Steven Spielberg faced serious challenges making “Jaws” — from unpredictable weather to mechanical shark troubles — but ultimately created the original summer blockbuster.
The final episode of this three-part series explores the groundbreaking techniques behind the classic. Production designer Joe Alves reflects on the challenges of filming on the Atlantic Ocean (“Just finishing the movie was very, very difficult”). Listen to why the film’s legacy endures in cinema, pop culture, and the hearts of generations.
29 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT
Jaws Island, Part 2: The Amity Effect
See Edgartown through the eyes of the man who chose Martha’s Vineyard for the set of “Jaws” back in 1973. Production designer Joe Alves walks us through the iconic town and explains how it was transformed into Amity.
Along the way, we meet the locals who brought the movie to life — from extras to carpenters, fishermen to cast members.
Hear about the challenges and charms of filming in a tight-knit island community, and how “Jaws” forever changed the Vineyard, blending Hollywood magic with New England spirit. In the second episode of a three-part series, discover the people and place that made “Jaws” a lasting cultural icon.
28 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT
Jaws Island, Part 1: The Finatics
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.
Inside a recent episode
Jaws Island, Part 3: The Test of Time
Published 29 Aug 2025 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Back then, summer was a dead zone for movies. Some critics even took the summer off. But JAWS broke the mold and the opening weekend box office record. It would go on to become the first movie to break $100 million. They shot. Swallow your hole. Shake it. Ender eyes in. Down you go. Lines of people stretched down the street under marquees around the country in June of 75. Even though as Tom Dunlap of the Vineyard Gazette says, everybody knew the movie's monster was a machine. I'm not sure they're going to be able to convince me that this machine is actually a shark and is actually a terrifying and very realistic predator. […]
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