Where Was Jaws Filmed
Not many movie lovers would reach all the way back to 1975 but if you love the classics, you’ll love Jaws! Can I call it a classic? This suspenseful film will keep you on the edge of your seat. It may even change your swimming practices if you love to swim in the ocean. So where was Jaws filmed? The location may surprise you.
Where Was Jaws Filmed
- Filming Location: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
- Release date: June 20, 1975 (USA)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cinematography: Bill Butler
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Box office: $477 million
- Producers: David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck
- Stars: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
As for the location, Jaws was shot almost entirely on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. It’s a small island off the coast of Cape Cod.
However, there are many other places around the island where scenes from the movie were filmed. Here are some of the most notable ones:
Menemsha Harbor
Address: 58 Basin Rd, Chilmark, MA 02535, United States
This harbor was used for the opening sequence in which the boat carrying Quint crashes into the reef.
Chappaquiddick Island
Address: 53 Daggett Ave, Edgartown, MA 02539, United States
The famous car accident scene took place here.
Edgartown Harbor
Address: 1 Morse St, Edgartown, MA 02539, United States
In one of the final scenes, the police ship pulls up alongside the beach.
West Tisbury Beach
One of the film crew members died while filming this scene.
Cape Cod Canal
The scene where Chief Brody and Hooper jump off the ferry.
Mashpee Commons Park
A few shots of the ocean were taken here.
Spielberg chose Edgartown as the main shooting site. The town was already familiar territory to him since he’d visited it several times while growing up. In fact, he’d even stayed at the same hotel where he’d met his future wife, actress Kate Capshaw.
Edgartown was the perfect spot for the movie. There are lots of beaches, including one called Chappy Beach. And the town itself is small enough that everyone knew each other.
But the real star of the movie wasn’t a beach or a building. Instead, it was the ocean. The filmmakers needed a huge amount of water to make the shark scenes look realistic. They found it in Aquinnah Harbor.
Aquinnah is located on the western side of the island. It’s home to the Wampanoag tribe. And it’s also where the original settlers came ashore in 1620.
Jaws – The Story
This fictional story centers around a New England beach town where a young woman is attacked by a shark and dies while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. Her partial remains were found on the beach the following day.
At first, the attack is attributed to a boating accident. But when a young boy is killed shortly thereafter in full view of a crowded beach, a bounty is placed on the shark. The bounty causes a shark-hunting frenzy for both amateur and professional shark fishermen who come from near and far. The story then centers around the obstacles of catching the shark. Cue bloody scenes here.
The movie is based on the book, Jaws, which was written by Peter Benchley. It is understood that many of the subplots in the book didn’t make it into the movie.
The Cast of Jaws
The Jaws cast included:
- Roy Scheider
- Robert Shaw
- Richard Dreyfuss
- Lorraine Gary
- Murray Hamilton
- Carl Gottlieb
- Jeffrey Kramer
- Susan Backlinie
- Jonathan Filley
- and Chris Rebello
The Director of Jaws
The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975. Rumor has it that he almost left the production at one point for fear of being typecast as the “truck and shark director.”
Spielberg, in all his wisdom and creativity, didn’t want to make a really dark movie. He wanted it to be a little lighter. So Spielberg contacted a comedy writer, Carl Gottlieb who eventually became the primary screenwriter and ended up rewriting the entire script. In many cases, scenes were rewritten the night before filming. There may be humorous moments but trust me, it’s not a comedy.
Jaws Box Office Details
- Jaws Film Budget: $7,000,000
- Opening weekend (June 20, 1975): $7,061,513
- Gross (US & Canada): $265,859,065
- Gross (World): $476,512,065
Fun and Not-So-Fun Facts About Jaws
The woman who played Mrs. Kintner, Lee Fierro, actually lived on Martha’s Vineyard at the time. It took 17 takes to do her famous slap scene!
Robert Shaw (actor) was actually shot at his first night on Martha’s Vineyard by a local. The local thought the house was empty and shot a rifle at the front door of the house. No one knows why.
Was Jaws filmed in the ocean?
The scene where Jaws jumps out of the water and attacks Quint takes place in a backyard swimming pool. Director Steven Spielberg wanted to shoot it in a real pool, but he couldn’t find one big enough. So he rented one from his neighbor. He had to add milk to the water because there wasn’t enough salt.
Spielberg originally planned to film the scene in a quarry near San Francisco. But when the location manager found out about the swimming pool, he didn’t want to use it. “I told him I’d pay double,” Spielberg recalled. “He looked at me and said ‘You’re crazy.’ Then we got into a fight.”
