Science. Art. Film.: Jurassic Park (35mm)

1993 | 35mm | USA | D: Steven Spielberg  

An industrialist invites experts to visit his theme park of cloned dinosaurs. After a power failure, the creatures run loose, putting everyone's lives, including his grandchildren's, in danger. As visitors struggle to survive, Jurassic Park becomes a meditation on scientific hubris and human vulnerability.  
Steven Spielberg creates a modern myth about nature’s refusal to be mastered. He balances awe and terror, grounding spectacle in suspense and character.  

‘A thrilling reminder that wonder and fear are inseparable.’ -  
Richard Corliss, Time

 Presented on 35mm film prints from the NFSA collection.  

Join us after the film for a vibrant panel discussion exploring how the soundtrack shapes our cultural ideas of dinosaurs, what the film reveals about our visions of technological futures, and how a science communicator makes sense of it all. You can expect musical moments at the piano and extraordinary stories from the world of science shows!

Panellists:

Dr Dan Santos is a Research Fellow at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at ANU. He also works with the UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good. His interests span the social, economic and environmental dimensions of emerging biotechnologies, especially questions around innovation, public engagement and openness in science. His research has recently expanded to include biohacking, synthetic biology and stem cells. He is also a film buff and former film reviewer.

Professor Kenneth Lampl received his Doctor of Musical Arts in music composition from the Juilliard School, where he studied with the renowned composer John Williams. As a film composer, Professor Lampl has scored over 100 films, including Pokémon: The First Movie – Mew vs. Mewtwo, Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns, Frontera (starring Ed Harris and Eva Longoria), and 35 & Ticking (starring Kevin Hart and Nicole Ari-Parker). His recent Australian scores include The Furies, 2067, and Sissy. The 2067 soundtrack was released by Sony/Milan Records and was listed as “One of the Best Scores of 2021” by the Film Music Institute in Los Angeles. Lampl currently teaches film music and music technology at the Australian National University.

Joel Barcham is a Canberra based writer, performer, emcee, clown and science communicator. He has built, perhaps generously, a career by being willing to say yes to almost anything. Joel has written plays, toured shows internationally, run poetry slams, performed live Dungeons & Dragons shows, taught at a burlesque school, managed a science theatre troupe, been a bingo caller, joined a freakshow, come second in a hula-hooping battle-royale contest, and won an Australia day award for science communication… but he’s probably most proud of getting to be a pet Santa one time.

Moderator:
Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens is a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, ANU and the Head of POPSICULE, ANU’s Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub. Dr Jürgens’ research explores cultural meanings of science, the history of (violent) clowns and mad scientists, science and humour, and the interface between science and (public) art.



Presented as part of our Science. Art. Film. series in partnership with the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University.