August 4, 2011
An Open Letter to Steven Spielberg
Jurassic Park poster.
To: Steven Spielberg
From: Brian Switek
Dear Steven Spielberg,
Eighteen years ago, shortly after my graduation from 5th grade, I sat in a Florida movie theater anxiously waiting for the lights to go down. I couldn’t wait for Jurassic Park to start. The reviews, the toys, the various and sundry tie-ins—all had me in a dinosaur-fueled frenzy, and I couldn’t wait to see my favorite prehistoric monsters come to life.
You didn’t disappoint. Yeah, Stephen Jay Gould was right that the plotline was dumbed down to the classic “mess with Nature (or ‘God’s domain’, or whatever you like) at your own peril” trope, but my 10-year-old self didn’t care. Jurassic Park was the closest I had ever come to seeing real, live dinosaurs. (Well, before the fact that birds are living dinosaurs really took off and made its way into the public consciousness, which, to your credit, you nodded to at the beginning of the movie.) Heck, the movie still looks good. Dinosaurs have regularly stampeded across the screen since 1993, but few look as good as the ones Stan Winston and company created for you way back when.
But something has been troubling me, Steve. I love dinosaurs—when someone says the word “dinosaur” my immediate reaction is “WHERE?!”—but I don’t quite know what to make of the news that plans to make Jurassic Park 4 are now underway. I trust this isn’t another fake-out, and that it doesn’t involve the development of a script featuring super-intelligent mercenary raptors. The less said about that, the better. I believe that things really, truly are moving forward this time, but I worry about what that might mean for us dinosaur fans.
We’ve had three Jurassic Park films so far, all anchored to the same group of characters. The franchise is getting something of a Jaws feeling to it—how many more films before hints start popping up that these characters are all spiritually or mystically drawn back to the same islands, just as the magical great white shark of Jaws IV was implied to be carrying out a revenge plot on the beleaguered Brody family? We’ve also been back to the same island twice, and I don’t really relish another trip to the original sites with the same characters.
I think you hit on something better with the last act of The Lost World. Yeah, a Tyrannosaurus rampaging through the streets of San Diego is Godzilla, American style, but what is more terrifying than a monster showing up at your door? If you’re searching for monsters and find them in the wild, that’s one thing, but it’s entirely different when you inexplicably feel like you’re being stalked in a place where you have always felt safe. The “raptors” are ideal antagonists here—imagine stealthy, feathered Velociraptor sneaking around the city, surreptitiously devouring anyone unfortunate to wander the night alone. Scary stuff.
(Which reminds me; there had better be feathers on the new raptors. Not just a few silly quills like in Jurassic Park 3. The scientific evidence is unambiguous on this point, and a feather-covered Velociraptor would be a wonderful culmination of Alan Grant’s little soliloquy at the start of the first film. The time has come for feathered dinosaurs. Don’t let us down.)
Or why not release the dinosaurs in the classic setting of the American West? Think of places like Dinosaur National Monument and Arches National Park—they look as if dinosaurs should still be roaming the hills. (Though maybe I think so because similar settings formed the backdrop for films like When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and One Million Years B.C.) Even Yellowstone could make for a fun setting—who wouldn’t be thrilled to see an Allosaurus run down a bison? Instead of taking a small cadre of experts out to a remote island yet again, why not bring the dinosaurs to us?
Of course, you may have something entirely different in mind. I’m just throwing out a few thoughts here. I would just hate to see the franchise devolve into self-parody through repetition. Living dinosaurs—it’s an enthralling concept that so many of us have dreamed about, and we’re due for another great dinosaur film. If not for us, Steven, do it for the dinosaurs.
All the best,
Brian
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I came up with a Yellowstone plot idea in 2004:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7230309@N05/3560895475/
Comment by Michael D. Barton — August 4, 2011 @ 11:25 am
Cowboys and Dinosaurs?
Comment by Judith — August 4, 2011 @ 12:00 pm
Knowing Steven Spielberg it will probably involve aliens somehow.
Comment by Andrew — August 4, 2011 @ 12:11 pm
The only new Jurassic Park I would like to see is a remake of the first movie, possibly closer to the original book (and possibly with updated dinosaurs).
Why Hulk, Spiderman, Batman “yes” and JP “no”?
Comment by Andrea Cau — August 4, 2011 @ 1:01 pm
Hell no to an old west setting. The recent comic books have me convinced that it’s a horrible idea. Yellowstone, maybe.
Once I had a dream that was a prologue to a forth JP (I blame the Tylenol). It was shot like one of those “Animal Cop” reality shows. These humane society types are rescuing exotic animals from a seized home, and in the basement they encounter chained up raptors. My movie would be more like the first in treating the dinosaurs not as movie monsters, but as living animals. In my movie, the humans would be the bad guys.