So Spielberg went home and wrote a letter to Universal Studios asking permission to use the backyard pool. He sent it off and waited. A few days later he received a call from Universal saying yes.
But Spielberg still needed someone to play Quint. He called Richard Dreyfuss, who agreed to do it. When he arrived at the house, Spielberg asked him what he thought of the script. “I loved it!” Dreyfuss replied. “And I love sharks.”
Awards
Jaws won three Academy awards in 1976. Best film editing, best sound, and best original dramatic score. It was also nominated for best picture but lost out to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
What is Jaws Famous For?
I think we can all agree that when we hear the word, Jaws, in reference to the movie, we immediately hear the background music–da-dum…da-dum…da-dum. And in our mind, we see that shark fin in the water.
But the big question is this: do you still feel safe swimming in the ocean after watching this movie? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
Jaws
Director: Steven Spielberg
Date Created: 1975-12-16 14:42
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Alanna Birmingham
Alanna Birmingham is a professional freelance writer and a Film Aficionado who adores watching, writing, and being involved in all elements of filmmaking.
Loved the deep dive into the filming locations, Alanna Birmingham! It’s fascinating how Martha’s Vineyard hasn’t changed much since Jaws was filmed. Makes me want to visit and do my own little tour. Plus, the story behind these spots adds so much to the movie’s legacy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the article, Maggie! It was fun to learn about the locations and fun facts around the movie! All the best, Alanna
Always had a thing for the way Spielberg captured the essence of horror without relying too much on the shark itself. The settings you listed, like Menemsha Harbor, paint such a picturesque yet eerie backdrop, adding layers to the fear. Spielberg’s technique of using the unknown, leveraging these locales, is a lesson in suspense-building. Makes me think, how much of it was accidental genius and how much was calculated?
That’s an insightful take, Mia. Do you think this approach influenced modern horror movies? How so?
Absolutely, Tara. The subtlety of Spielberg’s fear factor through setting and unseen dread definitely paved the way for filmmakers to explore suspense without overt horror elements. It’s all about the unseen and unknown, amplifying psychological horror.
Seeing how Jaws was filmed in real ocean locations instead of a studio tank just blows my mind. It raises the bar for authenticity in filmmaking. Makes me wonder how they managed the mechanical shark in those conditions.
Fascinating to see how a movie like Jaws intertwined with these iconic locations. I wonder how it impacted tourism in areas like Edgartown Harbor. Did the movie’s success lead to a surge in visitors wanting a piece of the Jaws experience, or was it more of a momentary fascination?
While Jaws is iconic, it’s important to remember the impact it had on shark populations. The fear it instilled led to increased hunting. We need to balance our storytelling with ecological responsibility.
Totally agree, Terry. It’s a great film but it definitely contributed to misconceptions about sharks. Education is key to combating these myths.
The fun facts section was a blast! Didn’t know most of these. Jaws has such a rich history behind it, not just as a movie but as a cultural phenomenon. Makes rewatching it even more enjoyable.
Read through the part on the ‘Fun and Not-So-Fun Facts About Jaws.’ Some of these are pretty well-known, but got to say, I didn’t realize just how much of a gamble the filming was considered. For Spielberg to take on such a project with so many elements out of his control (like the ocean setting) speaks volumes about his dedication and vision. It truly was a make-or-break moment in his career.
Fascinated by the choice of Cape Cod Canal as a filming location. Was this primarily for aesthetic reasons, or did it play a more functional role in production? Insight on this would be intriguing.
The storytelling and narrative structure Spielberg employed in Jaws is something I aspire to emulate in my own writing. Every time I read about the making of this film, especially about the challenges faced during production, I am reminded that great art often comes from overcoming great challenges. The way these seemingly insurmountable issues were turned into an aspect of the film’s charm is a testament to the creative spirit. It’s inspiring how Jaws transformed from a troubled production into a cinematic masterpiece.
Jaws really set the standard for horror films, combining storytelling with real-life fear. The way Spielberg used suspense rather than showing the shark outright made it a masterpiece. Also, the setting in Martha’s Vineyard? Perfect choice.
This article brilliantly showcases how movies like Jaws can significantly boost tourism for filming locations. Martha’s Vineyard as an example demonstrates the lasting impact of cinema on local economies. Really insightful!
It’s interesting to dissect the box office dynamics of a film like Jaws, considered by many as the very first ‘summer blockbuster.’ The way it reshaped Hollywood’s approach to marketing and movie release strategies is something we heavily discuss in media studies. The success wasn’t just about the terror it invoked but also about how it was sold to the audience. Trailers, word of mouth, and strategic release dates played a crucial role. It’s a pivotal study case for understanding the evolution of cinema marketing strategies.