7 Scariest Moments from Jurassic Park
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Film & TV
Jurassic Park was easily one of the best movies of the nineties, and thankfully - for all its special effects - it has aged incredibly well too. If you haven't seen it for a while, it's easy to forget just how many spine tingling scares are included in this creature feature. Here are seven of our favourites for your perusal.
1. The glass of water
It's typical of Spielberg to convey a sense of menace with the simplest of objects or musical cues. In Jurassic Park the arrival of the T-Rex is announced with a little liquid quivering inside a glass. The effect was produced with a guitar string attached to the base of the glass, which was plucked through the dashboard.
2. The T-Rex smashes into the car
When the T-Rex first attacks child characters Tim and Lex, it does so by smashing its nose through the glass roof of their car. What's really scary about this scene is the screams of the children, which in fact were genuine - the T-Rex model was not supposed to smash the screen at all, but an electronics malfunction had sent it haywire.
3. The spitting dinosaur
When the duplicitous Nedry attempts to make his escape with a box full of stolen dinosaur embryos, he comes face to face with what appears to be a cute, small dinosaur; until the Dilophosaurus in question shoots out a large frill and sprays acid on him. In fact, there is no archeological evidence for the Dilophosaurus having these features. Michael Crichton made up the acid spitting in his book, and Steven Spielberg made up the frill to give a real shock factor to the scene.
4. The raptors in the freezer room
Having figured out how to open doors, the raptors pursue Lex and Tim through a kitchen and into a freezer, leading to one tense encounter after the other. In one of the most iconic set-pieces, a mirror trick makes us think Lex is about to be eaten, only for the raptor to smash against a shiny metal cabinet instead.
5. Mr. Arnold's hand
In true horror movie tradition, character Dr. Ellie Satler finds the arm of Mr. Arnold resting on her shoulder after a narrow escape from the raptors - only to find the arm isn't attached to his body. Mr. Arnold himself is actually played by Samuel L Jackson, in one of his lesser-known roles.
6. Clever girl
Hunter Robert Muldoon meets his match as he stalks a raptor through the jungle, realising at the last moment that he has in fact walked into a trap, and that the other raptor is inches from his face.
7. The T-Rex eats a man from a toilet
Character Donald Gennero leaves the children to their fate when the T-Rex attacks. But he doesn't make it to safety. When his hiding place is ruined he is left exposed, sitting on a toilet, with a giant carnivorous dinosaur towering overhead.
Of course there are many more jumps and scares than this in the movie, and some all-round brilliant film making throughout, so it's a good idea to get reacquainted with it before the next sequel comes out.
Watch the trailer for Jurassic World
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