Also in my dream, the Creation Museum in Kentucky replaced their guard dogs with Dilophosaurs. I avoid the whole fanfiction movement, but if I had the time and skills I’d love to write the whole thing up.
Comment by Kaje — August 4, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
I had precisely the opposite reaction to the T. rex rampaging through San Diego element of The Lost World: Jurassic Park, since it was a radical departure from the plot of the novel and seemed like such a cheap “Deus ex jump the dinosaur” moment. Only much later did I appreciate that it was intended as an homage to the original 1925 Lost World film.
I like Kaje’s idea of a film that would explore more complex themes of beast and man, than, “Oh no! It’s gonna eat us, run!” We need a District 9 for the prehistoric thriller genre.
I would love to see a film that dealt with cascading ecosystem collapse in the face of roving packs of feral compsognathids decimating native herpetofauna and spreading virulent bird flus or herds of centrosaurs trompling grasslands and triggering massive dust storms.
I wonder if the taxonomic scope of resurrection will be broadened in JP 4. It’s hard to resist the queasy ethical issues that would raised by cloning up some hairy hominids.
Comment by neil — August 4, 2011 @ 5:06 pm
I left a post on the Saurian blog in response to this news, hitting some of these same points, but I’m in firmly in the “remake” crowd if another Jurassic Park film is coming. (Mainly because today’s FX tech is finally at a level to create the park as portrayed in Crichton’s novel.) That said, the best route is simply to make another dinosaur film not related to JP. There are plenty of other dinosaur-themed novels/comics that could make crowd-pleasing movies:
1. Cadillacs & Dinosaurs (aka Xenozoic Tales) – A fun, pulp comic set in a future where extinct creatures once again rule the world. This setting is practically begging for a movie.
2. Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear – Not his best work, but the framework is there for building a better movie. It is a pseudo-sequel to The Lost Word, concerning an expedition to return several dinosaurs from a circus back to the plateau.
3. Cretaceous Dawn – A small-publisher book about scientists accidentally thrown back in time to the Cretaceous. Not particularly action-packed, given the authors were aiming for something a little higher than your typical thrilled, but the action sequences could be spiced up for the sake of drawing audiences. Think Castaway meets JP.
4. Hunters v. dinosaurs – There are several short stories and novels about men traveling back in time to hunt dinosaurs. A Sound of Thunder already has been ruined (and likely wouldn’t be my first choice to begin with). L. Sprague de Camp wrote several stories about a time-traveling safari guide, collected in Rivers of Time, which could be pieced together into a film. And I’ve always had a soft spot for David Drake’s Time Safari (later Tyrannosaur), although it would probably need heavily reworked for the silver screen.
Of course, we do have Aliens v. Dinosaurs on the way, which is being penned by Grant Morrison, one of the few comic book writers who can actually write. Then again, given how poor Aliens & Cowboys is performing, Hollywood might get cold feet on that one.
Comment by Walter — August 4, 2011 @ 6:07 pm
I know it’s accurate, but a feathered raptor just looks stupid, and not at all scary
Comment by Katrina — August 4, 2011 @ 6:08 pm
I’d like to see the reminding dinosaurs rounded up and put in a secure nature preserve, not a park but a habitat they could live free. The “hunters” would be a cross between NASA and John Wayne and Red Buttons in the old movie “Rhino”. Rough and tough but cool and levelheaded Navy Seals with pocket protectors doing what’s right. Sure it would be hard and a couple of them might get banged up but their reason and technology would prevail in the end saving the dinosaurs for all man-kind.
Comment by Joe — August 4, 2011 @ 6:54 pm
Cowboys and Dinosaurs? Why, VALLEY OF THE GWANGI, of course. http://goo.gl/w3t1X
Comment by Bruce T. — August 4, 2011 @ 7:22 pm
Why must these wonderful films continue to divide humanity from their elders. The human brain is inherently reptillian from all points of origin. I’d love to see a film that skillfully introduces such a concept…
I have a script idea I think about from time to time. Imagine, Space entrepreneur of the near future, deciding to buy the rights to Jurassic Park’s technologies. He then endeavours to build the greatest spectacle lov Earth. JURASSIC CIRCUS. “Safely Contained:)” in LEO, this space tourism ride is one 3D adventure we’ll never forget. The CIRCUS scenes themselves would be half an hour of the movie!!! Zero-gravity, artificial gravity, Dinosaurs, and humans that love them, all together for a happy ending???
