Dinosaur
USA 2000
Reviewed by Leslie Felperin
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
An earthly land mass, the late Cretaceous period. Aladar, an iguanodon, is separated from his family and raised by kindly lemurs. One evening, a meteorite shower wipes out their island habitat and kills most of the tribe, but Aladar escapes to the safety of the mainland with his adopted lemur family. While wandering in the desert, Aladar and friends join up with a mixed herd of dinosaurs migrating to a new nesting ground. The leader of the herd, iguanodon Kron, enforces a brutal timetable for the march and has little sympathy for the weaker dinosaurs such as Eema, a styrachosaur, and Baylene, a brachiosaur. Ferocious carnotaurs and velociraptors plague the herd, picking off the weak.
Kron's sister Neera finds herself attracted to Aladar and his gentler, co-operative strategies for survival. At a desiccated lake bed, Aladar helps save the herd by encouraging Baylene to stamp up water to the surface. This, and Aladar's altruistic salvation of Kron's lieutenant Bruton from a carnosaur attack, threatens Kron's leadership. Near the nesting ground, Aladar and his friends are separated from the other dinosaurs. They find a short cut to the nesting ground through a tunnel, but when they go to find the others to help them through, tensions escalate between Aladar and Kron. A fight ensues from which Aladar emerges victorious. The herd makes it to the nesting ground and Aladar and Neera look set to mate while the herd settles under his leadership.
Review
Even before such hugely successful pop-science entertainments as Jurassic Park and the BBC documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs, it was a truism in children's publishing and programme-making that you could never go wrong with dinosaurs. These long-extinct creatures have fascinated the imaginations of Homo sapiens, particularly the young of the species, ever since the discovery of the first 'dragon' skeletons in the early 17th century. This makes it all the more surprising that the Disney company, usually so canny about tapping into children's desires, have been so slow to cash in on prehistoric subject matter. There were dinosaurs in Fantasia's 'Rite of Spring' section, but in very little else. Rivals Universal made a fair stab at the subject with their 1988 film The Land before Time (produced by Steven Spielberg), but this film wasn't as successful an animated feature as it deserved to be.
Whether planned or not, Disney's tardiness in producing an all-dinosaur movie has reaped them the benefits of computer technology. The CGI that directors Ralph Zondag and Eric Leighton used for Dinosaur is undoubtedly magnificent, capable of rendering exquisitely detailed skin textures and impeccably realistic backgrounds, garnered by extensive 'research' trips abroad (at a cost of around $200 million, this is one of the five most expensive films ever made). Sadly, there is little sign of the benefits of evolution in the storytelling itself, which sticks too closely to a narrative template seemingly dating back to the Mesolithic era. Here, an orphaned creature (Bambi, 1942, Dumbo, 1941, et al) ends up saving his adoptive family (Tarzan, 1999) through disingenuous goodness and a luckily placed cliff ledge (cf. Snow White, 1937, and others).
Those interested in modern theories of evolution will be intrigued, however, by the way the film revives amateur scientist and anarchist Prince Peter Kropotkin's once discredited but now fashionable theories about the utility of altruism in the development of the species, as propounded in his 1902 book Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution. Protagonist iguanodon Aladar (even his name has an altruistic echo) is put in conflict with the fiercely Darwinian herd leader Kron, who preaches that only the strong will survive. Kron's defeat could be read as either a triumph of Kropotkinism, or perhaps as Disney's attempt to play to the Middle-American creationist lobby, a constituency the company has recently alienated with its recognition of the rights of gay employees and other liberal temperings in its corporate policies. Nonetheless, this doesn't help the film-makers escape the melancholy historical irony known to every schoolchild over the age of eight: regardless of whatever evolutionary strategy the dinosaurs here 'adopt', they, somewhat like the Native Americans who triumph at the end of Pocahontas, still face a bleak future.
