This year marks the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” — a movie that revolutionized summer blockbusters, ushered in a new era of film and helped to put one of New England’s gems, Martha’s Vineyard, into the national spotlight.
The movie was almost entirely filmed on Martha’s Vineyard in 1974. In “Jaws”, the setting is known as Amity Island, but the similarities to the Vineyard are clear and many landmarks in the film are instantly recognizable to this day.
The movie has retained a massive following five decades later, and has become a piece of island lore in the meantime. It seems like every native Vineyarder has a “Jaws” story to share — whether that’s a relative who was involved in the movie, a memory of Hollywood crews descending onto the island, or something else.
Needless to say, it’s a big summer for Martha’s Vineyard, with plenty in store to mark the special anniversary of the legendary movie.
NBC and Peacock are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic movie “Jaws.”
The big anniversary date is June 20, the day that the movie premiered 50 years ago, but there are events all summer long to commemorate.
“This has been a long time coming,” Deputy Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce Alessandra Hagerty said. “We landed on a series of some really fantastic events that we’re very excited for.”
This Friday, to mark the anniversary date, there will be a free screening of “Jaws at 50: The Definitive Inside Story” at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center. The screening of the behind-the-scenes documentary is already sold out, and will be available on streaming next month. The screening will be followed by an after party at the Harbor View Hotel.
On Saturday, the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce is collaborating with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, with support from Circuit Arts, for a special screening of “Jaws” with the Cape Symphony on hand to play the legendary movie’s score in all its glory. As of Monday, tickets to this event were still available.
Fifty years ago “Jaws” terrified audiences into staying out of the water. But researchers on the Cape have a much more nuanced take on the great white sharks in our waters.
“People have always been interested since 1975 when the movie came out to kind of understand the Jaws locations here on the island — we’re pretty synonymous with the fictitious Amity Island,” Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce Erica Ashton said.
Martha’s Vineyard Museum is hosting Amity Homecoming Weekend from June 19 to June 23, featuring live events, exclusive talks and insights into the behind-the-scenes of the iconic movie.
“The ‘Jaws’ community is a strong community; the islanders are a strong community,” museum managing director Cathy Mayone said. “We have a great opportunity to bring both of these communities together to celebrate the anniversary of the film.”
All summer long, Martha’s Vineyard Museum is hosting a special exhibition for the anniversary called “Jaws” at 50: A Deeper Dive.
A British-South African swimmer aims to become the first person to swim around Martha’s Vineyard, a popular tourist destination south of Cape Cod, to help change the perception of sharks.
The exhibition is a step back in time and an incredibly detailed homage to a piece of cinema history. Expect to see relics that were seen in the movie, to meet the islanders who made the film possible and come face-to-face with a replica of Bruce the shark.
“It is our largest exhibit to date, and it’s a really great opportunity for us to tell that story of how Martha’s Vineyard really is front and center in the whole making of the movie,” Mayone said. “And today, when you watch the movie, and you drive all around our island, the sites are still the same.“
The island partnered with app SetJetters to allow people to walk through the island locations where the movie was filmed.
This is just scratching the surface of the celebrations and commemorations happening this year for “Jaws” on Martha’s Vineyard. It feels like everywhere you turn on the island, there are signs and events happening for the movie. Check out the chamber of commerce’s rundown here.
