Sunday, February 5, 2012

Jaws (1975)




This one isn't necessarily a filming location, but it is interesting nonetheless.  



Orca 2
Orca 2
Orca 2
The A-Team - Steel
Knight Rider - Fright Knight


For the movie Jaws (1975), there were two boats used as the Orca.  One of them was specifically used for the sinking scenes where the shark jumps onto the back of the hull. 

After filming, the main boat was sold off.  After the film became a huge success, Universal bought the boat back and housed in the Amity Lagoon of the Jaws Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood.  The original Orca can be spotted in a few of the movies and TV shows that were filmed at the Jaws attraction, such as an episode of The A-Team titled Steel and an episode of Knight Rider titled Fright Knight.  The boat sat in the lagoon at the Jaws attraction from 1976 until 1996, when the neglected prop sank.  The wood was so rotted that when Universal tried to remove it from the lagoon, the boat broke in half.  

The second boat that was used for the sinking scenes (often referred to as Orca 2) was discarded on the shores of Menemsha Pond in Martha's Vineyard.  Over the years, fans would sneak onto the beach to see it, often stripping pieces to takes as souvenirs.  For the film's 30th anniversary in 2005, fans flocked to Martha's Vineyard for Jawsfest.  Lynn Murphy, the owner of the boat and the beach where it resided, was worried that fans would be flocking to his property to see it.  In order to deter trespassers, Murphy decided to take a chainsaw to the Orca's remains two days before Jawsfest.  It had sat on the beach there from 1975 - 2005. 
Location (Orca 1): Los Angeles, CA
Location (Orca 2): Aquinnah, MA
Coordinates (Orca 1): 34.138354, -118.347874
Coordinates (Orca 2): 41.349232, -70.767695
Visible on Street View: No
Links:

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