In the grandest scheme of things, the destruction of an old log cabin shouldn’t hold a candle to what would usually be considered a legitimate tragedy. But if you love the movie Jaws, you can’t help but regard this week as a sad notch on the timeline of the film’s history.

The log cabin that Steven Spielberg and Carl Gottlieb called home in 1974 while making Jaws is now gone. It’s been demolished. Built in the ’30s, the cabin had a legend of its own and was originally named ‘The Ox Bow Lodge’ until it was affectionately renamed ‘The Spielberg Cabin’ by Jaws fans. It’s assumed that the cabin’s extreme old age and obsolete amenities were making it of little value for any reason other than its Jaws connection. So the owner decided to send it the way of The Orca to make room for a more modern facility.

Before the cabin was introduced to a wrecking ball, it became as beloved a location to Jaws fans as Downtown Edgartown, StateBeach, or Menemsha. In fact, over the past two years, close friends of TSISW took the initiative to rent the cabin and allow fellow Jawsheads to experience it and build up lasting personal memories to cherish for years. In June of ’05 it was Jawsmovie.com forum regular, Dana Goudreault. Dana and six others lived in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws home for seven days. But it also became party central during the week of Jawsfest ’05. Its kickoff party even saw screenwriter Carl Gottlieb and Production Designer Joe Alves as guests of honor. For those who were there, it was truly a night to remember as Carl and Joe kept
the attendees riveted with first-hand accounts of what went on inside that cabin during the making of the movie.

[View with PicLens]

The following year our good friend Chuck Gramling rented it out and allowed us producers of The Shark is Still Working to be amongst the lucky ones who would dwell there for a week. We will always be thankful to have had that experience.

In relating all of this more directly to TSISW, we’re very proud to say that long before the cabin was destroyed, we made the decision to have the very first (as far as we know) detailed record of the cabin recorded on video. No exhaustive Jaws retrospective would be complete without featuring the historic cottage in
which Jaws, day by day at the hands of its writer, director and actors, grew to maturity. Just a little sidebar to recap the history of the Jaws production: an actors strike was looming in 1974, so Jaws was rushed into production before a script was ready. That meant that Carl Gottlieb had to write as they shot after dinner every night. The cabin is where all of that writing took place. Much of the same furniture from 1974 was even still there in 2006. Including the very desk where Carl Gottlieb hammered out that great script.

As filmmakers, we are incredibly honored to be able to add to the cabin’s place as a part of the permanent Jaws record – because up until TSISW, there didn’t seem to be much.

As Jaws fans, we’re so thankful to have been able to live a Jaws experience that few fans have lived, and none ever will again. But as documentarians, we’re excited to be able to bring the cabin to life in a small way for those who missed out on that opportunity. The cabin section has certainly been one that we’ve looking forward to you being able to see. But now that the cabin is gone, we feel that sentiment even more so than ever.

Special thanks to Donna Honig for the demolition pictures.

Unfortunately there is still no news on a DVD release for TSISW.  We had hoped to release through Universal to coincide with the 35th Anniversary of JAWS in the summer of 2010, but Universal is not putting out a new edition of JAWS in 2010, so the LONG wait continues.  We are as frustrated as the fans are.

Jake

Steven invited a friend to the interview. Legendary composer JOHN WILLIAMS stopped by to share some of his thoughts about the enduring musical legacy of JAWS.

John seemed to enjoy the break from scoring the newest Spielberg/Williams collaboration  - War of the Worlds. The film opens in a few weeks.

These two true legends expressed their sincere appreciation for the continued enthusiasm and support of JAWS “finatics” everywhere.

Click here to view the video

Click here to view the video

Click here to view the video

James, Mr. Scheider, and Erik.

Mr. Scheider and Michael.