Fanspot
Excavations
“Maybe dinosaurs have more in common with birds than with reptiles.”
Alan Grant (Sam Neill)
The scene of the excavation, during which Professor Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Professor Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) discover a complete velociraptor skeleton, is supposed to take place in Montana but was actually produced in Red Rock Canyon, near Las Vegas, Nevada.
It is after several weeks spent in Hawaii and then a shooting at Universal Pictures in Los Angeles that Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Steven Spielberg meet in the Ridgecrest section of Red Rock Canyon. The site is chosen based on its proximity to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The action takes place in Montana where dinosaur remains have been found. In Red Rock Canyon, on the other hand, the only skeleton uncovered was the one that Steven Spielberg buried for the purposes of Jurassic Park.
The bones discovered by Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler are those of a Deinonychus Antirropus. If the dinosaur is referred to as a velociraptor by the characters, it is because Michael Crichton, the author of the novel that inspired the feature film, felt that the real name of the animal sounded less good. A choice responsible for a misunderstanding that still exists today. This is how velociraptors were introduced into popular culture, far from their true form. The authentic skeleton on which Steven Spielberg’s teams based the raptors of Jurassic Park was also sold at auction by Christie’s in 2022 for between 4 and 6 million dollars. Skeleton discovered… in Montana.
Jurassic Park was the biggest box office hit of all time for 5 years.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Located about twenty kilometers from Las Vegas, this natural park is an integral part of the Mojave Desert.
Red Rock Canyon is popular for its many red-colored sandstone formations, the tallest of which is 1000 meters high. The site is home to several petroglyphs carved millions of years ago by Native American peoples. One of the most visited places in Nevada, Red Rock Canyon is also a reserve for a hundred species of birds such as the greater roadrunner or the golden eagle.
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By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.