The Use of Cinematography in The Tyrannosaurus Rex Scene in The 1993 Jurassic Park Film

Cinematography refers to the art of enhancing emotions in films through the use of shot sizes, shot movements, and shot angles (Newman, p. 91). This paper will, therefore, explain the use of cinematography in the Tyrannosaurus Rex scene in the 1993 Jurassic Park film.

The film uses a wide shot to bring the dinosaur in view as well as the trees in the background and the car with name Jurassic park written on the side. The shot informs that the event is in a park. The lighting is low key characterized by shadows and dark hue effects. The low-key lighting illustrates that the incidence is happening in the dark of the night. In the film, the director of photography uses low angle shot while focusing on the dinosaur making it look bigger and frightening. An audience also sees the high angle shot from the dinosaur perspective showing that the children, the cars, and the other three men are small. This angle informs the audience that the other characters are weak and small quite helpless before the dinosaur (Newman, p. 85).

The mood of the film is tense, frightening, and mysterious. The director achieves the moods through a combination of several elements in cinematography. First, the low-key lighting assists in creating a mysterious mood (Landau, p.186). Second, while the dinosaur is ripping the car, the camera shifts to a close-up view of the two men in the car and the face of the young boys in the car (Spielberg). From the expression on their faces, the audience can see horror and shock showing that something bad is about to happen.

The low angle and close up shots of the dinosaur showing its massive teeth symbolize danger. As the clip continues to play it is clear that the dinosaur does not mean any good. The dinosaur goes ahead to bite the man in the toilet clearly demonstrating its representation of danger in the park.

Works Cited

Landau, David. Lighting for cinematography: a practical guide to the art and craft of lighting for the moving image. A&C Black, 2014.

Newman, Rich. Cinematic game secrets for creative directors and producers: inspired techniques from industry legends. Focal Press, 2013.

Spielberg, Steven. “Jurassic Park (1993) - Tyrannosaurus Rex Scene (4/10) | Movieclips.” YouTube, 27 May 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Co3A3fLBo.