Latest news with #Nantucket
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is 'Jaws' Based on a True Story? All About the Thriller's Inspiration in Honor of Its 50th Anniversary
Jaws was released in theaters on June 20, 1975 The thriller was based on the best-selling book by Peter Benchley There are similarities between the events in Jaws and a series of shark attacks in 1916Just when it looked safe to go back in the water, Jaws is circling back toward the shore for its 50th anniversary on June 20. In the half-century since its release, few movies have had more impact than Jaws. It birthed the summer blockbuster, cemented director Steven Spielberg as one of Hollywood's great talents, and it made beachgoers everywhere afraid to frolic in the ocean. The memorable production of Jaws has become infamous over the decades, with it being recounted in books and even adapted into a stage play. "Jaws was a fun movie to watch but not a fun movie to make. It was made under the worst of conditions," Spielberg said in the book, Spielberg: The First Ten Years, per Vanity Fair. "People versus the eternal sea. The sea won the battle — but where we won was with audiences in every country." Fifty years later, Jaws is a cinematic classic, but is the terrifying shark tale true? Here's what to know about the inspiration behind the monster movie that unlocked a new fear of the mysterious oceans. No, the movie Jaws is not a true story, and neither is Benchley's novel, which was the basis of the film. The writer was fascinated with sharks after spotting them during childhood fishing trips with his father on Nantucket. While working on the book, Benchley cited a 1964 article he read about Frank Mundus, a fisherman who caught a great white shark off the coast of Montauk, N.Y. Though, according to The New York Times, Benchley denied that Mundus was the inspiration for the character, Quint. "I had been thinking for years about a story about a shark that attacks people and what would happen if it came in and wouldn't go away," the author recalled in the 1995 documentary about the making of Jaws. According to Audible, Benchley was a freelance journalist who was commissioned to write Jaws in 1971. The book was released about three years later and became a literary sensation, spending 44 weeks on the bestseller list. No specific event inspired Jaws, but there are similarities to a series of shark attacks on the Jersey Shore in 1916. Between July 1 and July 12 of that year, five people were attacked by a shark, with one surviving. The incidents occurred in the resort towns of Beach Haven and Spring Lake. It also happened in Matawan Creek, 30 miles north of Spring Lake. During a 2012 interview with the Smithsonian Magazine, ichthyologist George Burgess said it was the 'most unique set of shark attacks that ever have occurred.' Although there are coincidences between the New Jersey attacks and the ones in Jaws, Benchley stated that his work was not inspired by the events in 1916, per The New York Times. No, Amity Island, where Jaws takes place, is not real. While the fictional Amity Island is located off Long Island in New York in the Jaws novel, it was actually inspired by Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, where the movie was filmed. Jaws was shot in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard, and the town is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie this summer with various events, including an outdoor film screening, with the movie's iconic score performed by the Cape Symphony. Yes, Quint's harrowing speech recounting the sinking of the USS Indianapolis was based on an actual event, one that has been called "the worst shark attack in history." On July 30, 1945, in the final weeks of World War II, a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the ship sank in 12 minutes, and out of the 1,196 men aboard, about 900 survived and were thrown into the water. As the sailors floated in the ocean waiting to be rescued, sharks were attracted by the explosions and blood in the water. Loel Dean Cox, who survived the disaster, told BBC News in 2013, 'Every now and then, like lightning, [a shark] would come straight up and take a sailor and take him straight down. One came up and took the sailor next to me. It was just somebody screaming, yelling or getting bit." On August 3, the USS Cecil J. Doyle rescued the remaining survivors from the water. Ultimately, only 316 men out of the ship's original 1,196-man crew remained alive. The number of sailors who died from shark attacks ranges from "a few dozen to more than 150." Despite the events depicted in Jaws — and its sequels — great white shark attacks are rare. According to Outdoor Life, per findings from the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, since 1580, "there have been 949 unprovoked shark attacks documented around the world." Out of those attacks, 351 involved great white sharks, with 59 being fatal. In February 2025, the International Shark Attack File reported that shark attacks decreased in 2024. "Worldwide, there were only 47 unprovoked attacks, down 22 from the previous year and well below the 10-year average of 70." Read the original article on People
CBS News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
"Jaws" turns 50! Test your knowledge of the classic Martha's Vineyard movie