Credits
- Directors
- Ralph Zondag
- Eric Leighton
- Producer
- Pam Marsden
- Screenplay
- John Harrison
- Robert Nelson Jacobs
- Based on an original screenplay by
- Walon Green
- Editor
- H. Lee Peterson
- Production Designer
- Walter P. Martishius
- Music
- James Newton Howard
- ©Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Production Company
- Walt Disney Pictures presents
- Co-producer
- Baker Bloodworth
- Production Supervisors
- 1st Unit:
- Andrew Fenady
- Ellen Raphael
- Robert O'Haver
- Exotic Unit:
- Nancy McCarty
- Stage Unit:
- Diana De Vries
- Production Controller
- James Burton
- Production Office Co-ordinators
- 1st Unit Senior:
- Christopher A. Debiec
- 1st Unit:
- Bonnie Foley
- Lisa Beth Greenspan
- Stage Unit:
- Ruth Irvin-Hauer
- Regina Thompson-Williamson
- Production Co-ordinator
- Exotic Unit:
- Mark G. Soper
- Production Managers
- Tamara Boutcher
- Carolyn Soper
- Director of Production
- Dana Axelrod
- Location Managers
- 1st Unit Supervising:
- Dow Griffith
- 1st Unit Additional:
- Robert M. Berkus
- Post-production
- Supervisor:
- Bérénice Le Maitre
- Manager:
- Sue Bea Montgomery
- Co-ordinator:
- Marisa Johnston
- Administrator:
- Heatherjane Smith
- Engineer:
- Michael Kenji Tomizawa
- Assistant Directors
- 1st Unit:
- Tom E. Milo
- Donald W. Poquette
- Cara Lee McCastlain
- Kaylee Michelle Brown
- Jennifer Booth
- Stage Unit:
- Samuel J. Hill
- Casting
- Ruth Lambert
- Mary Hidalgo
- ADR Voice:
- Barbara Harris
- Story
- Thom Enriquez
- John Harrison
- Robert Nelson Jacobs
- Ralph Zondag
- Director of Story
- Thom Enriquez
- Story Artists
- Darryl Kidder
- Roy Meurin
- Frank Nissen
- Ray Shenusay
- Dick Zondag
- Additional Story:
- Julius Aguimatang
- Kurt Anderson
- Jim Capobianco
- Ricardo Delgado
- Robert Gibbs
- Francis Glebas
- Ben Gluck
- Kirk Hanson
- Doug Henderson
- Fred Lucky
- Floyd Norman
- Tom Sito
- Michael Spooner
- Tamara Lusher Stocker
- Oliver Thomas
- Pete Von Sholly
- Additional Story Material
- Shirley Pierce
- Rhett Reese
- Directors of Photography
- 1st Unit:
- Steven Douglas Smith
- Dave Hardberger
- Exotic Unit:
- Timothy Housel
- Stage Unit:
- Kenneth H. Wiatrak
- Dino Cam
- 1st Unit Engineer/Operator:
- Dwayne McClintock
- 1st Unit Engineer:
- Steven T. Kosakura
- 1st Unit Consultant:
- Earl Wiggins
- Visual Effects Supervisors
- Neil Krepela
- 1st Unit:
- Terry Moews
- Exotic Unit:
- Wallace Schaab
- 1st Unit Additional:
- Richard E. Lehmann
- Digital Effects Supervisor
- Neil Eskuri
- Manager of Digital Production
- Jinko Gotoh
- Visual Effects Editor
- Thomas R. Bryant
- Technology Managers of Software Development
- John Henry Brooks
- Edwin R. Leonard
- Technology Manager of Systems Development
- Ben Croy
- Technology Senior Manager of Technical Support
- Michael Jedlicka
- Technology Manager of Media Group
- Thomas Moore Jr
- Digital Systems Design Team
- Steven L. Groom
- Mark Jankins
- Mark Kimball
- Brad Lowman
- Skottie Miller
- Neil Okamoto
- Sandy Sunseri
- Doug White
- Spikes Up Plate Unit
- Line Producer:
- James Burton
- Production Manager:
- Gerard Dinardi
- Special Effects Supervisors
- 1st Unit:
- Robert H. Spurlock
- Roy L. Goode
- Al Broussard
- 1st Unit Effects Crew
- Archie K. Ahuna
- Stephen L. Humphrey
- Special Effects Crew
- Stage Unit:
- John Hartigan
- Mike Joyce
- Visual Development/ Character Design Artists
- Ricardo Delgado
- Ian S. Gooding
- Mark Hallett
- Doug Henderson
- David Krentz
- Additional Visual Development Artists
- Barry Atkinson
- Jim Aupperle
- Hans Bacher
