Dinosaurs Galore

     Jurassic Park is my first memorable dinosaur experience. Between the characters running for their lives, experimenting with creating them, and adapting to a world where humans and dinosaurs exist, Jurassic Park changed the general public's knowledge of dinosaurs. Through the special effects used, the filmmakers's choices, and the comparison to new movies, this movie changed the film industry. 

    The special effects used in Jurassic Park worked incredibly well. Dinosaurs are not in existence, sadly, so several techniques were used to make them look as realistic as possible. In some scenes, puppet dinosaur heads or full figures interacted with the actors. One of my favorite scenes was with the Triceratops in the field that was sick. The use of a puppet when Alan is listening to the breathing was incredible. The movement of the belly moving up and down made the scene intimate. CGI was used to create smooth movement compared to stop-motion as well as large scenery including multiple dinosaurs at once. I am glad both puppets and CGI were used for the dinosaurs because it gave the effect of many dinosaurs, but also the real up close effect.

    Throughout the film, the filmmakers made several choices that may not have been truly realistic but were for good reasons. Dinosaurs, as we know them today, had feathers and looked different than how they were presented in Jurassic Park.  The puppets used did have a texture that was very visible to the viewer. CGI, at this time, could not animate feathers or textures that moved so freely. The size of the dinosaurs was also not entirely accurate. This was to move the story along and create a more dangerous environment with larger dinosaurs. The filmmakers did this to create a storyline and approach that worked for what they wanted to produce.

    Today, movies use CGI for so many things. Whether it is large expansive scenery or incredibly scary monsters CGI is used. One that immediately pops into my head is Avatar: Way of the Water. The use of technology to create realistic hair and texture in and out of the water looks incredible. Jurassic Park was really the start of CGI use in film and paved the way for the textures we have now. The increase in technology has led and is leading to really high-quality imagery. 

    Jurassic Park has always been a classic film that I regularly circle back to. The use of so many other special effects such as dry ice, practical effects, and lots of makeup make this film so much fun to experience. The different techniques for the dinosaurs used, the bold choices made by the filmmakers, and the comparison it has to more modern films all allow for the film to be recognized as revolutionary specifically in the effects department.