Released in 1993, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park didn’t just break box office records; it fundamentally changed the way movies were made. From animatronic nightmares to hurricanes on set, here is a collection of fascinating trivia regarding the production of this cinematic masterpiece.
1. The Battle for Rights
Before the novel was even published, a bidding war erupted in Hollywood for the film rights to Michael Crichton’s story. Studios were desperate to secure the property:
- Warner Bros. wanted it for Tim Burton.
- Sony wanted it for Richard Donner.
- Fox wanted it for Joe Dante.
Universal Pictures eventually won the bid for Steven Spielberg. Interestingly, James Cameron (director of Aliens and Titanic) stated later that he tried to buy the rights but was beaten by a few hours. Cameron admitted that his version would have been “Aliens with dinosaurs”—much darker and violent—and that Spielberg was the right choice to make it for a general audience.
2. The Casting “What Ifs”
The iconic cast we know today could have looked very different. Several A-list actors were considered for the leading roles:
- Dr. Alan Grant: The role was offered to Harrison Ford, who turned it down because he felt the character wasn’t right for him. William Hurt and Kurt Russell were also considered before Sam Neill was cast just weeks before filming began.
- Dr. Ellie Sattler: Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Julianne Moore all tested for the role that went to Laura Dern.
- Dr. Ian Malcolm: Jim Carrey auditioned for the role, and the casting director noted he was terrific, but Jeff Goldblum’s unique delivery ultimately won the part.
3. The CGI Revolution and the Death of “Go-Motion”
Originally, Spielberg did not intend to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) for the dinosaurs. He planned to use Go-Motion (an advanced form of stop-motion animation) headed by visual effects legend Phil Tippett.
However, Dennis Muren at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) experimented with CGI and showed Spielberg a test sequence of a T-Rex skeleton walking. Spielberg was blown away. When he decided to switch to CGI, he turned to Phil Tippett and said, “You’re out of a job.”
Tippett witilly replied, “Don’t you mean extinct?” This line was actually written into the movie, spoken by Ian Malcolm regarding the obsolescence of humanity.
4. The T-Rex Was Actually Dangerous
While the wide shots used CGI, the close-ups utilized a massive, full-scale animatronic T-Rex built by Stan Winston Studios. It weighed 9,000 pounds and stood 20 feet tall.
There was a major technical issue: the T-Rex was not waterproof. During the rain scenes, the foam rubber skin would absorb water, causing the animatronic to shudder and shake uncontrollably due to the excess weight. Crew members recalled the T-Rex “coming alive” on its own during lunch breaks, scaring the daylights out of the staff.
5. Surviving Hurricane Iniki
Filming on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, was interrupted by Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane to ever hit the state. The production crew and cast were forced to huddle in the ballroom of their hotel for safety.
Richard Attenborough (John Hammond), however, famously slept through the entire storm. When Spielberg asked how he could possibly sleep through a hurricane, Attenborough replied, “My dear boy, I survived the Blitz!”
6. The Sound of the Dinosaurs
Sound designer Gary Rydstrom had to invent dinosaur sounds from scratch, as no one knows what they truly sounded like. He used a creative mix of real animal recordings:
- The T-Rex Roar: A combination of a baby elephant’s squeal, a tiger’s chuff, and an alligator’s gurgle.
- The Dilophosaurus: The rattling sound before it spits venom was created by a swan hissing.
- The Velociraptors: The distinct barking communication between raptors was actually the sound of tortoises mating.
7. The Ripple in the Water
One of the most famous shots in cinema history—the cup of water rippling as the T-Rex approaches—was notoriously difficult to achieve. Spielberg was inspired to create the shot while listening to Earth, Wind & Fire in his car and noticing his mirror vibrating from the bass.
On set, Michael Lantieri (Special Effects) couldn’t get the water to ripple correctly using standard shaking methods. He eventually solved the problem by attaching a guitar string to the dashboard beneath the cup and plucking it to create the specific concentric circles Spielberg wanted.
8. The Ending Was Changed During Production
In the original script, one of the raptors was supposed to be killed by the T-Rex skeleton display in the visitor center falling on it. However, Spielberg realized during filming that the T-Rex was the true star of the movie and the audience needed to see her one last time.
He rewrote the ending on the fly to have the real T-Rex burst into the rotunda and save the humans by attacking the raptors, leading to the iconic shot of the banner falling while the T-Rex roars.
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