- John Bindon
- Justin Brandstater
- Marek Buchwald
- Brooks Campbell
- Peter Clarke
- Guy Deel
- Paul Felix
- Brian Franczak
- Mike Gabriel
- Jean Gillmore
- Darek Gogol
- Eric Goldberg
- Valerie Grineau
- Carlos Huerte
- Caroline Hu
- Terry Isaac
- Buck Lewis
- Rick Maki
- Serge Michaels
- Craig Mullins
- Peter Oedekoven
- Tina Price
- Craig Paul
- William Stout
- Christophe Vacher
- Marcelo Vignali
- Additional Visual Development Sculptors
- Michael Floyd Jones
- Gary Staab
- Software Supervisor
- Jay Sloat
- Look Development Supervisor
- L. Cliff Brett
- Look Development Technical Directors
- Robert Beech
- Laurent Charbonnel
- Mark Hammel
- Tal Lancaster
- Ramprasad Sampath
- Workbook Supervisor
- David Womersley
- Digital Image Supervisor
- Kevin Willmering
- Scene Set Up Supervisor
- Gary Allan Parks
- Digital Film Printing/
Scanning - Supervisor:
- Christopher W. Gee
- Camera Co-ordinator:
- Stephanie Clifford
- Camera Operators:
- John Aardal
- Bill Aylsworth
- John Derderian
- Bill Fadness
- Mike Lehman
- Stan Miller
- Jennie Kepenek Mouzis
- Model Development Supervisor
- Sean Phillips
- Muscle/Skin Technical Director Lead
- David Oliver
- Muscle/Skin Technical Directors
- Jesus Canal Teres
- Mark Empey
- Stephen V. Hwan
- Kavita Khosla
- Michael Kuehn
- Raj S. Naiksatam
- Edwin Ng
- Russell L. Smith
- Character Motion Technical Director Lead
- Candice Chinn
- Character Motion Technical Directors
- Haggai Goldfarb
- Jacqueline Gordon
- Sean Locke
- James Dale Polk
- Herd Technical Directors
- Craig Caton-Largent
- Glen Claybrook
- Peter Megow
- Character Model Leads
- Bruce D. Buckley
- Associate:
- James E. Stapp
- Character Modellers
- Brian Jefcoat
- Corey Smith
- Daniel Szecket
- Joe Hing-Shan Kwong
- Supervising Animators
- Aladar:
- Mark Antony Austin
- Plio:
- Trey Thomas
- Yar:
- Tom Roth
- Zini:
- Bill Fletcher
- Suri:
- Larry White
- Kron:
- Eamonn Butler
- Neera/Juvenile Dinosaurs:
- Joel Fletcher
- Bruton:
- Dick Zondag
- Baylene/Url:
- Michael Belzer
- Eema:
- Gregory William Griffith
- Carnotaurs/The Herd:
- Atsushi Sato
- Animators
- Aladar:
- Jason Anastas
- Darrin Butters
- Jay N. Davis
- Chadd Ferron
- Amy McNamara
- Eric Strand
- Plio:
- Greg Maguire
- Sean Mahoney
- Luci Napier
- Yar:
- Peter Lepeniotis
- Christopher Oakley
- Zini:
- Les Major
- Yuriko Senoo
- Alex Tysowsky
- Suri:
- Sheryl Sardina Sackett
- Henry Sato Jr
- Kron:
- Doug Bennett
- Jason Ryan
- Neera/Juvenile Dinosaurs:
- Rebecca Wilson Bresee
- Sandra Maria Groeneveld
- Tony Smeed
- Bruton:
- Owen Klatte
- Baylene/Url:
- Brian Wesley Green
- Eema:
- Darrin Butts
- James Michael Crossley
- Angie Glocka
- Carnotaurs/The Herd:
- Bobby Beck
- Stephen A. Buckley
- Kent Burton
- Chris Hurtt
- Don Waller
- Paul Wood
- Additional Animation
- Tom Gurney
- Ethan Marak
- Neil Richmond
- Animation Associates
- 1st Unit:
- Eric M. Algren
- Jacqueline I. Taylor
- Donique Grace Patton
- Effects Lighting Supervisor
- Chris Peterson
- Effects Compositing Supervisor
- Jim Hillin
- Supervising Effects Animators
- Michael N. Daugherty
- Curtis A.J. Edwards
- Simon O'Connor
- Patrick Roberts
- Lighting Technical Directors/Compositors/
Effects Artists - Charles Anderson
- Grant Anderson
- Floyd Casey
- D. Wallace Colvard
- Robyn Crane
- Christian Cunningham
- Earl Huddleston
- Michael Levine
- Juniko Moody
- Wally Schaab
- Laura Scholl
- Kathi Spencer
- Adam Stark
- Kenji Sweeney
- Alessandro Tomassetti
- Compositors/
Effects Artists - Arthur Argote
- Yina Chang
- Jim H. Green
