‘Jaws’ 50th bash no-go in Aquinnah

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Richard Dreyfuss in "Jaws" spotting the shark.

Officials say a “Jaws” celebration pitched last January in Aquinnah — a potential 10-day affair with film icons Steven Spielberg and John Williams — is no longer possible due to a lack of communication, though organizers say they are looking elsewhere on the Island.

Last January the Aquinnah select board discussed a plan brought to them by Mike Cochrane, a descendant of a Universal Pictures co-founder, proposing to bring conductor Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra to the Cliffs, temporarily install the film’s “Amity Island Welcomes You” billboard there, and hold VIP events at the Vanderhoop Homestead.

Potential other draws included, Cochrane said, “Jaws” Director Spielberg and Richard Dreyfuss, the actor behind marine biologist character Matt Hooper.

But after a select board meeting last week Aquinnah town administrator Jeffrey Madison told The Times that officials had not heard back from Cochrane and company for the better part of a calendar year, and considered the project no longer possible.

He added that the event plan was never thoroughly developed. “I don’t think they were very serious in what they were trying to do,” he said.

While board members in January and a March follow-up meeting noted challenges to local police and road use as well as a need to reimburse nearby businesses, they left open the possibility of holding the potentially lucrative event.

Speaking to The Times on Thursday, however, Cochrane expressed frustration at what he said were financial roadblocks to the planning process. He said that cost has been the primary obstacle so far, also citing a split with project consultant Interlux Group. “They couldn’t put any more resources into the project,” he said, “without getting any more specifics as to what the plans were.”

“We’re at a point where it’s really difficult to raise capital to get everything moving forward,” he said.

He did, however, still hold out hope for a similar event somewhere on-Island, if not in Aquinnah.

“We’re still trying to see if we can salvage something,” he noted, though he declined to provide specifics as projects were not finalized.

There remains a chance, he said, for a celebration in one of the Island towns, as he had reached out to all six select boards last summer. “There are other locations we could definitely look at,” he said. We’ve connected with all the select boards of each town and had great conversations. We’re optimistic to hold events in each town.”

“It’s really, really disappointing,” he said of the stalled planning process, “because I was really hoping to have something in place.”

1 COMMENT

  1. There will be a three day event ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaws50 ) celebrating JAWS in Edgartown on June 19th-21st. There will also be a number of adjacent events that will be announced. The MV Museum will also have a display. Many are already sold out and people from around the world and the country will be attending. This will be a well thought out event and a friendly get together for the many JAWS fans. No doubt the Island will extend a warm welcome to many who are unfamiliar with the island.

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