Revealing the secrets of the filming of Jurassic Park: 5 anecdotes every true fan should know

Jurassic Park is one of the most iconic and enduring film franchises of all time. The series began in 1993 when Steven Spielberg directed the first film, based on Michael Crichton's bestselling novel. The movie was a huge success and introduced unforgettable characters and dinosaurs to the world. Filmmakers and actors faced a herculean task in creating this monumental film, and their stories have a rare magic befitting a classic. Every authentic Jurassic Park fan should know the five incredible stories behind the making of the movie.

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The T-Rex's roar

The moment the T-Rex roars for the first time and the characters see the huge and terrifying creature crashing through the trees is easily one of the most memorable sequences in the film. What many may not know is that the sound of the prehistoric beast was created from a combination of roars from different animals. The base sound was taken from an elephant calf from a nearby zoo. But the sound design team added more sounds from other animals, including lions and alligators. The result is a distinct, terrifying, and unforgettable roar.

The tragic story of the Dilophosaurus

In the film, the Dilophosaurus is presented as a small, friendly-looking dinosaur with a colorful frill around its neck that it can fan out. In production, the creature was initially designed to have an even larger frill around its neck. However, the animation team quickly realized that its large size interfered with many of the other movement sequences used in the film. A frill that was too big made the creature look comical rather than fearsome. As a result, the design was scaled back. The most tragic part of the story is that the initial design was too large to be used for popular merchandising, so the design change caused even more problems.

The practical effect of the blank eyes

One of the many reasons Jurassic Park is considered an innovative film is its blend of practical effects and computer-generated imagery. The scene where Lex, the female lead, tries to hack into the park's security system from a room with a dinosaur skeleton is a perfect example. The scene requires the skeleton to come to life, and as the camera pans, one of the eye sockets of the skeleton moves to look at the characters. Though a small detail, it is unforgettable and one of the film's most iconic practical effects. The effect was achieved using a marble placed inside the skull. A cloth string was tied to the marble, and a puppeteer whipped it to move the marble, making it appear as though the eye came to life.

The impact of the heatwave

Many scenes in the film were shot in Hawaii. While the stunning beauty of the island contributed to the film's atmosphere, it was also a source of headaches for the filming crew. The heat and humidity of a tropical heatwave made the work of the filming crew and actors challenging. Actors often became fatigued quickly due to the extreme conditions. The crew also had to take extra precautions to protect cameras and other equipment from overheating. However, the heatwave also worked in the film's favor. Many of the nighttime scenes have a surreal quality, especially the sequence of the T-Rex attack, which was shot in unusually drenching conditions for the location.

Grant's suit was a thousand-dollar wig

In the film, the protagonists, doctors Alan Grant and his wife Ellie Sattler, wear clothing designed to resemble the stereotypical image of archaeologists. However, what most fans probably don't know is that actor Sam Neill's hair and makeup are a story unto themselves. Neil's natural hair color is sandy blonde, but the makeup design team dyed his hair a costly custom shade of light brown. They styled his hair with a disheveled look inspired by 90s styles. The wig and makeup team managed to create a striking look that helped Grant become one of the most beloved characters in the series.

Jurassic Park is a historic film that no genre fan should miss. No film has managed to capture the same mix of awe and terror as this one, and the stories behind its creation are equally captivating. Every true fan should take the time to learn the incredible stories of the film's production.

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