MovieChat Forums > Jaws (1975) Discussion > Did you understand that they were on an ...

Did you understand that they were on an Island?


I first saw this when I was 9 and for the most part I thought they were living on the east coast. I really didn't understand that they went across a ferry to get to the island and the island beaches. I know, kinda stupid since they lived on Amity Island, I was just a rube from the midwest.

I wonder if this was a little confusing to more than a few people?

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Just being a 9 year old-no geography skills...totally understand
No worries
Saw it a bit younger (6--ish i seem to recall)
Did it scare the hell out of you too??
I couldnt go to the beach for a long time after this...

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When we left the theater late at night I was in a state of shock. I vividly remember staring down at the sidewalk and saying out loud "Aw, that could never happen in real life".

Even though I was young I do recall recognizing how great the acting was by the 3 main stars. Honestly, I think Scheider did the best acting, he had to play the role of a soft, small town police chief who had to toughen up on a boat and at the same time deal with two very difficult personalities. I love it when Brody takes over for a sec and says "why don't we turn around and head towards land instead letting the shark lead us out to sea?" After that point he's not soft anymore.

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Yeah...great acting in this one
This is in my top 10 along with The Godfather, Conan etc...
Nice talk eb:)

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Well it is apparent that Jaws was influenced by Moby Dick and Moby Dick itself was influenced by a real life event where

SPOILER





a whaling ship called the Essex was sunk by a sperm whale.

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Actually it was influenced by a series of shark attacks on the Jersey Shore in 1916.

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I saw it around the same age - 5.
I remember because I could not read yet but knew how to identify my brothers Jaws VHS, it had a small black sticker on it others would not. It scarred me for a good decade. I had nightmares about the shark finding and eating me for years.

Until this day the music makes me feel uneasy - but in a good way, Bruce and I are cool today and the trauma is gone. xD

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To the OP: No, not confused in the slightest. If the expository dialogue ("We moved to this island from New Yawk," "You hate the water") didn't tip you off, the 4th of July's buffet/tourist arrival coming off A FUCKING FERRY BOAT should have.

Not rocket science, not even at 9 years old.

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lol you really get angry a lot Kane!!
Im pretty sure shes just a young woman...
Its just a silly movie website were on here-no need for beatdowns;)

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Yeah, you're right.

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I may be right...thx
But you are very cool !!
See you around the ranch Kane

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Good observation ! Experts on human behavior agree that the most immediate physiological reaction to anger is that it breaks one's concentration. And that seems very inconsistent with the focus required for proficiency in the martial arts.

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Thx for that db...more of a gun guy over here to be honest
-my buddy Kane is the Martial arts dude so i cant answer to what you just said
Be well and best wishes though!

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Theres plenty of places called "island" that arnt.
Also theres plenty of ferries that dont go to islands , just cut out a longer land trip. LIKE THE ONE IN THE FILM!

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Same here. I don't recall seeing a surrounding body of water in the film so I always figured it was a mainland beech.

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Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island.

Discuss.

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The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman nor an empire...
Discuss...
Im getting Verklempt!

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[deleted]

The book was set on a fictional Amity Island located off Long Island NY. The film was shot on Martha's Vineyard, which is also an island. But since Martha's Vineyard is over 20 miles long and almost 10 miles wide, unless the filmmakers go out of their way to show that it's an island, you're not going to be able to tell that from the movie.

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Maybe they should have left the whole island thing out. Maybe call Amity just Amity.

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Amityville would have worked

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I didin't realize it was only accessible by boat either. I live near Amelia Island in Florida. It is a barrier island connected to the main land by bridges like many others on the east coast. Kind of figured it was something like that I guess.

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Why?
It is clearly stated that it is an island. Hooper even says it makes no sense for a man who hates water to live on an island, with Brody replying it's only an island when you look at it from the sea.

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I can't recall when I first saw it, but there are a couple lines that indicate it (it's only an island when you look at it from the water). And it's called Amity Island.

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I know it's kind of ridiculous to not know they were on an island but I was really young and I guess since they didn't do a flyover of an actual island it didn't register with me. I know it was on an island in the book but I really don't think they had to have that part of the plot in the movie, just not necessary.

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Well I was 9 when I saw this movie at the theater and I lived on an island myself at the time and don’t remember being aware it took place on an island.

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