Editorials
[Retrospective] Why ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ Is a Better Sequel Than It Gets Credit For
Regardless of your thoughts on the Jurassic franchise’s resurgence, it’s quite clear at this point that dinosaurs make for some sweet box-office numbers. Including Fallen Kingdom, we’ve seen four films since the original Jurassic Park, and despite varying degrees of critical success, every single one of them has managed to turn a handsome profit. With more Jurassic sequels inevitably looming on the horizon, I think that maybe it’s time to take a step back and appreciate what I believe to be the most worthy successor the original film.
Naturally, I’m talking about the unfairly maligned The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
It’s hard to overstate the impact that Spielberg’s first foray into cinematic dino-mayhem had on Hollywood. Not only did Jurassic Park blow box-office expectations out of the water, it also became a pop-culture icon, making prehistory cool again and inspiring a whole new generation of future paleontologists. Hell, this was the movie that made me fall in love with movies, and I’m sure that I’m not the only one. Naturally, in a move that surprised absolutely nobody, the studio demanded another one.
Michael Crichton was soon pressured into authoring a sequel to his best-selling novel that inspired the film, and Spielberg once again agreed to direct an adaptation. Things would be harder this time around, however, with the director insisting on completing three different projects (Amistad, Saving Private Ryan and The Lost World) all within the same year.
That’s not to say that the making of Jurassic Park was all fun and games, as people tend to forget how much of a miracle it was that it turned out like it did. With hurricanes delaying shooting and absurd rumors claiming that Spielberg directed portions of the film over the phone due to his commitment to Schindler’s List (he actually was absent for most of the post-production process on JP, shooting his tribute to Holocaust survivors in Europe as he received grainy satellite footage of CG dinosaurs from America), production wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Regardless, having already crafted an insanely entertaining blockbuster despite these hurdles, Spielberg once again dove into the fray and attempted to complete this new dinosaur movie as quickly and efficiently as possible. Sadly, the decision to rush this project out for a 1997 release date, while incredibly brave, is probably to blame for its eventual lukewarm reception.
Well, that and Spielberg’s insistence on cloning real dinosaurs and teaching them to act.
And yet, after all these years, I still insist that The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a remarkably entertaining thrill-ride that channels some of Spielberg’s best work in the horror genre, managing to be one of those rare sequels that refuses to rehash the previous film. While the director ultimately ended up discarding most of Crichton’s material during production, Spielberg saw this movie as an opportunity to make something fresh and a hell of a lot darker (something that even the marketing campaign seemed to relish in). While many criticized The Lost World for being more mean-spirited and lacking the original’s sense of wonder, I’m fairly certain that everyone involved had the time of their lives making a bona fide monster movie.
From the very first scene, where a young girl is attacked by a breathtakingly convincing pack of tiny dinosaurs (we’ll talk about the wonderful effects soon enough), the movie establishes a very different tone. This is made abundantly clear with one of the greatest (and most ironic) scene transitions of all time, which introduces us to the film’s greatest asset: the one and only Jeff Goldblum.
Although Dr. Ian Malcom isn’t quite as seductively entertaining this time around, a condition that unfortunately extends to most of the film’s characters, he’s still the highlight of the picture. It’s hard not to smile as Goldblum lets out sarcastic, self-aware quips about the ridiculous nature of the film’s very premise, and his charisma manages to carry The Lost World through most of its blander segments.
Still, these characters are mostly to blame for the movie’s bad reputation. While the casting is just as phenomenal here as it was in the first film, there are simply too many people to keep track of due to the film’s higher body-count, and there simply isn’t enough time to go around. Couple that with some baffling decision-making by the protagonists, and it’s easy to see why moviegoers didn’t connect with this film like they did with the first.
Rest in peace, random InGen mercenaries. You will be missed, I guess.
The problematic character work actually has roots in another of the film’s issues, as it’s obvious that several scenes were cut without much thought given to the effect that their absence would have on the story. This movie is plagued by missing character information and continuity errors due to a sizable amount of deleted scenes, many of which were crucial to make sense of the film’s glorious final sequence. While this could mean that there’s a flawless three-hour cut of The Lost World hidden in a warehouse somewhere, it’s more likely that Spielberg simply realized that his reach exceeded his grasp with this project, and he decided to cut corners in order to guarantee a more streamlined and watchable experience.
While I would kill to see a restored and extended edition of the film, it seems that Spielberg prioritized making a fun movie above all else, even if it meant leaving some elements rough around the edges, and I can respect that. Even so, I find it easy to forgive many of these flaws once the film goes into full-on survival-horror mode towards the second half.
Ironically, there is a surprising amount of gruesome deaths in this rather heavy-handed parable about animal conservation. The kills aren’t even limited to the antagonists either, with severable likable characters being ripped apart in the most brutal ways that a PG-13 rating can provide. From velociraptors hiding in tall grass to pissed off T-Rex parents, Spielberg masterfully extracts every last drop of suspense from these monsters, with a few standout sequences even being comparable to some of the best parts of Jaws.
