where much of Jaws was set. (Photo: The Bite/Facebook)
The western region is largely rural and shy of the east side’s amenities, shopping, restaurants, and accommodations. If you do venture west toward the tiny fishing port Menemsha, however, be sure to visit Quint’s work shed located between the general store and the Galley restaurant. Nearby, you’ll find the Bite, a small shingle house serving the best fried oysters and clams in town.
Edgartown’s Main Street shops. (Photo: Flickr/Katri)
Edgartown remains the heart of the island, its sidewalks dotted with small cafes, boutiques, and stately captain’s houses. On Summer Street you’ll find the town’s best boutique hotel, the Charlotte Inn, an Edwardian house that will transport you to the English countryside, with a quiet interior décor that pays homage to the nautical history of the town. Not far away is Hob Knob, a 19th century Gothic Revival house converted into a 17-room guesthouse, with rooms that are plush, cozy, and equipped to suit all your high-tech needs.
Related: Thursday Night: Martha’s Vineyard
Get cozy at the Hob Knob. (Photo: Facebook)
To retrace Spielberg’s footsteps, your first stop will be Water Street and Main Street in downtown Edgartown where Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider, buys paintbrushes for the “beach closed” sign, in a now famous scene.
Afterward, stop into the adorable Black Sheep charcuterie for a gourmet selection of cheeses, baked goods, and sandwiches.
In Oak Bluffs, things turn from quaint and charming to fun and bohemian with rows of colorful Victorian cottages (though, to be honest, it’s still quite quaint and charming here, too). It’s a town of ubiquitous ice cream and pizza parlors, but the best meal is at the Red Cat Kitchen on Kennebec Avenue. The Ritz Café is a live-music institution where you can get solid bar food and chat with bartenders and locals who will surely have plenty of stories about the film.
Related: Nantucket vs. Martha’s Vineyard
Jumping from “’Jaws’ bridge.” (Photo: Mike B.)
It’s here that you’ll find the Joseph A Sylvia State Beach, the site of the gruesome Alex Kintner boy shark attack scene. Visitors can also check out the American Legion Memorial Bridge, where the shark swims to Sengekontacket Pond. Alex may not have made it out the the ocean alive, but actor Jeffrey Voorhees, who portrayed young Alex, is the manager of the Wharf Pub in Edgartown.
Perhaps the best way to get the full Jaws experience is to charter a boat through the beloved little company Book A Boat, where you can charter small speed boats and paddle boats to explore the island, and follow in the footsteps of Brody and Quint.
WATCH: On the Lookout for Great White Sharks
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