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of "Jaws." It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece? Read on and see how much you know about "Jaws." What was the nickname given to the shark? Spielberg named his mechanical shark "Bruce," after his attorney, Bruce Ramer. Where did the title come from? When author Peter Benchley's 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles - "Leviathan Rising," "Silent Fall" - before, at the last minute, choosing "Jaws." What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn't sure, he told his editor, but it was short. What's the origin of the iconic movie poster? The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel's paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel. What was the inspiration for Amity? Though Spielberg shot "Jaws" on Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley's novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island. Who was first attached to direct "Jaws"? Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale. How old was Spielberg when he began the project? 26. Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody? Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider. What's the name of Quint's boat? The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of "Jaws," a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled "Orca." What led to the shark often malfunctioning? Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times - particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn't show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce's mechanical delays added $175 million to the movie's box office. How long into "Jaws" does the shark fully appear on screen? It's not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark. Was the movie's most iconic line scripted? No, Schieder adlibbed "You're gonna need a bigger boat." Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren't spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: "It became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong - if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'" What disaster was Quint a survivor of? The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the U.S. Navy cruiser torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II. Quint's lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn't in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene's power. Does Spielberg appear in "Jaws?" The director isn't seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it's Spielberg's voice on the radio. He says: "This is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in." Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams' score. And Brody's dogs were Spielberg's cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.) How far over schedule did "Jaws" run? The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though "Jaws" become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before. What was "Jaws" rated? Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave "Jaws" a "PG" rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Gremlins" led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that "'Jaws' involved nature's violence, rather than man's violence against man," Valenti said. "This is the same kind of violence as in 'Hansel and Gretel.' Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 'Jaws.'" The movie's poster carried the warning: "MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN." What did "Jaws" lose best picture to at the Academy Awards? "Jaws" was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside "Jaws," where "Dog Day Afternoon," "Barry Lyndon," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Nashville." The winner was "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
The Independent
21 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
US vacation hotspot testing water supply for drugs
Nantucket officials are beginning to test the island's sewage for cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, nicotine, and opiates. The Health Department aims to use this data to understand trends in illegal substance use and assess the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs. Biobot, a Cambridge-based company, will conduct the drug testing using samples already collected for COVID-19 and other disease monitoring. The initiative seeks to provide a data-driven understanding of local drug usage, moving beyond anecdotal evidence. Test results will be shared with healthcare partners to inform outreach and treatment efforts, though they will not be made public.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Cape Cod summer hotspot testing its sewage for cocaine to find out how hard islanders have been partying
Officials on the New England island of Nantucket will begin testing the island's sewage for cocaine and other drugs. Authorities at the Health Department hope the testing will help them understand trends in residents' use of illegal substances, according to the Nantucket Current. 'First, this is baselining - If we can get an idea of the standard usage of drugs, we can see if interventions and behaviors change the rate of consumption,' the town's human services director, Jerico Mele, told the outlet. 'That can give us a scorecard on the efforts and reducing usage. With opiate data, we can confirm our expectations about usage going up around certain times of year, like holidays, or if there are time periods when drug use is heavy. 'We can then communicate to treatment centers to reach out to patients and increase outreach. It's a tool for communicating public safety, to be aware and be expecting.' Town officials could also use data from the tests to approach outreach and intervention programs led by prevention organizations and medical providers. Leaders are simultaneously testing sewage for COVID-19 at the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility. The funds for that initiative are coming from a state program. Biobot, a Cambridge-based company specializing in wastewater epidemiology, started examining samples from the island in 2020. The town currently sends two samples weekly. This month, the company will begin testing sewage for cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, nicotine, and opiates, along with common diseases like influenza and RSV. 'They can use the same samples we take,' said David Gray, the head of the Nantucket Sewer Department. 'The numbers will be interesting. They want to get a baseline, and that's the reason we test for COVID. It's going to be data that is a great forecasting tool.' Officials said they're not expecting to post the results of the testing publicly. Still, they will be shared with healthcare partners, said Mele, and shed light on local drug usage. 'Everyone's got a good idea of what the situation is, but we have very little direct measurement,' he said. 'When we get away from our gut to getting data, we get a better picture of what's going on.' In 2001, a report from the National Drug Intelligence Center identified cocaine, particularly crack cocaine, as the biggest drug threat for Nantucket and surrounding areas.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Think You Know 'Jaws'? Test Your Knowledge with this Trivia Ahead of the Movie's 50th Anniversary
