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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 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bryan CurtisAgrees 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▶ 7:05
David ShoemakerSupports 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▶ 9:54
Sean FennesseyThree 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▶ 6:30

What's Aged the Best

Bryan CurtisThe 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▶ 21:25
David ShoemakerAgrees 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▶ 21:34
Sean FennesseyILM 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▶ 20:20

Dion Waiters Award

Bryan CurtisWayne KnightDennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) - calls it goofy and the only part that draws him out of the movie▶ 26:37
David ShoemakerMartin FerreroThe lawyer character - calls it a blah performance▶ 27:52
Sean FennesseyMichael CrichtonMichael Crichton science and the whole possibility of dinosaurs actually happening▶ 24:57

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bryan CurtisAdded 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▶ 30:47
David ShoemakerQuestioned 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▶ 31:03
Sean FennesseyPresented 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▶ 30:30

Apex Mountain

Bryan CurtisJeff GoldblumJeff 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▶ 47:01
David ShoemakerJeff GoldblumDiscusses reconsidering Goldblum's performance as an adult, noting didn't fully appreciate the Goldblum charm as a kid▶ 48:13
Sean FennesseyJeff GoldblumAgrees with Jeff Goldblum nomination, emphasizes his visual choices (all black outfit, glasses) and the beefcake shot that defined his later persona▶ 48:25

Best Quote

Bryan CurtisDiscussed feminist reading of quotes and noted there's a lot of funny dialogue throughout the movie, more than remembered▶ 55:04
David ShoemakerPraised the Pirates of the Caribbean quote for being influential and noted how it throws into relief Jurassic Park's impact on spawned movies▶ 56:04
Sean FennesseyGod 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.▶ 54:50

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bryan CurtisIs it an apex movie for Spielberg that ultimately winds up being a terrible thing for him by unleashing CGI on the world?▶ 1:01:24
David ShoemakerThe 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▶ 59:06
Sean FennesseyIs there anything plausible about this movie?▶ 58:44
Sean FennesseyCould this movie possibly have been better if it were made by different people?▶ 1:00:00

Overacting Award

Who Won the Movie

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

Movies Referenced (26)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Jaws (1975)IMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker, Sean Fennessey▶ 7:30
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker▶ 3:12
Minority Report (2002)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:58
The Island (2005)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bryan Curtis▶ 4:41
Godzilla (2014)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker▶ 3:04
Jurassic World (2015)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey▶ 4:51
The Fly (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker▶ 19:51
Batman (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2David Shoemaker▶ 1:00:13
Catch Me If You Can (2002)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:03:13
Lethal Weapon (1987)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey▶ 39:26
Shooter (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bryan Curtis▶ 44:46
The Shining (1980)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bryan Curtis▶ 12:20

Directors Referenced (9)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Steven SpielbergIMDb ↗Lb ↗48Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey, David ShoemakerSchindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 0:46
Tim BurtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Sean Fennessey, Bryan CurtisEdward Scissorhands▶ 12:39
Phil TippettIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bryan Curtis, Sean FennesseyStarship Troopers, Jurassic Park, RoboCop▶ 20:20
Richard DonnerIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, David ShoemakerLethal Weapon▶ 30:38
David LynchIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey▶ 19:23
Joe DanteIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean FennesseyGremlins▶ 30:42
Paul VerhoevenIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan CurtisRoboCop▶ 30:47
Robert AltmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan CurtisGosford Park▶ 18:42
Robert RodriguezIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan Curtis▶ 1:04:55

Actors Referenced (27)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Jeff GoldblumIMDb ↗Lb ↗14Sean Fennessey, David Shoemaker, Bryan CurtisJurassic Park, The Fly, The Grand Budapest Hotel▶ 16:13
John HammondIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis▶ 14:58
Harrison FordIMDb ↗Lb ↗8David Shoemaker, Sean FennesseyRaiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 15:42
Sam NeillIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Sean Fennessey, Bryan Curtis, David ShoemakerJurassic Park▶ 14:55
Wayne KnightIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Sean Fennessey, Bryan CurtisJurassic Park, Dirty Dancing, Rat Race▶ 19:13
Laura DernIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, David ShoemakerJurassic Park, Marriage Story▶ 19:15
William HurtIMDb ↗Lb ↗4David Shoemaker, Bryan Curtis, Sean FennesseyA History of Violence, Lost in Space, Broadcast News▶ 15:59
Bob PeckIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bryan CurtisJurassic Park, Lord of the Flies▶ 44:04
Elon MuskIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, David ShoemakerIron Man 2▶ 23:10
Richard AttenboroughIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Bryan CurtisJurassic Park, The Great Escape, Gandhi▶ 19:27
Walt DisneyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Bryan CurtisLady and the Tramp▶ 23:31
Bob OdenkirkIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan Curtis▶ 18:39

Writers Referenced (7)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Michael CrichtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗17Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey, David ShoemakerJurassic Park, Twister▶ 0:46
Alan GrantIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bryan Curtis, Sean Fennessey▶ 13:23
George LucasIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bryan Curtis, David ShoemakerStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti▶ 3:12
Arthur Conan DoyleIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bryan Curtis, Sean FennesseySherlock Holmes▶ 44:54
David KoeppIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean FennesseyJurassic Park, Stir of Echoes▶ 29:45
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan CurtisAvatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 1:01:58
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bryan Curtis▶ 26:40