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'Jurassic Park' 25th Anniversary With Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker, and Bryan Curtis

June 14, 2018 · Jurassic Park (1993) · Action · Adventure · Sci-Fi · 1:09:07

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bryan Curtis▶ 7:05Agrees with the T-Rex attack sequence, praising it as 'one of the most wondrous scenes in recent movies' and noting the masterful cutting between scenes in the electrical fence sequence
David Shoemaker▶ 9:54Supports the T-Rex sequence and adds the first Brachiosaurus reveal as another contender, emphasizing how the T-Rex scene builds through a series of moments
Sean Fennessey▶ 6:30Three nominees: water glass and T-Rex intro, raptors invading the kitchen, and the race to turn power back on/shocking Tim off the electrical fence

What's Aged the Best

Bryan Curtis▶ 21:25The marriage of both practical effects and CGI - the combination of Phil Tippett's creature work and Dennis Murren's CGI arriving at the right moment in history
David Shoemaker▶ 21:34Agrees with the technical achievements discussion, particularly noting how basic the original computer test was compared to the final result, but points out that Hammond's age didn't age well since powerful tech figures are now much younger
Sean Fennessey▶ 20:20ILM CGI combined with dinosaur design and practical effects by Stan Winston and Phil Tippett; the archetype of the super rich technological dreamer like John Hammond as an early version of Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg types

Dion Waiters Award

Bryan Curtis▶ 26:37Wayne Knight — Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) - calls it goofy and the only part that draws him out of the movie
David Shoemaker▶ 27:52Martin Ferrero — The lawyer character - calls it a blah performance
Sean Fennessey▶ 24:57Michael Crichton — Michael Crichton science and the whole possibility of dinosaurs actually happening

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bryan Curtis▶ 30:47Added Paul Verhoeven to the list of directors who wanted the project; discussed how Spielberg simultaneously made Jurassic Park and Schindler's List in 1993, calling it potentially the greatest single year for a filmmaker ever; noted ER debuted the next year as part of Spielberg's incredible run
David Shoemaker▶ 31:03Questioned whether the multiple studio/director bidding war was normal or indicated how big the property was; speculated about what Tim Burton's version might have looked like (claymation/puppets); remembered the childhood complaint about dinosaurs not actually being from Jurassic era; discussed sound design attention to detail
Sean Fennessey▶ 30:30Presented multiple research facts: Warner Brothers/Tim Burton, Columbia/Richard Donner, Fox/Joe Dante all bid for rights before Universal got it for Spielberg; Sheinberg made Spielberg do Jurassic Park before Schindler's List; film increased paleontology students; many dinosaurs aren't actually from Jurassic era; Universal paid Crichton $2M before publication; T-Rex roars were combination of dog, penguin, tiger, alligator and elephant sounds

Apex Mountain

Bryan Curtis▶ 47:01Jeff Goldblum — Jeff Goldblum - calls him 'the Han Solo of this movie' and the guy who brings modern sensibility and humor to pull audience out of pulp universe
David Shoemaker▶ 48:13Jeff Goldblum — Discusses reconsidering Goldblum's performance as an adult, noting didn't fully appreciate the Goldblum charm as a kid
Sean Fennessey▶ 48:25Jeff Goldblum — Agrees with Jeff Goldblum nomination, emphasizes his visual choices (all black outfit, glasses) and the beefcake shot that defined his later persona

Best Quote

Bryan Curtis▶ 55:04Discussed feminist reading of quotes and noted there's a lot of funny dialogue throughout the movie, more than remembered
David Shoemaker▶ 56:04Praised the Pirates of the Caribbean quote for being influential and noted how it throws into relief Jurassic Park's impact on spawned movies
Sean Fennessey▶ 54:50God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. / Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth. / Yeah, but John, if the pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bryan Curtis▶ 1:01:24Is it an apex movie for Spielberg that ultimately winds up being a terrible thing for him by unleashing CGI on the world?
David Shoemaker▶ 59:06The more realistic version would be creating dinosaurs in a lab and killing them when they're one day old over and over until they get it right
Sean Fennessey▶ 58:44Is there anything plausible about this movie?
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:00Could this movie possibly have been better if it were made by different people?

Overacting Award

Bryan Curtis▶ 1:04:20Richard Attenborough — John Hammond (Ed Murrow)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:44Richard Attenborough — Ed Murrow (John Hammond)

Who Won the Movie

Bryan Curtis▶ 1:05:07Jeff Goldblum — Jeff Goldblum and Malcolm - finds him particularly fun and well-positioned in this role
David Shoemaker▶ 1:06:04Velociraptors - went from not existing in popular consciousness to having an NBA team named after them
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:25T-Rex - considered Spielberg but went with T-Rex as a 'zag' to the Raptor pick

Movies Referenced (22)

Jaws (1975)

9 mentions · Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker, Sean Fennessey▶ 7:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

5 mentions · Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker▶ 3:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Minority Report (2002)

4 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Godzilla (2014)

3 mentions · Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker▶ 3:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jurassic World (2015)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 4:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Fly (1986)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker▶ 19:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Batman (1989)

2 mentions · David Shoemaker▶ 1:00:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

2 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:03:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lethal Weapon (1987)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 39:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Shining (1980)

2 mentions · Bryan Curtis▶ 12:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis▶ 30:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gandhi (1982)

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 57:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (9)

Steven Spielberg

48 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 0:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tim Burton

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis · Known for Edward Scissorhands▶ 12:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Phil Tippett

4 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey · Known for Starship Troopers, Jurassic Park, RoboCop▶ 20:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Donner

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker · Known for Lethal Weapon▶ 30:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lynch

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 19:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Dante

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Gremlins▶ 30:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Verhoeven

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis · Known for RoboCop▶ 30:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Altman

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis · Known for Gosford Park▶ 18:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Rodriguez

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis▶ 1:04:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (27)

Jeff Goldblum

14 mentions · Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker, Bryan Curtis · Known for Jurassic Park, The Fly, The Grand Budapest Hotel▶ 16:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Hammond

10 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis · Known for The Last Castle▶ 14:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

8 mentions · David Shoemaker, Sean Fennessey · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 15:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Neill

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker · Known for Jurassic Park▶ 14:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wayne Knight

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis · Known for Jurassic Park, Dirty Dancing, Rat Race▶ 19:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Laura Dern

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker · Known for Jurassic Park, Wild, Marriage Story▶ 19:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Hurt

4 mentions · David Shoemaker, Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey · Known for A History of Violence, Lost in Space, Broadcast News▶ 15:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Peck

2 mentions · Bryan Curtis · Known for Jurassic Park, Lord of the Flies▶ 44:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elon Musk

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker▶ 23:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Attenborough

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis · Known for Jurassic Park, The Great Escape, Gandhi▶ 19:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Walt Disney

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis · Known for Lady and the Tramp▶ 23:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Odenkirk

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis▶ 18:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (7)

Michael Crichton

17 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker · Known for Jurassic Park, Twister▶ 0:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Grant

9 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 13:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

5 mentions · Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 3:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arthur Conan Doyle

3 mentions · Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey · Known for Sherlock Holmes▶ 44:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Koepp

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Jurassic Park, Stir of Echoes, Black Bag▶ 29:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cameron

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 1:01:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bryan Curtis▶ 26:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