More importantly, they made them for the masses. Dinosaur skeletons made natural history museums. This trend actually goes back much further, as Michael Crichton was inspired to write Jurassic Park thanks to an increase in public attention toward paleontological science.įossils have been captivating people ever since we’ve started finding them in the ground, and the early days of formal paleontology are often noted as a major turning point in the role of science as it pertains to the public. The 1990s saw a big surge in dinosaur-related media thanks in no small part to the explosive success of the sci-fi thriller Jurassic Park and its film adaptation.
Part One: Need-Free Socialist Utopias, Now With More Dinosaurs In any event, it’s a lovely little narrative that I think flew under the radar for a lot of people, so there’s no shame in chasing it down now.ģP Reviews Series: Dinotopia (Miniseries) The structure of the story diverges in small but significant ways from the typical fantasy adventure, and its worldview is a big part of what makes it unique, dinosaurs or no. It’s not a life-changing watch, and it certainly has a sort of dated sentimentality that reeks of nostalgia, but I do think it’s worth examination, especially as we head into the new 20s. Dinotopia shares many qualities with Harry Potter and Avatar: The Last Airbender, satisfying a desire to see dinosaurs cooperating with, rather than chasing, humans.
Dinotopia skews toward a slightly younger crowd, aiming at kids who are a bit too young for Jurassic Park or find less appeal in Jurassic Park‘s action-horror aesthetic. It’s easy to call stories that favor brutality more mature, and stories without childish in comparison. The plot weaves sufficient tension to draw audiences through its narrative, presenting issues for the characters to overcome, but basing those issues within a surprisingly nuanced philosophy. Fantasies can be about more than self-aggrandizement and dreams of power they can also be about joy and wonder.ĭinotopia is a portal fantasy that asks the question, What would a world where dinosaurs lived alongside humans look like? It’s a charming alternative to more violent high fantasy series, presenting its world as a peaceful egalitarian community. I think we forget this sometimes, in our efforts to make worlds that prioritize excitement and believably.
#Dinotopia movie characters free#
Fantasy is a genre of imagination, one where creators and audiences alike are free to dream up any world with any rules they want.