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of 'Jaws.' It remains one of the most beloved and rewatched movies of all time. But how good is your knowledge of the some of lore surrounding Steven Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece? Read on and see how much you know about 'Jaws.' What was the nickname given to the shark? Spielberg named his mechanical shark 'Bruce,' after his attorney, Bruce Ramer. Where did the title come from? When author Peter Benchley's 1974 book was going to print, he needed to choose a title. He has juggled various titles — 'Leviathan Rising,' 'Silent Fall' — before, at the last minute, choosing 'Jaws.' What did it mean? Benchley, himself, wasn't sure, he told his editor, but it was short. What's the origin of the iconic movie poster? The image of the rising shark came from the cover of the novel's paperback edition, illustrated by Roger Kastel. For his painting, Kastel went to the American Museum of Natural History to photograph a great white shark from a diorama that was laying on an easel. What was the inspiration for Amity? Though Spielberg shot 'Jaws' on Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod, it was the neighboring island, Nantucket, that inspired Benchley's novel. He has spent time fishing there with his father. In the book, the fictional Amity is on the south shore of Long Island. Who was first attached to direct 'Jaws'? Dick Richards was initially in line to direct the film, but producer Richard D. Zanuck said he lost the job after, in a meeting, repeatedly referring to the shark as a whale. How old was Spielberg when he began the project? 26. Who sought but was turned down the role of Brody? Charlton Heston wanted to play the Amity Island police chief, but Spielberg instead cast Roy Scheider. What's the name of Quint's boat? The Orca. Not coincidentally, two years after the massive success of 'Jaws,' a 1977 ripoff about a killer whale was released titled 'Orca.' What led to the shark often malfunctioning? Salt water. The shark, built by special effects artist Bob Mattey, would get corroded by the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving it unusable for times – particularly early in the filmmaking. Spielberg pivoted and instead doesn't show the shark until well into the film, an approach that ultimately led to a far more suspenseful film. Spielberg once estimated that Bruce's mechanical delays added $175 million to the movie's box office. How long into 'Jaws' does the shark fully appear on screen? It's not until one hour and 21 minutes into the movie that we really see the shark. Was the movie's most iconic line scripted? No, Schieder adlibbed 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.' Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, though, has said the line had been percolating on set. The size of the barge carrying equipment and craft services was often slighted by the crew who felt producers weren't spending enough. Gottlieb told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 'It became a catchphrase for any time anything went wrong – if lunch was late or the swells were rocking the camera, someone would say, 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'' What disaster was Quint a survivor of? The sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the US Navy cruiser torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during World War II. Quint's lengthy and memorably speech in the film wasn't in the novel but was, according to Spielberg, penned by the uncredited screenwriter John Milius. Spielberg wanted a backstory to why Quint hated sharks so much. Though debate has continued over the years over who wrote the monologue, everyone has agreed Shaw synthesized it, and deserves most of the credit for the scene's power. Does Spielberg appear in 'Jaws?' The director isn't seen in the film but his voice is heard. During the finale of the film when Quint is readying the harpoon, it's Spielberg's voice on the radio. He says: 'This is Amity point light-station to Orca. Orca, come in.' Spielberg shows up in a couple other ways, too. A clarinetist in high school, he plays briefly on Williams' score. And Brody's dogs were Spielberg's cocker spaniels, Elmer and Zalman. (For his part, Benchley makes a cameo as a TV reporter during the July 4th beach scene.) How far over schedule did 'Jaws' run? The production was scheduled for 55 days but took 159 days to complete. The budget also nearly tripled, to $9 million, plus $3 million more in post-production. Though 'Jaws' become the prototype summer movie, it was originally expected to open around Christmastime the year before. What was 'Jaws' rated? Though it caused some controversy, the Motion Picture Association of America gave 'Jaws' a 'PG' rating. At the time, there was no PG-13 rating. (That only began in 1984, with 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' after a handful of other Spielberg productions, including 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Gremlins' led to the new category.) Jack Valenti, then-president of the MPAA, defended the rating by arguing that ''Jaws' involved nature's violence, rather than man's violence against man,' Valenti said. 'This is the same kind of violence as in 'Hansel and Gretel.' Children might imitate other kinds of violence, but not the kind seen in 'Jaws.'' The movie's poster carried the warning: 'MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.' What did 'Jaws' lose best picture to at the Academy Awards? 'Jaws' was nominated for four Oscars and won three: best sound, best editing and best score for John Williams. The competition for best picture, though, was fierce. The nominees, alongside 'Jaws,' where 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Barry Lyndon,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Nashville.' The winner was 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.'
