Film has been on my mind a bit the past couple weeks. It really should not be much of a surprise since we have been organizing the EQUUS Film Festival in Meadville for this weekend April 12-14th (I promise that is the end of my shameless promotion) But it got me thinking about how film has shaped our lives. We have all seen things that inspired us or made us sad, even things that absolutely terrified us. For me, one movie in particular comes to mind in the terrifying category. Jaws was released in June of 1975, (yes, please do the math as I did to realize that this movie will have been released 44 years ago this summer)
Steven Spielberg’s great triumph was almost a disaster when “Bruce”, the mechanical shark named after his attorney, did not function properly on set. Instead of throwing in the towel, Spielberg keep the unrealistic creature out of many scenes to limit its exposure. Instead, he relied on the audience imagination to conjure the images of what was just below the ocean’s surface.
The initial seen is possibly the greatest example of this and also one of the most horrifying parts of the movie. The “late night swim” scene when the young lady is attacked from below and is pulled across the water screaming was nothing more than ropes and an old fashion game of tug of war. It was the music, combined with the darkness, the idea, and the piercing screams that convinced our minds to fill in the blanks. I guarantee that what ever I thought was going on was much worse than the special effects could have shown back in 1975. It was effective and it was iconic.
So iconic in fact that a man by the name of Lester Madden decided to forever “Rest In Peace” below the image which signified his most favorite movie of all time. Within the 300 acres and 15 miles of roadways deep inside the Allegheny Cemetery lies the final resting place for Mr Madden and his Jaws tombstone. He was 51 years old when he passed away in 1983, he was a Korean War Veteran and most definitely a true fan of the Spielberg movie.
Allegheny Cemetery was founded in 1844 by some of Pittsburgh’s most prominent families and it is the oldest and largest cemetery in the Pittsburgh area and the sixth oldest rural cemetery in America. Many famous people are buried among the over 124,000 gravesites including Major League Baseball players, Congressmen and billionaires. It is a great place for a quiet walk or a scenic drive through miles of marble markers. Some stones are ornate and beautiful, some are very old, some are very plain, and some, like Mr Madden’s are as well known in the cemetery as the movie was on the scene.
The cemetery is located 4734 Butler St Pittsburgh Pa. It is open Mon-Sat from 7am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. The large gatehouse that marks the entrance on Butler St is in the National Register of Historic Places. The “Jaws Tombstone” is located in section 26 lot 65 and a map of cemetery as well as some history can be found on their webpage www.alleghenycemetery.com.
While you are in the area, take note of some cool places within Pittsburgh, wether it be from this article or one of my earlier ones. Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop located at 2124 Penn Ave and boosts some of the widest assortment of nostalgic candies in the area. Home of the world famous $5 candy buffet and soda wall. They have been featured on many news and television programs over the years.
If you go on a Thursday or Friday from spring until November you can take a free tour of the Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park. Although the tour is free, you must have a reservation (call 412-321-2400 between 1pm-5pm Monday to Friday to reserve a tour)
Whether it is shark searching, star gazing, or candy munching on your trip. Remember not all those who wander are lost.
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