Jawsis one of the most iconic summer films of all time , and its take location tot up to its collection . To tell the story of Bruce , the killer great white shark , and how he terrorized a whole township one summer , Steven Spielberg countersink the history in a beach townspeople . While the United States has an abundance of beaches from California to South Carolina , Spielberg ’s film was set in the northeast . This set aside the film to have a small - townspeople flavor to it , and since low towns are typically know to be safer with less hullabaloo than big cities , the shark attempt really shake the characters ' world .

The film is set in the fictional town of Amity Island , New York , which is apparently a play on the genuine New York location , Long Island . Long Island is even home to the town of Amityville , which raises interrogative about why filmmakers did n’t take advantage of the New York area . While it sounds like a good approximation , filmmaker feel Long Island was too crowded and wanted the film location forJawsto feel separated . To fulfill their ideal , they plump up North to an island in Massachusetts called Martha ’s Vineyard and shot all around the surface area .

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Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard Posed As Amity Island

Edgartown in Martha ’s Vineyard was used quite a spate throughoutJaws . It was used as business district Amity because of its quiet , modest - Ithiel Town appeal . The region , which look pretty much the same today , gives off a very New England , nautical feel . It ’s staring for those who choose a more quiet summer , like the character in the movie who never expected a big lily-white shark to come through townspeople and wrick their world upside down . The domain was used for the Amity police station , Amity Gazette , and the Amity hardware store . Filmmakers also used the actual Edgartown Town Hall as the Amity Town Hall .

Jaws Used South Beach And Cow Beach In Edgartown For Chrissie’s Death

Like a lot of thriller cinema , Jawsopens with a killer scenethat sets the spirit for the balance of the movie . Chrissie run into a young military personnel around her age at a bonfire and win over him to postdate her into the pee as she unclothe off her clothes . favourable for him , he never makes it , but Chrissie does , and matter do n’t go well . Chrissie is promptly attacked and eaten by Bruce . The iconic opening move panorama was in reality shot at two different locations , Edgardtown South Beach and moo-cow Beach . The bonfire scene was shot at South Beach , while Chrissie ’s last was shot in the waters of moo-cow Beach .

The American Legion Memorial Bridge Appeared In The Pond Attack Scene

The American Legion Memorial Bridge at Sengekontacket Pond appear in the background of the pond shark attack scene , where it seems Martin Brody ’s boy Michael is about to get eaten . fortuitously , Martin and other beachgoers get him out of the water in time , but the same ca n’t be said for another fisherman . The bridge deck has since been labeled " Jaws Bridge , " and stand out off the bridge into the pool has become a popular summer pastime .

Martin Brody And Matt Hooper First Met At Edgartown Harbor

Edgartown Harbor was used for the scene where Martin and Matt Hooper first forgather . It ’s a reasonably disorderly scene with loud gravy boat , fishermen pile in , and a fast - paced trailing jibe be Martin and Hendricks to the destruction of the sorrel . In reality , it ’s a pretty quiet sphere , but the scene made it palpate disorderly .

Mayor Larry Vaughn Decides To Keep Beaches Open At Chappy Ferry

A crucialJawsscene takes position on the ferryboat where Mayor Larry Vaughn scolds Martin for suggesting the town shut down the beaches . Larry would rather watch more townsfolk die than shut the beach and risk everyone get out the town to swim somewhere else , like Cape Cod or The Hamptons . The scene took place at Chappy Ferry , also in Edgartown . Fans of the film can depend upon the ferry if they want to by traveling to 53 Dock Street and free from Edgartown to Chappaquiddick .

Gay Head Lighthouse Appears In The Ferry Scene

As the vista goes on and Vaughn continues to debate with Martin about keep out down the beaches , a genuine - life Martha ’s Vineyard beacon light appear in the screen background . The scene impart to the New England beach town feel , even though the role do n’t actually go there , and it ’s simply a background decoration . The pharos is send for Gay Head Lighthouse and is located in Aquinnah .

Quint’s Shop Is Located In Menemsha Village

Martin inspect Quint ’s shop to get him on display panel with capture the capital lily-white shark . regrettably , Quint ’s workshop is not a genuine place and was built for the film . However , the country where the film producer built the set is very much real . The shop class is situate in Menemsha Village in Martha ’s Vineyard . While fans ca n’t visit the shop , they can visit the area and imagine where Quint ’s place once stand during filming forJaws .

Related : A Jaws Quint Prequel Would Never Have work ( With Or Without Spielberg )

Matt Hooper’s Near Death Was Shot In Australia

film maker had to go way down to the south for one iconicJawsscene . Leaving Martha ’s Vineyard behind , they traveled to Spencer Gulf and grievous Reef in Australia to filmMatt Hooper’sJawsshark plan of attack shot . In the setting , Matt goes down in a shark John Milton Cage Jr. and nearly exit when Bruce seriously damages the John Milton Cage Jr. by barge in into it several times . Luckily , Matt survives by hide out on the sea trading floor .

Bruce’s Death Was Shot In Oak Bluff & East Chop

For the final most solid scene inJaws , filmmaker stay in Martha ’s Vineyard . Shot in both Oak Bluff and East Chop , Martin avenge all of Bruce ’s victims that summertime by shooting at the Shark , hitting the scuba tank in his mouth , and causing him to explode . sports fan can cruise through the area to get a expression at the area Bruce had his final import .

A Final Jaws Scene Was Shot In A Backyard Pool In Encino, California

A little - known fact aboutJawsis that production was fetch up when Spielberg had a novel thought . The director wanted a jumpscare , something iconic like other thriller films have had . He came up with the idea for Matt to get a line a floating straits and shoot the scene in an unbelievable locating .

The picture where the decapitated psyche pops up and scares Matt was filmed in a pool in film editor Verna Fields ' backyard . Fields had a home in Encino , California , with a pool in her backyard . Spielberg fulfill the pool with milk to make it expect more like the ocean and filmed the scene there . It may have been last minute , but it worked and further proves why Spielberg is a genius and whyJawsremains such an iconic movie .

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Jaws, Beach, Chief Brody, shark

People talk by the Amity Island sign

Jaws opening scene with Chrissie in the water

Jaws bridge

Jaws Martin Brody and Matt Hooper

Jaws ferry scene

Jaws lighthouse

Quint’s Shop in Jaws

Jaws

The shark’s first appearance in Jaws

Jaws the head