Let me ask you a question. In a horror movie, do you think that not showing the monster elevates storytelling? There are many films in the genre that are celebrated for their advanced special effects and inventive reimaginings of what a “big bad” looks like.
And then there are films that have leveraged the fear of the unseen in the most innovative ways. One of the classic examples of this is Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993). We bet you never realized that out of Jurassic Park’s total official runtime of two hours and seven minutes, the dinosaurs take up only 10-11% of the screen time.
Surprisingly, an entire movie about dinosaurs barely shows dinosaurs. CGI and animatronics were combined to create a total of 15 minutes of dinosaur sequences in Jurassic Park. If they were actors, the dinosaurs would definitely throw a fit about their limited screen time!
But have you ever wondered why Spielberg did that? In this article, we’re here to explain why limiting the dinos’ screentime was actually a genius move.
Story
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Just to refresh your memory, Jurassic Park centers on an isolated theme park on a secluded island, with genetically engineered, lab-bred dinosaurs. Just before the formal opening of the amusement park to the public, the owner of Jurassic Park invites a group of experts to examine his creation and the park’s safety measures. The scientists discover that not only are the dinosaurs thriving on the island, but the all-female creatures have evolved into finding a way to procreate, thwarting the park’s scientists’ plan of population control. Meanwhile, a disgruntled employee inadvertently disables the security system of the park to steal dinosaur embryos, causing the dinosaurs to escape their confinement, wreaking havoc and endangering everyone’s life.
The story flows linearly and steadily turns into a breath-holding cat-and-mouse chase between the dinosaurs and humans, as the creatures begin their hunt. Ultimately, the survivors flee the island, abandoning the theme park and the dinosaurs within it.
Decoding Spielberg’s Dino Scene Strategy: Less Rex, More Flex
Currently, there are seven films under the Jurassic Park franchise: the three original Jurassic Park films and the four Jurassic World films. So many films under the franchise, yet the first film remains the most loved and terrifying of all.
The later films in the franchise featured more frequent and prolonged dinosaur sequences. Hands down, they’re stylized and thrilling, but none will make you sweat cold and scream in fear like the first film in the franchise.
Spielberg masterfully played on “less is more” and, most importantly, mankind’s inherent fear of the unknown.
Spielberg had directed Jaws before this—the film that’s funnily renowned for both its production failures and box office success. For Jaws, Bob Mattey, a mechanical effects expert who had previously worked on the giant squid in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, had designed the mechanical shark, and multiple working models of the shark were created for the shoot. But, shooting in the ocean caused constant failures of the mechanical shark, causing regular disruptions during the shoot. As a result, Spielberg was forced to revise the script to reduce the shark’s upfront screentime to the absolute bare minimum. A boon in disguise, the restrained appearance of the shark in Jaws proved to be Spielberg’s greatest creative decision in the film. After the film’s release, Spielberg told The Guardian, “Had the shark been working, perhaps the film would have made half the money and been half as scary.”
In Jurassic Park, Spielberg used the lesson that he learned from Jaws to his advantage. He had gotten direct feedback from the audience, with the release of Jaws, so he knew that showing the cruel and violent antagonists sparingly would earn and save significant bucks. (Genius for a reason!)
By minimizing the appearance of the dinosaurs, the filmmaker ensured that there was no dip in suspense or thrill at any point throughout the film. What you can’t see is always scarier than what you can. Throughout most parts of the film, Spielberg maintains a feeling of looming threat: the scientists constantly talk about the dinosaurs, we see the destruction they have caused, and hear their roars at a distance. Spielberg brings the dinosaur on screen, only to balance the suspense. The structure goes: buildup, buildup, buildup, Bam! Dinosaur… Buildup, buildup…..Bam! Dinosaurs! And so on!
The use of dinosaurs only in the key scenes maintained the viewer’s curiosity and intrigue about these colossal beasts while heightening the sense of danger around them.
Spielberg hardly shows the dinosaurs, yet it feels like they’re everywhere in the movie, watching every move of the humans, waiting for an opportunity to strike. All distractions at your own risk!
Jurassic Park demonstrates the power of limited yet intentional screentime in a cinematic world where minutes on screen are literally considered as the creative currency.
Do you know other films that use a similar technique to Jurassic Park? Comment down your thoughts on this approach to horror stories.