- Joan Kim
- Kevin Koneval
- Irina Miloslavsky
- Ethan A. Ormsby
- Winston Quitasol
- Aliza Sorotzkin
- Lisa M. Tse
- Katie A. Tucker
- Lighting Technical Directors/Effects Artists
- Tzyy Wei Huang
- Chris Hummel
- Alessandro Jacomini
- Shanna C. Lim
- Zsolt Krajcsik
- Baudouin Struye
- Lighting Technical Directors
- Jim Aupperle
- Richard E. Lehmann
- Mathias Lorenz
- Steven McCure
- Terry Moews
- Kyle Strawitz
- Compositors
- Judith Bell
- Brooks Campbell
- Feliciano Di Giorgio
- Linda Henry
- Robert Mrozowski
- January Nordman
- Visual Design/Digital Background Painting
- Karen DeJong
- Allen Gonzales
- Eric S. McLean
- Additional Supervision
- Dennis Blake
- Ken Brain
- Mark Lasoff
- Mary Jane Turner
- Digital 2D Paint/Roto Supervisor
- Sandy Houston
- Digital 2D Paint/Roto Artists
- Jacqueline Allard
- Elissa Bello
- Marcus Y. Carter
- Christine W. Cram
- Doug Cram
- Lisa A. Fisher
- Kent Gordon
- Alexander Linger
- Stacie Manning
- Jennifer E. Murray
- Dolores Pope
- Barbara C. Reed
- Lucy Green Taylor
- Additional Digital Background Painters
- Judith Bell
- Robert Mrozowski
- Associate Editor
- Mark Hester
- Art Director
- Cristy Maltese
- Set Decorator
- 1st Unit:
- Jeffery Gann McManus
- Main Title
- The Picture Mill
- Vocalists
- Josie Aiello
- Alexandra Brown
- Lynn Davis
- Jim Gilstrap
- Dorian Holley
- Phillip Ingram
- Kudisan Kai
- Christine Lafond
- Darryl Phinnessee
- Louis Price
- Lisbeth Scott
- Oren Waters
- Yvonne Williams
- Score Conductor
- Pete Anthony
- Choir Conductors
- Paul Salamunovich
- Lebo M.
- Orchestrations
- Brad Dechter
- Jeff Atmajian
- James Newton Howard
- Additional Vocal Arrangements
- Lebo M.
- Executive Music Producer
- Chris Montan
- Electronic Score Producer
- J.T. Hill
- Director of Music Production
- Andrew Page
- Music Production Manager
- Tom MacDougall
- Music Production Co-ordinator
- Deniece LaRocca
- Supervising Music Editor
- Jim Weidman
- Music Editor
- David Olson
- Score Recorder/Mixer
- Shawn Murphy
- Additional Engineering
- Bill Schnee
- Sound Designer/Supervisor
- Christopher Boyes
- Additional Field Recording
- Kathy Turko
- Additional Dialogue Recorder
- Vince Caro
- Brian Riordan
- Bruce Bell
- Re-recording Mixers
- Terry Porter
- Mel Metcalfe
- Dean A. Zupancic
- Christopher Boyes
- Original Dialogue Mixer
- Doc Kane
- Dubbing Recordist
- Judy Nord
- Supervising Sound Editor
- Frank Eulner
- Sound Effects Editors
- Ethan Van Der Ryn
- Scott Guitteau
- Andrea Gard
- ADR Supervisor
- Michele Perrone
- Foley
- Artists:
- Dennie Thorpe
- Jana Vance
- Recordist:
- Frank Merel
- Mixer:
- Tony Eckert
- Editors:
- Jim Likowski
- Joanna Laurent
- John Verbeck
- Voice Cast
- D.B. Sweeney
- Aladar
- Alfre Woodard
- Plio
- Ossie Davis
- Yar
- Max Casella
- Zini
- Hayden Panettiere
- Suri
- Samuel E. Wright
- Kron
- Julianna Margulies
- Neera
- Peter Siragusa
- Bruton
- Joan Plowright
- Baylene
- Della Reese
- Eema
- Matt Adler
- Sandina Bailolape
- Edie Lehmann Boddicker
- Zachary Bostrom
- Catherine Cavadini
- Holly Dorff
- Greg Finley
- Jeff Fischer
- Barbara Iley
- David Allen Kramer
- Susan Stevens Logan
- David McCharen
- Tracy Metro
- Daran Norris
- Bobbi Page
- Noreen Reardon
- Chelsea Russo
- Evan Sabara
- Aaron Spann
- Melanie Spore
- Andrea Taylor
- John Walcutt
- Camille Winbush
- Billy West
- additional voices
- Certificate
- PG
- Distributor
- Buena Vista International (UK)
- 7,382 feet
- 82 minutes 2 seconds
- Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS
- In Colour
- Prints by
- Technicolor