Dinosaurs have been stars in Hollywood since the earliest days of cinema, captivating audiences throughout. But just how accurate are these portrayals, especially given what we now understand about dinosaur physiology and behaviour?
Palaeontologist Dave Hone at Queen Mary University of London is a big fan of dinosaur films, particularly those created using stop-motion animation techniques. Despite the limited scientific knowledge about dinosaurs in the earlier days of cinema, many films of that era surprisingly got some details right.
Take King Kong, the 1933 movie packed with prehistoric creatures, including a Stegosaurus, a relatively new discovery back then. While oversized and mistakenly depicted with four rows of tail spikes instead of two, its design was impressively faithful to scientific research of the era, says Hone, suggesting the film-makers referenced real palaeontological papers. The film’s iconic Tyrannosaurus rex is another example: while its posture was too upright given what we now know, its size was spot on.
Fast-forward to 2001’s Jurassic Park III, Hone’s favourite of the franchise. With CGI in full force, the film introduced a wider variety of dinosaurs as well as impressively lifelike pteranodons. Their size and movements, especially how they take flight, are remarkably accurate.
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