Comment by Casey O. Cofer — August 4, 2011 @ 8:27 pm
Jurassic Park meets the Poseidon Adventure, but with Nazis, now that would be cool!
Comment by Crusader79 — August 5, 2011 @ 12:43 am
Uh,no about one thing.. Keep true to the trilogy. AND DON’T CHANGE THE RAPTORS AGAIN.! If you wanna make it more accurate..then remake the film. Because there are so many thing’s that are little bit over the top..but it doesn’t make Jurassic Park a bad movie,now does it? Nether will it make IV a bad movie. But,Jurassic Park 3? They went WAY over the top..by making them into complete movie monsters..pathetic. Thing is..don’t change the Dinosaurs design. I wouldn’t mind them using the JP3 Raptors if the story must need them. But like I said..don’t change the Dinosaur shapes and roars. Maybe color,realistic color..not pink,or purple. And that’s it..but one more time..please Steven..do *NOT* put feathered Raptors in JP4..keep true to the Trilogy please,and many,many people will pay there hard earn money to see it. Thanks and cheers!
Comment by Kriss — August 5, 2011 @ 5:39 am
Feathers on a dinosaur? Perhaps it is good science, but lame for a dinosaur. I don’t care how murderous they are, I just won’t be scared by a giant chicken. Instead of feathers, why not give them mutant powers like teleportation or eye-beam blasters. Now that would be cool, plus there are no fossil records that would contradict this possability.
Feathers on dinosaurs…way to go SCIENCE…way to screw up the coolest things that ever walked on this planet.
Comment by Gojirax — August 5, 2011 @ 9:40 am
[...] We are, however, a touch worried about our favourite franchise running out of plot before it makes it to the big screen. Enter our favourite blog Dinosaur Tracking who have thrown some intriguing ideas into the mix in an open letter to Stephen Spielberg. [...]
Pingback by Dear Mr. Spielberg; Please Give The Raptors Feathers… « CultureShop Manchester — August 5, 2011 @ 10:26 am
[...] “There had better be feathers on the raptors“: Dino-blogger Brian Switek’s open letter to Steven Spielberg upon the occasion of rumors about the possibility of a Jurassic Park 4. [...]
Pingback by Dear Mr. Spielberg, please give the raptors feathers | It's like, Really? — August 5, 2011 @ 10:40 am
Feathers aside, it always annoys me that the velociraptors are so big in these movies. They should either start making them smaller or just call them something else. They’re about the right size to be deinonychus, which is a much scarier dinosaur in any event.
Comment by Christina — August 5, 2011 @ 1:55 pm
Why not introduce an evolved Troodon, with a more upright stance and a huge brain. And lots of killing.
Comment by Brendan — August 5, 2011 @ 1:57 pm
I’m sure the ink isn’t even dry yet and my proceeding hope (nay, plea) has already fallen on deaf ears, but:
DON’T HIRE HORNER AS YOUR CONSULTANT. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. He just sits there and collects a check and doesn’t really say “NO” to anything! Teeth in Pteranodon! Spinosaurus as a super-predator! Dog brains for the raptors! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Comment by Zach Miller — August 5, 2011 @ 4:15 pm
Book was good… Speilberg ruined the concept and story.
Comment by Nick — August 5, 2011 @ 7:27 pm
i think the dino’s in the city is a rubbish idea.. at the end of the day that is not jurassic park.. that is not what jp is known for.. think the best idea is that the a desease threatens to kill off all the animals in the park and a team of experts and army go bak in to collect sum dna or what ever to cure the disease.. and all contact is lost…ingen then sends in their own task force to get the dna and wen they go to the island they find every1 dead.. killed by raptors.. they get to the cure after a few encounters with t rex..(no spino bullshit) and once they try and get to the meeting point they realise that ingen bred a gigantasaurous.. and the beast is about to kill em wen t rex comes and saves the day just like the first movie…:)
Comment by norbit — August 5, 2011 @ 8:06 pm
[...] lot of disconcerting film-related articles. First, a campaign to give raptors feathers in Jurassic Park [...]
Pingback by Roundup of Unusual Size: Get excited the gamer way. « Dire Critic — August 6, 2011 @ 1:37 am
As much as I would love to see greater scientific accuracy in the popular media’s depiction of dinosaurs, I would actually argue that Jurassic Park really doesn’t need it. Not only would it be a massive, distracting continuity break at this point, but Jurassic Park actually has the greatest excuse I’ve ever seen in a film for their dinosaurs being less than accurate: cloning errors. The film’s dinosaurs have the gaps in their DNA filled by that of a frog, not their closest living ancestors, and it’s already been pointed out that it’s caused the animals to mutate into a population of hermaphrodites. Why can’t everything else be explained away by one or two lines of dialogue explaining that the cloning process was less than perfect? Venomous Dilophosaurs, visually-impaired Tyrannosaurs, toothed Pteranodons, hyper-aggressive and physically-empowered Spinosaurs (though I’d really rather never see one crop up again), and featherless “Velociraptors” can all easily be explained away by the fact that InGen screwed the pooch when it came to properly cloning these animals.
