16. "Life will find a way."
Great science fiction...
Similar to the above, the film also has going for it an ahead of its time concern with issues like cloning and so-called "playing God". I don't personally agree with the film's basic argument - that we should never manipulate nature because the consequences could be dangerous - as I think it limits our potential progress as a species. As Hammond says: "how can we stand in the light of discovery and not act?" Plus, I really would like to visit a real Jurassic Park one day. I think it would all work out if they were slightly more careful about who they give access to the park's systems to. Speaking of which...
17. "Don't get cheap on me Dodgson. That was Hammond's mistake."
Totally unappreciated in his own time...
The film can be read as more of a critique on capitalism and greed than of genetic science. Whilst this doesn't excuse his calamitous attempt at corporate espionage, Nedry acts against his employers either because he's underpaid/under-appreciated or just plain greedy (depending on who you believe). In fairness he does seem to have a point about the control room being understaffed and he is left to monitor three workstations. Maybe the people at rival company BioSyn offered him a health plan and a little bit more respect. Though this, perhaps accidental, attack on capitalism could admittedly be undermined by...
18. "You patented it and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now youre selling it, you want to sell it!"
"Shameless" product placement...
I have three problems with critical readings of the film that use the above shot as evidence of crass product placement. Firstly, it's overlooked by critics who derisively snort at "toyetic" films, but the merchandise is often something that enhances a movie for kids. I remember wanting a lot of this stuff, not as a result of brainwashing, but because I wanted to continue being in this world after the film ended. Secondly, this much derided shot plays as a melancholic moment in the film rather than an advert. This pan across the gift shop to me always suggested a sadness at the visitors that will never come to the park: at the kids attraction that will never open and stuffed animals that will never be loved. *Sniff* Thirdly, I don't think any of the above merchandise really existed anyway. The real products were much cooler than the generic stuff purpose made to fill Hammond's shitty gift shop.
19. "You read what others had done and you took the next step..."
It's basically a brilliant re-make of Westworld... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQVWP8fP5To The film is - more or less (in terms of central theme and concept) - a re-make of Michael Crichton's own film
Westworld, which he directed in 1973. Here a history theme park, in which realistic robots allow tourists to experience the old West, goes predictably wrong and
Yul Brynner's black-hat cowboy hunts the guests down. It's much darker and more unrelentingly dystopian than Jurassic Park. But it doesn't quite have the spectacle.
20. Because it cuts the boring bits out of the novel.
All due respect to the late Mr. Crichton, but - at least for an eight year old - the original novel is pretty dull (extremely graphic descriptions of dinosaur related disembowelments excepted). It's high-minded and full of jargon, light on action and with lots of complicated mathematical graphs and debates about genetic science. I'd probably really get along with the book now (and I keep meaning to re-read it) but the film is all about the dinosaurs my eight year-old self wanted to see.