The “original” Jurassic Park. This stop-motion dinosaur film (which predates even King Kong) is something of a forgotten milestone in cinema.
The Lost World (1925)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGQfgjCXDoU - from the Classic Movie Central YouTube channel (1 hour 42 mins long - 720p)Synopsis:
The first film adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic novel about a land where prehistoric creatures still roam.Directed by Harry O. Hoyt.
Cast: Bessie Love, Lewis Stone & Wallace Beery.
Trivia:
This was the first feature-length film to feature stop motion animation as the primary special effect. The effects were done by Willis O’Brien who would in 1933 work on the original King Kong.Another fun watch! Admittedly some unfortunate parts due to the time period, but the story was well-done and I can even see where the Jurassic Park sequel drew inspiration.
And the similarities are especially interesting seeing as the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were almost done with stop motion instead of CG. I suppose it’s quite appropriate that both the first feature film to use stop motion for the majority of its effects and the first film to use CGI for the majority of its effects were both dinosaur films. It just goes to show how fascinated we are with the concept of dinosaurs. The two films also do a really good job at showcasing the changing trends of the sci-fi genre in terms of how the dinosaurs are brought into the modern world within the plot, with Jurassic Park being more of a true science fiction story and The Lost World going for more of a science fantasy approach.
I also find the film quite fascinating when you compare the stop motion to Willis O’Brien’s improved effects in King Kong less than a decade later and of course when compared to the work of his protégé, Ray Harryhausen, throughout the 50’s and 60’s.