DINO Commercialization

[ceratosaur@juno.com (William J. Bevil)]

>DUNN@IDT.NET wrote:
>How would you like it if kids were taught life sciences with these
movies?  Museums >purport to educate people about certain aspects of the
world, don't  they?  Why is >this nuance escaping so many people?

I don't remember seeing anything at any time during the Jurassic Park
films that indicates they are out to " teach" anything....they are
entertainment and I think most people know that.  I assume that you are
indicating that using props and items from fantasy dinosaur films is
unacceptable in conjunction with a museum exhibit?  I disagree,
especially since the JP logo is plastered all over everything (once again
indicating it's from the film and pure entertainment!)   

If a museum placed a model of Dilophosaurus on display as shown in JP
(neck frill), but without the JP affiliation, would it be more or less
acceptable to you?  If I were and artist and chose to illustrate this
species with the neck frill, would it be acceptable?  (Paleo artists take
creative liberties all the time- the nature of the trade given the
limited info they have to work with...) Or, is it just the JP logo on it
that makes it distasteful?

>DUNN@IDT.NET wrote:
>Don't give up on people so easily and submit to this sort of sell-out 
>cynicism.  Believe it or not, people will go to see dinosaur displays 
>without the JP logo stamped all over them.

Forgive me, but I don't agree that it is cynical to believe that the
popularization of dinosaurs is a good thing.  (The effort to keep
dinosaurs locked inside the Ivory Tower is apparent.)  Of course people
will go see dino exhibits without a movie tie-in, but if a tie-in means a
huge increase in attendance then why shouldn't the museums take advantage
of it?

>DUNN@IDT.NET wrote:
>You're saying that people whose interest is sparked by the dinosaurs 
>in Jurassic Park (which is great) can only go to museums and see 
>these $12.00 commercials? Local museums will die without this?

BUT, you yourself pointed out that not EVERYTHING in the exhibit was part
of the JP stuff!  An earlier message (i deleted it since) listed some
5-10 (?)skeletal mounts of various species that were part of the display.
 This is far more than my local museum has to show at present, and I
think I would put up with the JP "commercial" for the opportunity to see
them.  It would be worth it to me.

> Local museums will die without this?

Of course they can continue to "exist", but why just do that when you can
prosper? Dinosaur films don't come around very often, so taking advantage
of it while it's there is to be expected.  They'd be stupid not to do so.
The surges in attendance at local museums coinciding with the release of
the JP films was probably very welcome for budget-strapped facilities out
there.  

William Bevil
Co-Chairman, JurassiCon
P.O. Box 98308 - Atlanta, GA 30359
(770) 455-6995 8am-5pm e.s.t.
JurassiCon@juno.com  OR  ceratosaur@juno.com
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