Why Steven Spielberg left Martha's Vineyard before the final shot of Jaws

The final shot of Jaws was the shark exploding after the oxygen tank it was holding it its mouth was struck by a well-aimed shot from Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider. Kaboom!

But that final crowd-pleasing shot of the shark's explosive demise wasn't shot by Spielberg, he'd already left the island doubling for Amity Island and was on a plane back to Boston, and then to LA.

Spielberg had got wind that on the final day of filming the crew planned to celebrate by chucking the director in the ocean.

Not keen on a dunking – he obviously didn’t want his fingers to prune - he arranged for a boat to zip him out to the site of the final shot, lined up the shot, and then was whisked back to shore. There he had a car waiting, his case packed and headed to the airport.

As the boat headed back to dry land, a triumphant Spielberg shouted his thanks to the crew and bid then farewell. "That's a wrap. I shall not return!"

You can only imagine the joy of finally being released from the jaws of filming Jaws. It was originally set to take 55 days to film, but due to the tides and a non-cooperative mechanical shark that filming schedule ballooned to 159 days.

It is said that Spielberg has since never filmed the final shot of any of his films, considering something of a good luck charm since Jaws.

If that is the case, then you can certainly see why he has kept up that tradition throughout his career. Not only has it kept him dry, but it hasn't done him, or his film's box office receipts any harm.

Words by Dean Newman

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