What might the perfect JAWS 50th Anniversary event look like?
Hello, Islanders,
A quick check at Jaws-50.com tells me that we are 383 days (at time of publication) away from celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the greatest film ever made, JAWS.
In 2005, a JAWSFest for the film’s 30th Anniversary was held on Martha’s Vineyard. It was an amazing event, full of cast and crew and friendships from all over the world being made. The Island expected 500 people to attend. They got over 3,000. In 2012 (though it was just the film’s 37th Anniversary, it was the 100th Anniversary of Universal Pictures) JAWSFest: The Tribute was held. While it was a great chance for old friends get together and new friends to meet, it was horribly managed and, despite the best efforts of volunteers, myself included, it left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. Which is why the 50th Anniversary Celebration must be perfect. What would the 50th Anniversary Celebration look like if I was in charge? Well, since you asked…
I’m going to assume here that the 50th Anniversary Celebration will be a three-day event, Friday – Sunday. This was the template for 2005 (2012 was four days). My celebrity guest list would include:
Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Carl Gottlieb, Jeff Kramer, Jay Mello, Joe Alves, Jeff Voorhees, Ted Grossman, Dorothy Fielding, Michael Haydn and a certain filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. I would also include crew members like Kevin Pike and Marty Milner, and family members like Ian Shaw and Christian, Molly and Sacha Scheider. I also wouldn’t be adverse to having cast and crew from JAWS 2 in attendance. I would open the event with a parade of cars bearing our celebs down Main Street, ending at the dock where the tiger shark was displayed. The guests are introduced and met with thunderous applause.
There will be an exhibition of props, memorabilia and artwork. The two previous events were blessed to feature two amazing pieces created by Greg Nicotero. In 2005 he created a beautiful replica of Bruce’s head (unfortunately some idiots tried to steal some of the teeth) and in 2012 he created a beautiful recreation of the three stars standing at the back of the ORCA. I can only imagine what he has in mind for 2025. Part of the exhibition would be dedicated to true fan art. Not the high priced sculptures that were featured in 2012, but actual fan art. Over the years I have marveled at the amazing fan created movie posters that show up on line. I would have artists submit their works, pick the best ten, and then offer prints for sale.
Everyone is going to want autographs and that can be tricky. In 2005 autographs were free. In 2012 you had to pay. I have no problem paying for an autograph. It’s something I want and sometimes doing appearances and signing autographs is how many celebrities make a living. Maybe offer an inclusive autograph ticket – everybody for one price? No matter how it’s done, I would schedule three two-hour sessions during the event. Or, if fans are just looking for something with everyone’s signature, I’d offer a JAWS reprint poster, again for a set price.
Obviously, there will need to be a screening of the film. So I’d do one on the beach on Friday night and another one in the big park they used in 2012. The theatre in Edgartown actually shows JAWS every Sunday. Maybe have them show it all weekend for fans to pop in during the weekend and catch it.
There would be bus tours of the various Island locations offered. I hosted a couple of them in 2012 and it was fun showing off the Island to the fans. One of my trips featured a gentleman who was Roy Scheider’s “head” double. If you sat behind him you would have thought you were sitting behind Scheider. According to him it is the back of his head you see when Brody is sitting on the bed at the beginning of the film.
I would hold a fundraising softball game between fans and members of the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks baseball team. I actually had a game scheduled for 2012 and fans from literally all over the world showed up on the Island with their ball gloves in tow. The game would have raised donations for the American Cancer Society in Roy Scheider’s name. Roy loved playing softball. It was a great release for he and the cast and crew when they were making the film. I even had t-lshirts made for the fans, featuring an image of Roy on the front pitching a softball while the back read “I can do anything…I’m the Chief of Police.” Unfortunately, like many of the plans for the 2012 event, the game never happened.
Martha’s Vineyard not only has a playhouse but the high school has a beautiful performing arts center. Imagine sitting the audience as the curtains open and there, on stage, is Ian Shaw, who proceeds to do the Indianapolis Speech his father made famous. I’d also have a concert with a band made up of JAWS fans. The concert would end with everyone singing “Show Me the Way to Go Home!”
Finally, I’d make the Celebration as cost-friendly as possible. One of the major issues with the 2012 event was that, depending on when you attended an event, you either got in free or you had to pay. Same with the event programs. They were free on the first day but for the rest of the weekend fans were charged for them. I know it takes money to put on an event of this magnitude, but when said event becomes a money grab, which in my opinion 2012 was, it takes the fun out of the event. Full disclosure: I didn’t have to pay for a thing at the 2012 event because I was a VIP Guest. However, I heard from dozens of fans that felt they did not get what they paid for.
This is what I’ve got so far. If Universal is reading this, feel free to follow this blueprint. And this time don’t be afraid to listen to the fans. We know what we want – a celebration unlike any other.
Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.
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