Jurassic Park- by Carol and Mike

Theme and director’s intention

"Jurassic Park," his new thriller set in a remote island theme park where real dinosaurs have been grown from long-dormant DNA molecules.- Roger Ebert

“The more spectacular of these involve the fierce, lifelike dinosaurs that stalk through the film with astounding ease…”- Janet Maslin

“Ever since director Steven Spielberg began to work on Michael Crichton's futuristic novel of catastrophe in a theme park stocked with flesh-and-blood dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period, the anticipation about what the beasts would look like has been intense.”-Kenneth Turan

Separate elements and their relationship to the whole

As the film opens, two dinosaur experts (Sam Neill and Laura Dern) arrive at the park, along with a mathematician played by Jeff Goldblum whose function in the story is to lounge about uttering vague philosophical imprecations. Also along are Attenborough's grandchildren, and a lawyer, who is the first to be eaten by a dinosaur.- Roger Ebert

“   The savviest character in Mr. Crichton's book, a glamorous mathematician (yes) named Ian Malcolm, is among several scientists taken to Jurassic Park to inspect the place before it opens. ”- Janet Maslin

“Brought to life by a consortium of four separate effects units, including live-action expert Stan Winston, who created the original "Terminator," and Industrial Light & Magic wizard Dennis Muren, responsible for "Terminator 2's" computer-generated morphing effects, the dinosaurs are wondrously realistic.”- Kenneth Turan

Objective evaluation of the film

Attenborough wants the visitors to have a preview of his new park, where actual living prehistoric animals live in enclosures behind tall steel fences….- Roger Ebert

 “Jurassic Park's main attractions are real live dinosaurs, which have been created through the reconstruction of dinosaur DNA. The DNA has been obtained through blood found in prehistoric mosquitoes preserved in amber. (The film, being much more mainstream, explains this process with the help of an animated "Mr. D.N.A.")”-Janet Maslin

“First stop is Isla Nublar, a speck off the coast of Costa Rica and the soon-to-be-opened park's locale, where we (and an unlucky worker) get a first-hand glimpse of how ornery those dinos can be. We also get to visit with a nervous attorney, a secretly traitorous park employee and, on a dig in Montana, two of the world's preeminent dinosaur experts, handsome paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and his attractive colleague, paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern).”-Kenneth Turan

Subjective evaluation of the film

The plot to steal the embryos is handled on the level of a TV sitcom. The Knight character, an overwritten and overplayed blubbering fool….-Roger Ebert

“Amazingly graceful and convincing, they set a sky-high new standard for computer-generated special effects.”- Janet Maslin

”And in that area "Jurassic Park" (citywide) does not disappoint.”- Kenneth Turan

 The film’s level of ambition

We see them early and often, and they are indeed a triumph of special effects artistry, but the movie is lacking other qualities that it needs even more, such as a sense of awe and wonderment, and strong human story values.-Roger Ebert

“Even while capturing the imagination of its audience, this film lays the groundwork for the theme-park rides, sequels and souvenirs that insure the "Jurassic Park" experience will live on. And on. And on.”-Janet Maslin

“Everything that money can buy has been bought, and what an estimated $60 million can purchase is awfully impressive.”-Kenneth Turan

Words you found interesting.

beast mauls a car –Roger Ebert

Plotting the dinosaurs' escapades is Mr. Spielberg's strongest suit, and the director's glee is clear.-Janet Maslin

verisimilitude –Kenneth Turan

Relationship to film movements/genres/ relation to other filmmakers’ work.

Think back to another ambitious special effects picture from Spielberg, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977). That was a movie about the "idea" of visitors from outer space.- Roger Ebert

“To give the velociraptors a suitable introduction, he opens the film with a character whose upper body remains visible while the rest of him is being attacked off camera, a la "Jaws.” “-Janet Maslin

“Not that anyone was expecting "Jurassic Park" to be the dinosaur version of "Howards End." In fact, it was Spielberg himself who created the model for this kind of picture 18 summers ago when he directed the enormously popular "Jaws," a film in which strong acting and concern for character added considerably to its creature-on-the-loose suspense.”-Kenneth Turan