As a seasoned fisherman and resident of Amity Island for over five decades, I’ve seen my fair share of strange occurrences out on the open water. But nothing could have prepared me for the surreal encounter I had with a woman named Lee Fiero one sunny afternoon at my restaurant, The Wharf.
Despite being renowned as one of the most influential storytellers of the last century, Steven Spielberg’s filmmaking career came close to not getting off the ground. The reason? A mechanical shark, affectionately named “Bruce,” failed to show its teeth for the camera.
Among film enthusiasts, it’s well-known that during the filming of “Jaws” (available to stream on Peacock along with its chaotic sequels), the fake great white shark created by Joe Alves frequently malfunctioned. This issue led to extended production periods and swelling budgets, putting a 26-year-old Spielberg under scrutiny from frustrated executives at Universal Pictures. However, once “Jaws” became a box office success in the summer of 1975, any issues were soon forgotten. Nevertheless, the challenging experience left a bitter taste for Spielberg and likely influenced his decision to steer clear of any future “Jaws” projects, none of which managed to recreate the magic of the original film.
Based on The Daily Jaws report, Bruce’s mechanical failures were caused by filming in saltwater. The shark had been previously tested in freshwater tanks in Los Angeles and was not designed to withstand the salty waves off Martha’s Vineard, where shooting occurred. However, the scenic maritime setting might have only contributed secondarily to Spielberg’s challenges with the shark. In the lingo of every Scooby-Doo villain, the issues could have originated from a band of “nosy kids.”
As someone who grew up in the 70s, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia when I think about the iconic movie “Jaws.” But what many people don’t know is that the image of the terrifying shark on the poster was not just a work of fiction. A model posed as the ill-fated swimmer to capture that chilling moment for the world to see.
Did the Shark on Jaws Constantly Break Down Because of Some Meddling Kids?
In a chat with SYFY Wire last week over Zoom, Jeffrey Voorhees, who portrayed young shark victim Alex Kintner in Jaws, shared an intriguing tale. He and other island kids would frequently break into the warehouse where Bruce, the mechanical shark, was housed. Since there were no alarm systems or surveillance cameras during the 70s, they’d find open windows and slip in with torches in hand. Once inside, they’d playfully fiddle with Bruce’s teeth and climb on his tail. This constant interaction might have contributed to the shark’s frequent malfunctions.
Along with the persistent issues of maintaining his animatronics, Spielberg faced the anger of island residents due to the foul odor emanating from the decaying tiger shark blamed for consuming the unfortunate Kintner boy. According to Voorhees, the residents brought the malodorous shark all the way from Florida in the back of a pick-up truck, and after some time, a group of fishermen sought retaliation against Spielberg. “Once they finished filleting fish,” Voorhees recalled, “a band of fishermen would head over to where he was renting a house on South Water Street, this lovely place, and they would dump all the fish carcasses in his front yard as a way to make that smell even worse.”
Why It Took Five Days to Film The Death of Alex Kintner in Jaws
As a young gamer growing up on Martha’s Vineyard, I was thrilled when I got the chance to be an extra in a legendary film at just 12 years old. The residents of this quaint island community were in high demand for background roles. The production team offered us $40 a day each to join their crew. Excitedly, we all agreed and went to sign up. I remember sitting there, nervously awaiting my turn. To my surprise, I spotted Steven Spielberg, who was only 26 at the time. I couldn’t believe it – the director looked like just another college kid! They asked us to read a few lines for consideration. After successfully reciting mine, they surprised me with an offer of $140 instead, as I had earned myself a speaking part in the film. What an unforgettable experience that was!
Due to his role as an actor, Voorhees became obligated to become a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). This membership came with certain perks. Filming commenced towards the end of May, close to Memorial Day. However, the water temperature was far from inviting, with Voorhees advising against swimming until at least July. Despite this, he and the other extras spent hours braving the freezing waves. Fortunately, as a SAG member, Voorhees had access to a portable dressing room on the beach during filming breaks. He joked about leaving his friends behind in the cold while he sought refuge in the warm cabin. “I used to feel guilty [because] my pals were shivering, but by Day 3, someone was handing me a robe and ushering me inside. I couldn’t help but laugh at my friends and wave goodbye.”
Voorhees found the dressing room invaluable during those five days of filming, as he had to shoot multiple takes of his character’s death scene. At first, all the actor needed to do was make a run to the water’s edge without entering it. Spielberg planned to follow this with a graphic shot of the shark eating an Alex Kintner mannequin, but this idea was deemed too gruesome for the mid-1970s audience.
“Once they placed the mannequin on a raft, unexpectedly Bruce emerged and attacked it. The boy’s tiny limbs and torso scattered in all directions. They were taken aback, exclaiming ‘This is too violent! We can’t continue with this.’ In the 70s, horror films featured monsters like King Kong and Godzilla. Consequently, they made adjustments. I had to dive into the water.”
After that, Voorhees needed to swim towards a barrel filled with fake blood and submerge himself under the water as it exploded. However, this was not an easy task as his limbs kept emerging from the water and coming into view. The first time we attempted this scene, I finally managed to reach the shore and asked Spielberg if we were ready. He replied, “Not yet.” It was one of his early films, so he insisted on perfection. He pointed out that my arm had momentarily appeared above the water’s surface. We had to repeat the process multiple times. The clearing of the blood took around seven or eight hours, leaving me and my friends shivering in the cold water for hours.
For several days, we attempted the same method until Steven Spielberg decided to try a new approach on the fifth day. He introduced two men in wet suits who would lift and submerge us in the water after the barrel exploded, and then supply us with air from an extra tank. We managed to complete the scene within five days using this technique.
Kintner’s tragic end served as a stark reminder of Chief Brody’s (Roy Scheider) wise decision to consider closing the beaches, despite Amity Island’s heavy dependence on Fourth of July tourism. Following this incident, Alex’s distraught mother (Lee Fiero) struck him in anger, leading Alex to conquer his fear of water and team up with Quint (Robert Shaw) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) to hunt the shark. A silver lining from this fictional story is that mother and son reunited decades later when Fiero, who had passed away due to COVID-19 complications during the pandemic’s early months, unexpectedly visited Voorhees’ restaurant in downtown Edgartown, The Wharf, for lunch with a friend.
The full story of their reunion is as follows:
I’ve had the peculiar experience of encountering a long-lost friend in an unexpected way. It was years since I last saw her, and as I sat down at our table in the restaurant, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. I decided to surprise her by paying for our meal, calling out to her friends, “Ladies, what can I get you?”
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2024-07-22 22:47