Few things have stamped an indelible mark in the lands of Jurassic Park quite like the humble flare. Its use in the 1993 classic has cemented its place as a key symbol within the series. From its iconic usage, scene after scene, to what it actually symbolizes in the series, this guide covers all there is to know about the Jurassic Park flare.
What Kind of Flare Was Used in Jurassic Park?
The classic scene with T-Rex in the Jurassic Park movie involved a standard road flare. The type of flares used for signaling and emergencies generally, these are igniting into very bright light with smoke. The kind of flare that had been used within the movie made it quite dramatic and visual so as to raise tension in those scenes with urgency.
What Is the Role of the Flare in Jurassic Park?
Featured in multiple pivotal scenes, the flare in Jurassic Park is more than just a source of light. It plays an important role in the survival of characters, from the first movie to the later films. In particular, it has helped:
Distract the T-Rex
Perhaps one of the most iconic moments involving the flare happens during the aggressive T-Rex attack in Jurassic Park. The flare successfully distracts the dinosaur twice.
First, Dr. Alan Grant uses it to draw the T-Rex’s attention away from the children trapped in the car. Things escalate as soon as the Tyrannosaurus breaks out of its pen. There is no more control, and the flare now acts as a desperate diversion to lead the dinosaur away from the children, allowing Dr. Alan Grant to rescue Lex and Tim.
The next distraction attempt is by Ian Malcolm. The flare also becomes a source of salvation and chaos in that it ramps up the scene where Malcolm's undertaking inadvertently closes in on the beast on the fleeing survivors.
Summon the T-Rex in Later Film
Although the flare's most iconic moment happens in the original, that's far from where the flare's legacy ends. It made later reprisals into the films, most notably in Jurassic World.
In one key scene of Jurassic World, Claire Dearing uses a flare to summon the T-Rex. It shows Owen, Claire, and the kids releasing the T-Rex from its paddock as part of the desperate plan to take down the Indominus rex. The moment is both a direct callback to the original and homage to Dr. Grant's brave use of the flare in the 1993 classic.
Is the Flare Scene Realistic?
While the flare scene is certainly a beautiful one, its realism is definitely in question. In real life, trying to use a flare as a diversionary tactic on such a large predator as a T-Rex would most likely have been hardly as successful as it was in the movie. Dinosaurs, especially carnivorous dinosaurs, would be far more interested in movement or prey than they would in the light from a flare.
How Was the Flare Scene in Jurassic Park Filmed?
Considering when this film was being shot (1992-CGI was still in its infancy), so much of the movie relied heavily on practical effects. Such is the case with the flare scene involving the T-Rex: that practicality of using the flare was huge in creating the lighting and atmosphere of such an iconic scene.
With the flare in his hand, bright red illuminates Dr. Alan Grant's face while sending eerie shadows across to enhance the tension. The lighting of the flare was assured to be appropriately dramatic and functional by the cinematographer Dean Cundey and director Steven Spielberg as a way to guide the audience's attention to the looming threat: the T-Rex.
In addition to lighting, the special effects team needs to cue the animatronic T-Rex in concert with the actors' movements. This is a very large model that has to be convincingly reacting to the flare's light through careful coordination by special effects crew and actors. From the head turning to its approach toward the flare, every T-Rex movement was planned for a seamless and thrilling on-screen moment.
What Do the Actor Think About the Flare Scene?
Filming these flare scenes was complex and very emotionally demanding for actors involved, especially for Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant and Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm.
Neill has recalled in interviews that filming in the rain on slippery terrain while trying to keep a straight face with only, at times, an animatronic dinosaur head for a scene partner was hard work. In addition, the actor had to perform in quite difficult conditions, since the scene needed him to run, hold the flare, and react at an absolutely terrifying T-Rex, which was mostly just a combination of animatronics and post-production magic.
Similarly, Jeff Goldblum was equally enthusiastic, as he too was handling the flare in this scene. His character had to divert the T-Rex, thereby making the interaction with the flare even more dynamic. The physical running with the flare was balanced with the comical elements of Goldblum's character performance. His performance during the flare scene helped build tension and provided lighter moments for the audience in what could have been a totally terrorizing experience.
Has the Flare Scene Inspired Similar Moments in Other Movies?
Yes, the flare scene from Jurassic Park inspired similar moments in other movies. In Jurassic World-2015, for example, the flare is utilized in summoning the T-Rex for a fight with the Indominus rex, paying homage to that scene.
Flares have also been used in other action and sci-fi films to divert or control large threats. Some notable examples include Godzilla (2014), where flares are used to draw the creature’s attention, and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), where Batman uses a flare to signal a bat symbol. These moments serve as nods to the iconic Jurassic Park flare scene, enhancing the tension and drama in similar high-stakes settings.
In conclusion
In the movie, the flare from Jurassic Park served much more than just a means of survival but almost a trademark gesture within the franchise. The creation of the flare in Jurassic Park required practical effects, careful attention to cinematography, and the actors' playing of their roles to make it live and memorable to extend its necessity in the series. Even if a hard fan or a total newbie, that meaning of what the flare represents in Jurassic Park enriches one's appreciation for some of the more intense, thrilling moments of the movie.
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