Jurassic Park doesn’t need 100% scientific accuracy, if only because they have a pretty darn good out on the matter that they could exploit. Granted, on that same note, they could always insert more scientific accuracy by having InGen or one of its rivals perfect the cloning process, but as far as the Isla Nublar & Isla Sorna populations go, they’re just fine as they are.
Comment by Nagi — August 6, 2011 @ 11:21 am
[...] Mr. Spielberg, please give the raptors feathers Tweet “There had better be feathers on the raptors“: Dino-blogger Brian Switek’s open letter to Steven Spielberg upon the occasion of [...]
Pingback by Dear Mr. Spielberg, please give the raptors feathers « News Xazri — August 6, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Brian, I think everyone knows that the ‘Raptors’ in JP were not the little Mongolian variety Velociraptors that we now know did indeed have feathers. In fact, unlike the Mongolian velociraptors, these JP ‘raptors’ are a much larger species being excavated in the American Northwest. The animal that comes closest then, would be Utahraptors that have not reached adulthood yet. Just imagine that every time they said Velociraptor in the JP films, that they really meant Utahraptor.
There is no scientific evidence to prove that adult Utahraptors would be covered with feathers, just as there is no scientific evidence that adult T-Rexes would be covered with feathers, though I would not be surprised if the hatchlings of either species may have been covered in an insulating down.
There are plenty of things to critisize the JP franchise for, but claiming their enormous raptors must have feathers, when there is absolutely no fossil evidence to back this up, is a bit presumptious.
I would like to see JP 4 bring the original Park idea back to a functioning tourist attraction as John Hammond envisioned it, but with safeguards installed to prevent another incident. Just the day to day handling of the dinos would make an interesting film, and even a long term television series.
Comment by Dan Peterwson — August 8, 2011 @ 12:00 pm
I am with Neil, I really disliked the whole Tyrannosaur rampage through SD part. Lame. And it would be excellent if he could make a JP film that did not refer to the “Velociraptors” as “Raptors” – it has ruined an entire generations vocabulary and is rather annoying IMO.
Comment by ReBecca — August 9, 2011 @ 12:46 am
Anyone who doesn’t think a creature with feathers would be scary, take a look at the cassowaries of today. Last time I was at the National Zoo (where I worked) which is incidentally part of the Smithsonian, there were several cassowaries. They are BIG birds, flightless but with killer talons. They have actually killed humans in their original habitat, but hopefully not in Washington, D.C.!
Comment by Stillwaggon — August 10, 2011 @ 10:07 am
[...] An Open Letter to Steven Spielberg. One of the world’s coolest dinosaur researchers gives some creative advice to one of the world’s coolest dinosaur movie-makers about a potential Jurassic Park IV. From Brian Switek at Smithsonian.com’s Dinosaur Tracking blog. [...]
Pingback by Wescott’s Best of the Science Blogs. Summer Blockbuster Edition. | Science Cheerleader — August 10, 2011 @ 3:56 pm
Feathers featured prominently on the dinosaurs would be stupid. They weren’t featured in the other films as such and speaking from the fossils thusfar: Velociraptors did not seem to have feathers. Even if they did, they didn’t in the films. Attempting to add them on would be an obnoxious attempt at a scientific point that itself would be self-defeating. If they have feathers now, are we to assume they evolved them since not having them in 1993? That’s almost a more outrageous gesture. Keep it cool. Keep it reptilian. The cold-blooded, scaly, hungry kind of reptilian. Most of all: keep it entertaining!
Comment by James — August 17, 2011 @ 2:26 pm
its my own opinion i hope that the tradition go on on the eiland with spectaculair escapes before the dinosaurs that want to cath them like first she escape from a group dilophosaurs like the second wan whit the velociraptors in the high grass like in nature and that she must to run always from other dinosaurs like the spinosaurus t rex and than she comes to a place where all the herbivores are drinking on a big water and i hope on more fights like when she comme to the place where the herbivores are and a big fight whit the t rex and a triceratops where the triceratops kill the t rex when the people continue to escape in the jungle then are other predators like allosaurus and other want to catch them again and whatever i hope its more nature thing that you can see more realistisch
Comment by ken — August 22, 2011 @ 5:36 pm