And speaking of monsters, dinosaur effects have literally never looked better. The film’s darker palette allowed for some extremely realistic-looking CG models that blended in seamlessly to their shadowy environments, putting most modern effects work to shame. While the CG did have its flaws, mostly during awkward day-time scenes, Stan Winston’s jaw-dropping practical effects are just as magical now as they were then. Even Roger Ebert praised the authenticity of the production, claiming that “It can be said that the creatures in this film transcend any visible signs of special effects and seem to walk the earth,” before proceeding to complain about the rest of the picture.
The catering budget must have been huge.
The effects during the final kaiju-inspired sequence in San Diego were also magnificent, as your brain eventually stops trying to tell CGI and puppetry apart and just accepts that these are living, breathing dinosaurs. The funny thing is that this wasn’t even in the original script! After production had already begun, Spielberg thought that it would be fun to bring the dinosaur rampage closer to home for a more memorable finale, and I couldn’t agree more with the bold decision.
Additionally, the film also boasted what was arguably the best promotional material of the franchise so far, featuring the best toys, video games and supplemental media. The marketing seems to have taken a liking to Spielberg’s darker vision for the sequel, adding bloody wounds to action figures and making posters that advertised something more akin to a horror attraction instead of the first film’s wondrous theme park.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park may not be as good as the first film, but judged on its own merits, it’s still a damned fine monster movie. It may be a darker and meaner experience, and there are a few cringe-worthy moments here and there (I still can’t believe that the first dinosaur killed by a human in these movies was murdered via gymnastics), but this is still a ride worth taking in 2018, even if you’re not a fan of the more recent JP sequels.
Horror was permanently changed in 1984 when Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street unleashed Freddy Krueger on the world. This brutal boogeyman pushed horror to exciting new places, but so much of the character’s impact is the result of Robert Englund’s quintessential performance.
Englund has a long and storied career as a performer that’s covered far more than horror alone. However, there’s such a sublime, sinister synergy between Englund and this heightened genre that’s made him one of horror’s most revered names.
Englund is set to scare audiences again as a malevolent reimagining of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio Unstrung, but he’s also been responsible for many more macabre monsters.
The Cricket (Pinocchio Unstrung)
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has somehow spun a morbid experiment in public domain exploitation into its own cinematic universe, the Twisted Childhood Universe. There’s been increasing promise in the TCU’s various films, which has also led to a growing list of capable horror guest stars, such as Roger L. Jackson, Richard Brake, and now Robert Englund. Englund is by far the most impressive name to attach himself to one of these movies, and Pinocchio Unstrung certainly doesn’t squander the opportunity to have him on board as its terrifying take on Jiminy Cricket. Englund’s performance as “The Cricket” in Pinocchio Unstrung becomes a sinister subversion of the classic character who is meant to function as Pinocchio’s conscience and moral compass.
Englund’s Cricket is instead the ultimate instigator who perpetually pushes Pinocchio into greater violence that condemns humanity and its many misgivings, rather than idolizing all the “real boys” in the world. Pinocchio Unstrung is a love letter to practical effects and old-fashioned animatronics and puppetry. This means that Englund just provides the voice for Cricket, but it’s still a deeply sinister performance and one of the most unnerving characters to appear in the Twisted Childhood Universe. Once again, Englund is careful not to just repurpose his Freddy Krueger persona, and he instead develops an original voice that plays into past renditions of the character. There’s a palpable rage and disdain in Englund’s Cricket that turns him into a threatening loose cannon and makes the audience forget that he’s only a few inches tall.
The Phantom of the Opera (The Phantom of the Opera)
The Phantom of the Opera is a foundational horror story that’s still being explored over a century later. 1989’s cinematic adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 classic doesn’t always get the respect that it deserves, despite it containing one of Englund’s most nuanced horror performances. Directed by Dwight H. Little, who previously helmed the underrated Halloween 4, The Phantom of the Opera operates as a gorier take on Leroux’s source material that feels like a lost Hammer Film picture. The titular Phantom is the perfect role for Englund following A Nightmare on Elm Street, and his participation in the picture was initiated by Englund promising his agent that he’d do another horror project after Elm Street’s success.
Englund was excited to tackle an iconic character who had previously been portrayed by formative horror legends like Herbert Lom, Claude Rains, and Lon Chaney. Englund beautifully fits the mold and is sublime casting for this ‘80s take on the character. Englund taps into a powerful dichotomy between the Phantom’s brutal and tragically sympathetic nature. It’s a role that’s significantly deeper than Freddy Krueger and better explores Englund’s range as an actor, which helps get him away from cheesy one-liners. It also doesn’t hurt that Little concocts a uniquely twisted take on the Phantom’s disfigurement, which was achieved by sewing human skin onto Englund’s face. The modern-day sequences that bookend the film were meant to tie into a planned sequel, The Phantom of the Opera 2: Terror in Manhattan, which unfortunately never came to fruition.
