Iconic moments from an iconic movie
If you love movies and you’re talking to someone else who loves movies too, chances are the question will eventually come up: “What’s your favourite movie?” I have two words for anyone who asks me that question — Jurassic Park.
Every aspect of this movie is stunning, from the cinematography that feels like every frame has been run through the perfect Photoshop preset with an ethereal, hazy glow, to the intense and perfectly executed choreography. Rewatching this movie made me realize how many physically demanding scenes these actors (and stunt doubles) had to do: sinking in the mud with a Jeep almost crushing you, repelling down a wall or climbing down a tree before a Jeep falls on you, holding onto the ribcage of a dinosaur while velociraptors pounce on you — the list goes on. The magnificent special effects and CGI still impress me despite the movie being 27 years old — I mean, when the pupil of that T-rex dilated? Literal chills. And don’t get me started on the music, swelling over the shot of that helicopter landing beside a waterfall with a chorus of French horns. It really is enough to make me cry.
Let’s talk more about what really drove this movie home for me: the spectacular cast of actors delivering their brilliant lines perfectly and wearing the hell out of those khakis. (Looking at you, Laura Dern.) My personal favourite is the sexy, sassy mathematician specializing in chaos theory, Ian Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum. One of my favourite memes is of his iconic resting pose, where his chest is all oiled up, and he’s straight-up chillin’ while the other characters struggle to get the park back online. His exchange with Laura Dern’s character, paleobotanist Ellie Sattler, is by far my favourite: “God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.” To which Ellie replies, “Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the Earth.”
Sam Neill, who plays paleontologist Alan Grant, portrays an unadulterated, contagious passion for dinosaurs. In fact, the movie created what was known as the “Jurassic Park effect,” leading to an increase in the number of paleontologists, as well as research funding and new technology. The way Alan fell to his knees in awe of the park in all its glory, and the way he rested against a tranquilized dinosaur to feel her breathing was enough to inspire anyone to study dinosaurs. And let’s not forget when he absolutely roasted a little kid who compared a velociraptor to a turkey.
Also, shout-out to a young Samuel L. Jackson who chain smokes through the entire movie and delivered the iconic line: “Hold onto your butts.”
We can’t forget the talented child actors, Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Richards, who played the nerdy, enthusiastic little Tim and the giddy teenage hacker Lex, respectively. Tim has a rough time in this movie as he almost gets eaten by a ton of different dinosaurs, gets stuck in a Jeep in a tree, and gets almost fatally electrocuted while climbing a fence. The way that Richards expressed pure fear through Lex is Oscar-worthy acting — making Alan promise not to leave them, pacing back and forth with tears streaming down her face after watching her little brother almost die, trembling in fear as she noticed the villainous velociraptor behind a screen, and the way she screamed and ran with her arms in front of her to lock a velociraptor in the freezer. All brilliant. Also worth noting is that their clothes, hair, and skin all get progressively dirtier throughout the film until they are blobs of sweaty brown. There is nothing I hate more than actors who just survived near-apocalyptic experiences who still have perfect hair and makeup.
For all these reasons and more, Jurassic Park will always be my favourite movie of all time. Do yourself a favour and give it a rewatch on your next rainy day to make it 110 per cent better.
Jurassic Park Graphic. (Universal Pictures)
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
