Re: nerds & earth scientists

[Skip Dahlgren <SDAHLGREN@liblan.uams.edu>]

On Tue, 28 Feb 1995 20:53:16, Ray McAllister wrote:

>         BTW, my biggest kick was when the paleobotanist just happened to 
> have a pair of upper arm length plastic gloves along so she could plunge 
> into any Triceratops dung she saw. The dung pile sure looked like it came 
> from something a helluva lot larger than a Tri-C; something like a 
> Seismosaurus.

Part of what we are seeing here is the result of some explanatory material 
ending up on the cutting room floor (in this case, rather than on the dung 
heap!)  :>

Apparently it was intended for the little nerdy kid, Tim, to discover 
gastroliths near the West Indian lilacs, providing a clue as to how the 
triceratops had ingested lilac berries.  However, this (along with a number 
of other scenes which would have provided more scientific accuracy) was cut 
from the final film.  I guess Spielberg felt that 2 hours and 7 minutes was 
as long as people could be expected to sit still.  

I'd sure like to see some of the outtakes and cuts from the film.  I 
certainly hope that the sequel pays more attention to accuracy.  Part depends 
on what Crichton's sequel provides.  Hey - he isn't on this list, is he?  :)


Skip Dahlgren
Applications Programmer, Office of Educational Development
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Phone: 501/296-1087; FAX: 501/686-5905
e-mail: sdahlgren@liblan.uams.edu; bcsskip@aol.com
-ex-archaeologist; lifelong afficionado of dinosaurs and their latter-day kin