Delving into the behind-the-scenes of the cinematic classic “Jurassic Park,” released in 1993, is like embarking on a journey filled with fascination and discoveries. Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Michael Crichton’s novel, this film not only marked a revolution in visual effects at the time but also captivated and haunted audiences with its engaging narrative and the imposing presence of dinosaurs. Behind the cameras, a series of curiosities and secrets await to be unveiled, offering a privileged insight into the creative process that brought this cinematic epic to life.

1 – THE T-REX HAD TO HAVE ITS MOMENT IN THE FILM

Weeks before wrapping up the filming, Steven Spielberg made a crucial change to the film’s climax. He realized that the audience might be disappointed if the T-Rex didn’t have a heroic moment, considering the dinosaur was considered the main star of the production. Therefore, he opted to create the memorable battle between the Velociraptors and the T-Rex.

This scene was entirely produced through computer-generated animation, unlike the other T-Rex attacks, which relied on practical effects. The original version of the climax would have involved the Velociraptors being defeated by the skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus located in the Visitor Center.

2 – SCRIPT BASED ON THE BOOK MANUSCRIPT

Even though the book that served as the basis for the film was released in 1990, the pre-production of Jurassic Park began as early as 1989, solely based on the manuscript provided by the author Michael Crichton.

3 – INTEREST IN PALEONTOLOGY

Inspired by the book, the film sparked an unprecedented interest in the study of dinosaurs, resulting in a historic increase in the number of students interested in paleontology.

4 – ALMOST USED STOP-MOTION

Before opting for animatronic animals and computer-generated imagery to create the effects of dinosaurs, Spielberg considered using stop-motion animation to achieve this goal.

5 – DIRECTOR WAS MAKING TWO MOVIES AT THE SAME TIME

During the post-production phase of Jurassic Park, Spielberg monitored the film’s progress through videos while he was in Poland directing Schindler’s List (1993). He even stated that this period was one of the most challenging in his career as a director, as the Holocaust film consumed so much of his energy that his enthusiasm for science fiction nearly dissipated.

6 – THE T-REX ROAR

The T-rex roar in the film was created by combining sounds produced by various animals, including a dog, penguin, tiger, alligator, and elephant.

7 – T-REX GENUINELY SCARED THE CREW

During filming, the Tyrannosaurus Rex occasionally malfunctioned due to rain. Producer Kathleen Kennedy recalls that this situation initially genuinely scared the crew: “The T-rex would sometimes go out of control. It was quite frightening for us. We were having lunch, and suddenly, the T-rex would come to life. At first, we didn’t know what was happening until we realized it was because of the rain. You could hear people starting to scream.”

8 – DELETED SCENE

In the film, there was a scene where a child rides a baby triceratops. An animatronic of the dinosaur was specially built for this sequence, and special effects technicians dedicated an entire year to ensure the desired effect. However, the scene was cut at the last minute as Spielberg felt it would disrupt the pace of the film. Interestingly, a similar sequence was later included in “Jurassic World” (2015).

9 – A GUITAR IN SPECIAL EFFECTS?

Michael Lantieri, responsible for the special effects, highlights that one of the most complex challenges was creating the water vibration effect when the Tyrannosaurus Rex approached, as requested by Spielberg to announce the dinosaur’s arrival. Lantieri mentions that reproducing the circular ripples in the water was more complicated than any other dinosaur-related effect. He initially had no idea how to achieve the desired effect but assured Spielberg that he knew how to do it.

On the eve of filming, he improvised by placing a glass of water on a guitar and achieved the effect by strumming the instrument’s strings, a technique that ended up being adapted and incorporated into the car’s dashboard to achieve the desired effect during the scene.

10 – DINOSAUR DROPPINGS

A peculiar tidbit from the film is the scene featuring Triceratops droppings, which were created using clay, mud, and straw, with a mixture of honey and papaya to attract flies around the fake excrement.

11 – PRODUCTION HIT BY A HURRICANE

During the production of the film, the Jurassic Park team faced Hurricane Iniki while on the island of Kauai, where part of the movie was filmed. With winds reaching 190 kilometers per hour, the crew and cast found themselves forced to sleep in rows of lounge chairs on the ballroom floor. Without phone communication, producer Kathleen Kennedy had to make her way to the airport, despite the broken windows, and managed to hitch a ride to Honolulu on a Salvation Army plane. Working remotely, she organized everyone’s return to Los Angeles in just 24 hours.

12 – ONLY 15-MINUTE SNIPPETS OF DINOSAURS

Despite spanning over two hours in duration, Jurassic Park features only 15 minutes of “real” dinosaur scenes. Among these, nine minutes consist of animatronics crafted by Stan Winston, while the remaining six minutes are comprised of CGI (Computer Graphics).

13 – HARRISON FORD ALMOST PORTRAYED ALAN GRANT

Harrison Ford turned down the role of Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill, feeling that the character wasn’t suitable for him. Even after watching the film, he stood by his initial decision, stating that he was right not to accept the role.

14 – SECURING THE ROLE WITH A SCREAM

The actress who portrayed Lex, Ariana Richards, underwent a peculiar audition for Jurassic Park. Her audition involved screaming uncontrollably in front of the cameras, as Spielberg wanted to assess her ability to express fear. Richards recalled, “Later, I heard that Steven had watched audition tapes of several girls that day, and I was the only one who ended up waking up his wife, who was sleeping on the couch, and made her run down the hall to check if the kids were okay.”

15 – A UNIQUE BIRTHDAY GIFT

The scene with the velociraptors in the kitchen was filmed on Joseph Mazzello’s ninth birthday. There was a minor incident when Mazzello accidentally collided with one of the dinosaurs and got slightly hurt, but he quickly recovered. To make up for it, Spielberg gathered the entire crew to sing “Happy Birthday” to him, turning the incident into the actor’s birthday gift.

The universe of 1993’s “Jurassic Park” continues to captivate and surprise audiences to this day. Behind the magnificent scenes and impressive dinosaurs lies a collection of fascinating stories and trivia that further enrich the cinematic experience. From the technical challenges faced by the crew to the funny and touching moments on set, every detail reveals the care and dedication invested in creating this cinematic classic. These tidbits not only fuel the nostalgia of fans but also highlight the hard work and creativity that made this revolutionary film possible. “Jurassic Park” isn’t just an exciting adventure; it’s a milestone in cinema history, whose legacy will continue to resonate for generations.