JURASSIC PARK
US, 1993, 126 minutes, Colour.
Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Joseph Mazzello.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Jurassic Park is a tour de force entertainment by Steven Spielberg. It was adapted from the novel by Michael Crichton).
The film takes up the theme of theme parks in the United States and their popularity. It also takes up the scientific and ethical questions of cloning and the consequences for animal and plant nature as well as the danger for humans: the transferring of prehistoric animals to the late 20th century and their trying to survive out of time. The point is made, ethically, about scientists testing whether they can do things rather than whether they should do experiments.
The computer-drawn dinosaurs are quite credible. Spielberg uses his techniques from Jaws for ensuring audience scares and screams. The humans take second place: Sam Neill is an ordinary hero, Laura Dern smiles a lot, Jeff Goldblum makes wisecracks, Sir Richard Attenborough has a Scottish accent and goes through pangs of conscience. The film also focuses on two children - young audiences identifying with them in the dangers.
Jurassic Park is very entertaining, has initial debate about science and ethics, has a rousing score by John Williams and should satisfy most audiences. It was a record-breaking success at the box office in 1993. It successor was The Lost World, 1996.
1. Popularity and acclaim? For what audience - ages, parents, children? The computer effects? Stunt work? The themes of science and progress?
2. The work of Steven Spielberg, his identifying with children, children in an adult world, growing up? Jurassic Park dramatising his perennial themes?
3. The Hawaiian and Montana locations? The realism of the locations? The realism of the dinosaurs and the park? The musical score and themes?
4. The title, audience knowledge and interest in dinosaurs, the history of the universe, biology, evolution? The role of creation, the role of God? Survival of the fittest, natural selectivity? The role of intelligence, human behaviour? Dinosaurs and their grandeur, as monsters? The reasons for them becoming extinct?
5. The debates about science in the early part of the film? The perspectives of the scientists, re-creating extinct animals? The plausibility of the experiments? The mosquitoes, DNA, the frogs? The possibilities of the cloning and its success? The females, the eggs, the fertility? Nature always finding a way of adaptation? The growth of vegetation - and the poison vegetation, its effect on the creatures? Prehistoric creatures transferred to the ecosystems of the 20th century? How to survive? The moral question of `should' rather `could'?
6. The humans and their attitudes towards the dinosaurs? The scientists and their experiments, motivations? Excelling at what they could do? The lack of ethical perspective? John Hammond and his park (and his Scots ancestry) bringing the flea circus to London, the illusion of the circus and the illusion of the park)? Money, a gift to the world, the exercise of control, power? Wanting a flawless park? The role of error, human error, machines? The dependence on machines? Greed, money and betrayal? Arrogance? Relative values? Thinking through issues, feeling through issues?
7. The dramatics of the ethical discussions - with Hammond and the visitors to the park, his assistants and their stances, Allan and Elly and their reaction? Malcolm and his critical comments? The range of issues - and audiences identifying with these, having to think through them during the film?
8. The transition to action and to horror? The build-up about the dinosaurs? The opening sequence and the violent death? The information, the research, Hammond and his quest, the revelation about the park, the seeing of the dinosaurs, the breakdown, getting out of the car, the ranges of the chase, in the car, on foot? The dangers, the hunting? Adults and children? Men and women? The heroics? Dennis and his plan, the car, the rain, losing his way, the small dinosaur and its poisoning him? The hunter and his death? Arnold and his attempt to help? Outside the park, inside the park - destruction? The roaming in the park, getting into the headquarters? The atmosphere of menace, action? Scientific knowledge, using wits? Cinematic techniques, especially editing for shock value?
9. Allan and Elly and their work, their relationships? The discovery of the dinosaur remains? Their dependence on funding? The arrival of Hammond and their reaction, agreeing to help him, the flight to the island? Discussing the various theories about cloning? Allan and his disdain for children? The meeting with Malcolm, the discussions? The action, the enjoyment of the theme park? The poisoned animal and Elly's helping, going back to the centre? Allan and his being with the children, the cars being battered and pushed over the cliff, the tree, rescuing the boy? The trek, the night, the leaf-eating animals? The final pursuit, the electric wire, the boy and the shock? Getting inside?
10. The children, Hammond's grandchildren, their intelligence and knowledge, behaviour, interest in Allan, his reaction? On the tour, response to the dinosaurs, delight and interest? The attack of the dinosaur, the cars, their terror, the boy trapped in the car? Over the cliff, in the tree? The girl and her fears, her helping the group? Allan and relating to him? The night in the tree? The fence? The boy and the shock? Getting back inside?
11. Hammond and his character, showman, motives, style? The planning of the park, the money? The tour and his wanting approval? The lawyer and the insurance? The scientists and their knowledge? The experts and their observations? His devotion to his grandchildren? The tour going awry, his fears? Reliance on his assistants, the shutting down of the computer, the electricity going on, his trying to guide? The end and his closing of the park?
12. Malcolm, his expertise, his ethical stances, his cynical remarks? Being wounded?
13. The Chinese scientist and his explanations? Arnold and his computer knowledge? The technology and the dependence on it? Theories about closing down the system, reopening it? Arnold and his work with Elly, his death?
14. The hunter, his knowledge of animals, his helping the group, with Elly - and his being outwitted by the dinosaurs, his death?
15. Dennis, his greed, the deal with the opposition? At work with the computers? Food? His double dealing, the plan for the dinosaur eggs? Driving the truck, the rain, his losing his way, the dinosaur and the poisoning and his death?
16. The adventures inside the park, audiences identifying with the group and their being pursued, using their wits? The intelligence of the dinosaurs? The variety of dinosaurs - especially those dangerous to humans? Inside the centre, the ruining of the dining room, the dinosaurs opening the doors, the mayhem in the kitchen? The final confrontation in the museum - and the dinosaurs destroying each other?
17. Themes of nature, creation, human relationship with nature? The basic ecological messages?
