Embark on a journey to Martha’s Vineyard, the real-life “Amity Island,” for the 50th anniversary celebration of the blockbuster film “Jaws.”
Through conversations with longtime fans, collectors, and cast members, we discover how Steven Spielberg’s monster movie became a cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire devotion and nostalgia across generations. In the first episode of a three-part series, we explore why “Jaws” still sinks its teeth into audiences half a century later.
Andrea Pascal, center, traveled to Martha's Vineyard from Munson Massachusetts with her best friend and her mom. The women are decked out in matching “Jaws 50” T-shirts for the reunion weekend. (Andrea Shea/WBUR)Michael Smith is a film critic and co-creator of Let’s Talk Jaws Live, a weekly YouTube discussion show and Facebook community for superfans and collectors. (Andrea Shea/WBUR)Fan Mike Sterling built a replica of the Orca. He watched and paused "Jaws" countless times to study the boat so he could get every prop just right. (Andrea Shea/WBUR)Mike Sterling is an English marine carpenter who painstakingly built and crafted every inch of a floating homage to Captain Quint’s Orca. (Andrea Shea/WBUR)Sheila Malicki and Mark Schaefer of Bowmansville, New York visit the Martha's Vineyard Museum for the 50th anniversary "Jaws" exhibition. (Andrea Shea/WBUR)