Victor Creel (Stranger Things)
Love it or hate it, Stranger Things assembled some impressive guest stars that took advantage of their respective legacies as ‘80s genre legends, such as Linda Hamilton, Matthew Modine, Cary Elwes, and Robert Englund. Englund’s turn as Victor Creel in the streaming hit’s fourth season is one of the series’ best performances and a role that rises above the mediocrity around it. Victor Creel is an opportunity for Englund to actually subvert expectations and play against type. It’s brilliant casting that initially conditions the audience to be wary of Creel and view him as a frightening threat. This perception is reinforced when Creel is encountered in a psychiatric ward and horrifically blinded.
Creel’s disturbing eye-gouged appearance is revealed to actually be a symptom of his tragic life and the psychological torment he received from Vecna. Creel is hard to look at, but there’s nothing to fear about him. He’s led a sad life that’s filled with inescapable guilt. He’s more like one of Freddy Krueger’s victims than Freddy himself. Englund goes above and beyond as Victor Creel, and the emotional monologues that he delivers are among some of the actor’s best work and proof that Englund’s still got it.
Marquis de Sade (Night Terrors)
Tobe Hooper’s Night Terrors is a particularly forgettable ’90s horror film that faced a litany of production problems and changes that certainly didn’t do it any favors. The story is a mess, even for a Cannon Video production, but it provides the novelty of Englund pulling double duty as the cruel Marquis de Sade and his modern day descendant, Paul Chevalier. Night Terrors banked on the novelty of Hooper directing Englund as one of history’s greatest monsters, and his performance is easily the best thing about this movie.
There’s an unabashed glee to Englund’s work as the Marquis de Sade that’s reminiscent of Freddy Krueger’s twisted jubilation over his creative murders, yet it doesn’t just feel like a carbon copy of Englund’s iconic role. There’s an appreciated degree of restraint going on before the film goes off the rails and incorporates supernatural elements and abstract dream sequences. Chevalier and his modern cult worship the Marquis de Sade as a deity of torture and liberation. The nightmare sequences that involve the Marquis de Sade are the most chilling and make this figure look as frightening on the outside as he is on the inside. There’s enough to latch onto here, even if the film as a whole is a mess, and Englund doesn’t squander the opportunity to play two sides of the same creepy coin.
Scarecrow (Injustice 2)
Robert Englund is no stranger to voiceover work, and he’s voiced his share of macabre and memorable characters over the years. That being said, one of his most inspired roles is the work that he did in NetherRealm’s dark DC Comics-based fighter, Injustice 2, where he plays Jonathan Crane, better known as the Scarecrow. There’s a certain tongue-in-cheek brilliance to having Englund voicing the Batman rogue who is the self-appointed “Master of Fear.” There’s certainly a meta quality to Englund’s casting here, right down to how some of his dialogue explicitly references Freddy Krueger one-liners like “Welcome to your nightmare” and “Now I’m playing with power.”
Englund doesn’t just phone in this performance or replicate his work as Freddy. The actor cultivates a unique voice for Scarecrow that cuts to the core of this character in a menacing manner. Englund’s Scarecrow is raspy, erratic, and honestly one of the better takes on Dr. Crane. It makes one wonder what he’d be able to accomplish if he were playing the part in live-action. He takes a simple role and breathes fresh life into it. Curiously, it’s not his first time playing a Batman villain. He does comparably interesting work as The Riddler in The Batman and the more obscure sorcerer, Felix Faust, in Justice League.
Evil Bloodthirsty Brian (The Hughleys)
There’s a surprising relationship between horror icons and sitcoms, with Robert Englund being no stranger to adding a devious dose of terror to a farcical comedy. Englund shows up as a playful take on Lucifer in Married…with Children, but he also provides a genuinely chilling performance in the first season of The Hughleys. Season one’s “Storm O’ the Century” is centered around the Hughleys and Rogerses getting stranded at a seemingly haunted hotel during an intense blizzard.
“Storm O’ the Century” functions as a proper love letter to horror fans, with genre guest stars that include The Addams Family’s John Astin, The Shining’s Shelley Duvall, and Robert Englund as the comically-named Evil Bloodthirsty Brian. The episode certainly prioritizes its comedy, but it manages to also be legitimately creepy thanks to a locked-in performance by Englund. He’s used sparingly, but always to punctuate a particular scene and function as a jump scare. Evil Bloodthirsty Brian sports a ghastly scar and has a look that’s just frightening enough to be included on a ’90s sitcom. Anyone who is curious about Englund’s performance can check it out for free on Tubi.
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