Jurassic Park's Dinosaurs Almost Looked A Lot Less Cool

The terrifying dinosaurs of Jurassic Park were almost a lot less fearsome than they ended up being, according to a new minidocumentary released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 1993 when Jurassic Park first premiered, computer graphics were still in their infancy, and classic methods of visual effects like stop-motion ruled the industry. Producers found advanced technologies not worth the price and hassle and kept computer-generated imagery (CGI) to a minimum. Innovators at George Lucas's special-effects house, Industrial Light & Magic, were the ones who pushed production of the dinosaur blockbuster to modernize and give audiences a monster unlike anything they had ever seen.

For those who have never stopped being hypnotized by the movie and those who can't wait for its reboot to hit theaters (Hel-lo, Chris Pratt!), watch as the masterminds behind the digital dinosaurs explain how they pushed for the inclusion of CGI to create a groundbreaking new form of storytelling.

Did you know: There are only about 15 total minutes of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and less than half of those appearances used CGI. If you watched the movie again, could you spot the differences?