Jurassic Park Revisited

My work partner recently rented out a theater. Some places will let you rent out a room for $100, and they let in a set amount of people. So a bunch of us pitched in for the fee, and spread out through the theater to watch Jurassic Park. 

I don't think I've ever seen it on a big screen, so that was fun. And since we all knew each other, we could shout out random comments every now and then. Let me tell you, watching Jurassic Park with a bunch of zoo keepers is pretty hilarious. 

 Okay, this seems off-topic, but it will link in. At the zoo, you get jerks that shout at the animals or pound on the glass. So we have to tell those people to leave the freaking animals in peace. There's a scene in the movie where Dr. Grant and the kids are sleeping at the top of a tree. In the morning, brachiosaurs appear all around them. Dr. Grant makes a bellowing noise to call them over. I shouted, "Sir, please don't call out to the animals!" And everyone started laughing. 

You know something odd that never occurred to me until this last viewing? Jurassic Park is supposed to be a scary movie. Except I've never really considered it that scary. I always just liked watching the dinosaurs. Probably the scariest scene is the kitchen scene, with the velociraptors. It may be because I've seen it so often that I know exactly what happens. But I think this is a more likely explanation: The predators are carnivores. They eat meat and they hunt. It's just what they do. It's not a horror plot - it's just part of nature. Though nature can be pretty crazy sometimes. 

For the movies I grew up with, they have become so much a part of my past that I don't even really think about them when I watch them. This is also because i usually draw or sew or something when I'm watching them. When I do watch one of those old movies with my full attention, sometimes things pop out at me that I never noticed before. 

Example 1: The relationship between Alan Grant and the kids. 

It's obvious from the beginning that Alan  is not a kid person. But this time I really noticed how much Alan, Lex, and Tim bonded. Lex and Tim needed someone to look after them during horrible circumstances. Alan gets them through that in one piece. He's their protector and guide. And you can really see that when they all huddle together to sleep in the tree.

Example 2: Master Windu

Okay, wrong movie. But same guy. I never freaking noticed it was him! To be fair, you never see Mr. Arnold outside of the dark office. And there's a world of difference between a stoic office worker and a Jedi Master.

When I realized it was him, I looked up what other movies he's been in. And it occurred to me that everythigngI've seen him in, he dies. What the heck? (Except The Incredibles. And I only just learned that he was in that too! )

Anyway. Master Windu is one of the characters Fern gets to know, so I'm automatically biased in his favor. I've seen him play as many villains as good guys. And being weird like I am, I pretend to feel betrayed when an actor goes on to do villains. "No, don't turn to the dark side!"