本物の恐竜が登場した初めての映画？

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

「ジュラシック・パーク」は本格的CG恐竜の登場で観客の度肝を抜きましたが、実は、CGのショットはわずか7分ほどだったそうです。

これが何を意味するかというと、脚本の良さと圧倒的な演出力の必要性だと思います。

 

「ジュラシック・パーク」の監督はいわずと知れたスティーブン・スピルバーグです。

この映画は「ジョーズ」と比較されたりもしましたが、確かに共通点があります。

 

「ジョーズ」もサメは終盤までほとんど出ていない、ということです。

「恐怖を伴った存在感がある」という演出が秀逸なせいで、実際よりもサメが画面上に長く存在している気がするのです。「ジュラシック・パーク」も同様でした。

 

ただ、「ジョーズ」の時も、機械仕掛けのサメの出来が悪く、「あまり長く画面に出すとアラが目立つ」という制約から、「画面に出さずに存在感を出す」という演出でカバーしたそうです。

「ジュラシック・パーク」も当初は実物大の恐竜ロボットが闊歩するシーンをたくさん撮るつもりが、やはりロボットの調子が悪くて予定通りの使い方はできていないそうです。

そういう制約があるときに、演出力という才能で傑作に仕上げる天才監督がスピルバーグなのではないでしょうか？

最後までお読みいただきましてありがとうございました。

DIY映画倶楽部のご案内

 

創作活動としての映画製作は最高に楽しいものです。

昔はネックだった撮影・編集環境も、現代では簡単に手に入ります。スマホをお持ちの時点で最低限の環境はすでに揃っているとも言えます。

• 趣味がない人。新しい趣味で楽しみたい人
• 自分の創作がしたい人
• 映像作品に出演して目立ちたい人、目立つ必要がある人

にとっては最適の趣味であることに間違いありません。

 

ただ、実際の映画製作には多くの工程があり、全てのノウハウを一人で身に付けて実践しようとすると大きな労力と長い時間が必要になります。

 

DIY映画倶楽部は入会費無料の映画作り同好会です。

広い意味でのストーリー映像を作るためのノウハウを共有し、必要であれば技術的な支援もしながら、あなたの創作活動をお手伝いします。

詳しくは以下の案内ページをご確認ください。

Jurassic Park as a Special Effects Milestone: The First Film with “Real” Dinosaurs?

I first read the Japanese edition of the Jurassic Park novel when it was released, and at that time, the film adaptation had already been announced. I was genuinely excited and eagerly awaited its completion.

Then came the trailers—teased out in TV commercials, each one stoking anticipation without disappointment. Eventually, I went with some colleagues to an all-night advance screening.

Several theaters in Shinjuku were hosting these midnight premieres, and every one of them was packed. I remember lining up for hours outside the only venue where tickets still seemed possible. That night, thousands of people were doing the same across Shinjuku.

And the film itself? Absolutely breathtaking.
The energy of the crowd was electric—screams echoed during the panic scenes, amplifying the thrill. It felt like a cinematic landmark in live-action filmmaking.

CG That Changed Everything

Before Jurassic Park, computer graphics were mostly reserved for “game-like visuals” or simple animations on monitors. But here, dinosaurs moved with a texture reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion creatures—only smoother, more fluid, and astonishingly lifelike.

Speaking of smoothness, there’s a technique called “go-motion,” used in the film Dragonslayer. It was developed to overcome the limitations of traditional stop-motion animation.

Stop-motion involves photographing static models frame by frame. The result often lacks motion blur, making movements appear jittery or unnatural.

Go-motion, on the other hand, also uses frame-by-frame photography, but the models are mechanically moved during each exposure. This introduces natural blur, mimicking the motion of real animals and producing far smoother animation.

The monster scenes in Dragonslayer achieved a raw, tactile realism combined with the fluidity of CG—a remarkable hybrid.

Interestingly, Jurassic Park was originally planned to use go-motion as well. In fact, the initial concept involved filming with full-scale dinosaur models rather than miniatures.

Had they gone through with it, the go-motion version of Jurassic Park would likely have been the best dinosaur footage of its time.
But there was a major drawback: using miniatures required the camera to remain static for clean compositing. That’s why older monster movies often feature locked-off shots whenever a creature appears.

By switching to CG, Jurassic Park achieved both the smoothness of go-motion and the freedom to move the camera dynamically.

Spielberg’s “Unreasonable” Vision

Behind-the-scenes footage reveals that even the CG shots were initially planned with fixed cameras. But director Steven Spielberg insisted on moving the camera freely and having the dinosaurs match that movement—a bold demand at the time.

That “unreasonable” request laid the foundation for modern CG action filmmaking. In that sense, Jurassic Park was truly epoch-making.

Despite its reputation for groundbreaking CG dinosaurs, the film contains only about seven minutes of actual CG footage.
This speaks volumes about the importance of strong storytelling and masterful direction.

Echoes of Jaws

Of course, Jurassic Park was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg.
It’s often compared to Jaws, and the parallels are clear.

In Jaws, the shark barely appears until the final act. Yet the suspenseful direction gives it a constant, looming presence. Jurassic Park achieves the same effect with its dinosaurs.

In fact, Jaws had to rely on this technique because the mechanical shark wasn’t reliable. Showing it too much would have exposed its flaws, so Spielberg created fear through absence.

Similarly, Jurassic Park initially planned to feature full-scale robotic dinosaurs in many scenes. But technical issues limited their use, forcing the team to adapt.
And that’s where Spielberg’s genius shines—turning limitations into cinematic triumphs.

A Perfect Storm of Innovation and Storytelling

Jurassic Park is a rare masterpiece where cutting-edge technology, compelling narrative structure, and visionary direction all align.
It’s the kind of special effects film that comes along once in a generation.

Thanks for reading to the end. I hope this reflection brought back some memories—or sparked new appreciation for a film that changed everything.