Josh Wilding Reviews: JAWS: MEMORIES FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD
Jaws (the sequel of which was actually adapted into a comic book by Marvel) is considered one of the best films ever, and our friends over at Titan Books have sent us a copy of the incredible Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard. Hit the jump for my verdict!
Jaws is understandably considered one of the greatest films of all-time. Earlier this year, it was brought back to the big screen in the UK and has also received a remastered Blu-ray release. For that reason, now seems like the perfect time for new and old fans alike to delve into the world created by director Steven Spielberg, and Titan Books have released a book which allows you all to do exactly that; Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard. Despite not being released in the hardcover format, this is still a very big, and very nicely presented book. At over 300 pages long (16 of which contain brand new material not included in the first edition) you get an awful lot for your money and this is the undeniably everything you could possibly want from the ultimate coffee table book. Written by Matt Taylor, a resident of the New England island of Martha's Vineyard, this is a far more honest and insightful "Making-Of" than the standard books usually released which are more often than not, watered down (no pun intended).
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard is the HUGE amount of photographs contained within. Avid Jaws collector Jim Beller collaborates with Taylor on the book, and this helps ensure that there really is everything you could possibly want to know included. The hundreds of behind-the-scenes photographs (many of which were tracked down by Beller from the island's inhabitants) take us through just about every stage of production, offering up an incredible look at how the monstrous shark was brought to life on the big screen (and a whole lot more besides). It really is amazing to be taken so thoroughly into the every stage of the creation of the film. There are also plenty of excerpts from the "Vineyard Gazette", and these also show us a side to the making-of Jaws which we would have otherwise not been privy to. While it is of course fascinating to hear from those involved with the film (including a foreword by Spielberg), what really sets this apart is the fact that the majority of it focuses on the personal recollections of the residents of Martha's Vineyard truly sets it apart.
In the days of glossy DVD and Blu-ray "Making-Of" special features, Jaws: Memories From Martha's Vineyard offers a unique, refreshing and fascinating glimpse into the creation of one of the greatest films of all-time which simply would not be the same if you were watching it on a TV. Buy it.
The filming of the blockbuster film Jaws is regarded as a landmark event in both the history of motion pictures and the quaint New England island of Martha’s Vineyard, where the geographic isolation necessitated the hiring of hundreds of locals to work as actors and laborers. Among this virtual army of hometown participants were numerous professional and amateur photographers, each with full access to the production’s inner workings—for the first time ever this compiles their behind-the-scenes photographs and stories into a treasure trove of Jaws rarities. Included are a foreword by director Steven Spielberg, interviews with production designer Joe Alves, screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, location casting director Shari Rhodes, and more, providing an unprecedented all-access pass to the creation of some of the most memorable and terrifying scenes in film history. This unique compendium is the first to focus on the production’s local participants, telling their stories at last.
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