Re: My $.02 on THE LOST WORLD(VERY LONG)..and my full 6 bucks to boot

[Sean Connell <thelip@flash.net>]

Swift Claw wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> ::gasp!::
>   You mean there was actually some scientific RESEARCH done on this
> film?!?!?!
Well if your serious I think your being a little harsh.The dinosaurs in
JP and JP2 were by far the most accurate dinos I've ever seen in a
movie.That takes research.ALOT of research actually.T.rex was remarkable
to say the least. Some comments have been voiced here about it's "head
shape"..look closely.You can clearly see the familiar rex skull
underneath.The whole animal was restored muscle by muscle in a way that
no other movie can equal.And not just movies.The rex was more accurate
than ANY "documentary" restoration that I know of.As to the display
structures around the eyes, there was something there and it's shape in
life is very hard to determine.I have tried my best my whole life to put
the right meat on those bones in drawings and it takes an enormous
amount of research to get close to accuracy.Look around the web.You have
the incredible Paulian restorations,Hallet's,Sibbick's,Luis
Rey's,etc.,etc.,etc.All of these artists have spent long years studying
archosaur anatomy yet what you'll find is that (except for  some basic
shapes and the correct number of digits, etc.)they vary wildly in the
fine points.If as dedicated paleo-artists,dino-nuts,and vertabrate
paleontologists we can't agree on the fine points ourselves it is a
little silly to jump on the guys at ILM for taking their own guesses at
what these animals looked like.And yes I am VERY aware of the obvious
inaccuracies in the other dinos.The mystery dromaeosaurids that not only
had flexible tails but had to CONTINOUSLY thrash them about.But these
"raptors" were STILL fantastic looking.We all make mistakes when we dip
into other fields that we haven't specialized in.I mean as far as I know
these people at ILM have NO background in science and they still did a
wonderful job.Oh well you get the point ;-)As to my thoughts on plot?
Well it wasn't the most thoughtful movie but it came across to me as a
fun ride.Many scenes I saw almost as tributes to us (dino nuts of
whatever dedication).I saw many "scale" scenes that have buzzed around
my head my whole life.Some examples are (1)rex and sign that
read"...10ft clearance"(2)rex and two story house(3)waking up as a child
and seeing a rex looking in(4)a Triceratops doing a "rhino" on a
hummer(5)a stegosaur swinging that beautiful tail(6)rex standing
underneath common height refs like the steetlight(7)rex nose to tail
with a city bus and on and on...I think we should criticize the hell out
of the movie but at the same time not sell the dinosaurs short
and,frankly be amazed that a bunch of Hollywood guys got anything
right.                  Thanks for the ear, Sean C.                             
                                P.S. Yes I also realize that
Horners advice was ignored in many cases but hey, at least we didn't
have to sit through a 7 plus ton obligatory scavenger. ;-)