as happening in the world of science and computer technology. 1990 brought us the first user friendly internet browser and the beginning of the Human Genome Project. Therefore, it is understandable that by 1993, the year director Steven Spielberg released his box office smash Jurassic Park, the worlds of science and technology were still working out a few kinks. Originally written by Michael Critchon in 1990, given this historical context, Jurassic Park is an exemplary bit of cinema that preserved its original message which functions as a warning to the unknowing masses about the dangers of tinkering with nascent technology. Throughout much of the film, scientists and philosophers alike are warning against the abuses of technology without prior experimentation and responsibility. During a dinner scene in which Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, Mr. Malcolm, and Mr. Hammond are having an argument about whether or not it is morally responsible to be operating a theme park with million year old attractions, Mr. Malcolm makes an interesting point:
“I'll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you're using here: it didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don't take any responsibility... for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could and before you even knew what you had you patented it and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now you're selling it, you want to sell it!”
It seems that part of the problem here is that before Mr. Hammond has taken the time to study the effects of his research, he wants to market it and sell it. He defends himself, proclaiming that this is an amusement park for everyone, however, Dr. Grant again points out that there is no saying what will happen:
“The world is changing so fast, and we're all running to catch up. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but look. Dinosaurs and man... two species separated by 65 million years of evolution, have suddenly been thrown into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea of what to expect?”
Also in the 1990’s, there is a big move to ensure the online security of individual browsers. Since the inception of a public friendly internet browser, cryptographers calling themselves ‘cyperpunks’ were desperate to find a way to ensure that data going from one point, could arrive safely on at another point without being loaded down with viruses, or encrypted so that the user it was intended to get to can no longer read it. (Wired pgs 1-3) This rise in dem
and for public security of an intangible variety is reflected several times in Jurassic Park as Dennis Nedry encrypts his computer so that he can steal the embryos and again when Lexie has to hack into his system to turn the security system back on. This also functions as a nod to the duality of technology being both a good and potentially evil force.
By 1993, little progress had been made by the Human Genome Project (HGP). According to Stanford research by 1993, besides an assortment of experiments on plants, the most successful thing to come to fruition was the development of an oligonucleotide synthesizer, which made sequencing less expensive. (http://med.stanford.edu/sgtc/general/history.html) The first cloned animal doesn’t even come into existence until 1997. So where did this idea come from and how did it come about? Around the same time that the movie came out, a research team in Montana led by Jack Horner found viable DNA inside a Tyrannosaurus Rex femur. Whether or not the DNA was usable was not determined by the publishing date, however, scientists had every reason to believe they could procure a working sample from it. (NY Times pgs 1-2)
While his total filmography indicates an interest in science fiction film (director of Jaws and E.T. prior to ’93 and A.I. and Minority Report after) it is interesting to note, that while Spielberg won three Oscars for Jurassic Park, it was in other 1993 film, Schindler’s List, which took best picture, best director and most of the other Oscars. Not matter, Jurassic Park still won Saturn Awards (that’s coming from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror) for best director, best science fiction film, best special effects (which also got the Oscar) and best writing.
Bibliography:
http://www.imdb.com/title/
http://www.imdb.com/title/
http://www.wired.com/wired/
Levy, Steven “Crypto Rebels” Wired issue 1.02 May/June 1993 pages 1-14
http://med.stanford.edu/sgtc/general/history.html Stanford Genome Technology
http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline2000.html a Sci Fi 90's timeline
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000229/#director Spielsberg filmography
http://forums.sciflicks.com/showthread.php?t=7255 Movie vs. book comparison
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DB173AF932A35754C0A965958260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=1 NY Times article
Browne, Malcome “Cells of Dinosaur Apparently Found” New York Times, July 1, 1993, pages 1-2
