What’s The Best Dinosaur Movie According To Palaeontologists? We Asked Some To Find Out

Dinosaur Movies: A Brief History

Gertie The Dinosaur is one of the earliest examples of an animated dinosaur appearing in a movie, if you class 13 minutes and 51 seconds as sufficient enough to count. In it, we see a bunch of lads head out on a joyride to the museum where Winsor McCay bets George McManus dinner that he can make the dinosaurs live again through a series of hand-drawn cartoons. The ensuing series of line drawings (that took six months to complete) depicting what looks to be a Diplodocus are certainly charming, but they didn’t make it into the hall of fame for today’s palaeontologists.

It’s easy to see why. Today, we are spoilt for choice with dinosaur films and documentaries using ground-breaking technology to bring to life creatures we could once only dream of, but it’s been a journey. 

The reason it’s a favourite is mainly because they actually went to a lot of effort to make the dinosaurs look like dinosaurs.

Prof. Paul Barrett

From the blown-up reptiles of One Million B.C. to the animatronics in Jurassic Park that were convincing enough to fool people into thinking Steven Spielberg was a trophy hunter, we’ve come a long way. Prehistoric Planet demonstrated the incredible capabilities of today’s visual effects, bringing to our screens the most accurate depictions of dinosaurs like Velociraptor and Therizinosaurus the world has seen (and an IFLS favorite, the massive great Beelzebufo frog to boot). 

However, as the 1990s hit Walking With Dinosaurs proved, you don’t need all the whizzbangs and gadgets to make a life-changing dino flick (oh, and it’s coming back, by the way). So, what’s the best dinosaur movie according to palaeontologists? As luck would have it, we went and asked a bunch.

The Best Dinosaur Movies According To Palaeontologists

First up, Prof Paul Barrett of the Natural History Museum, London, shared how one pivotal dinosaur movie actually helped to kick off his entire career.

That’s like the 100 million-year-old question!

Dr Dean Lomax

“I think probably my favorite dinosaur movie is Jurassic Park, and the reason it’s a favourite is mainly because they actually went to a lot of effort to make the dinosaurs look like dinosaurs,” he told IFLScience. “They weren’t simply movie monsters, where they took some poor iguana and stuck bits of foam on it to make it look more frightening.” We’re looking at you, One Million B.C. “They actually went some length to talk to scientists and make the dinosaurs look as accurate as they possibly could.” 

“I actually got my first job in Paleo thanks to Jurassic Park, because I ended up being the research assistant for the then dinosaur curator here, Angela Milner, because she had so many media inquiries, she needed a temporary assistant that summer to help her out,” Barrett continued. “So not only do I like it because it’s a good movie, but it also gave me my first job.”

Probably the most memorable career origin story we’ve heard since finding out our Marketing Coordinator & Writer Charlie Haigh started out making balloon sculptures.

There are a few others that I kind of get a kick out of, but I can’t say that they’re good films.

Dr Darren Naish

Next, we spoke to palaeontologist, author, and presenter  Dr Dean Lomax of the Rutland Sea Dragon fame. His two-pronged response touched on a classic, and reminded us of heartbreak we thought we’d gotten over.

“That’s like the 100 million-year-old question! That’s a tough one,” he told IFLScience. “Part of me would always want to shoot for Jurassic Park, simply because it is the GOAT. But, primarily, because it forever changed how people looked at prehistoric animals. This, combined with the fact that it also genuinely encouraged more people to visit museums and also make palaeontology mainstream.” 

“Still, ignoring JP, my personal favourite is The Land Before Time. I say this because I have so many fond memories of rewatching Littlefoot and the gang, and because this film was a great introduction to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals for the younger generations.”

Dr Darren Naish, paleontologist and consultant on Prehistoric Planet, followed up in support of JP, including a solid point about the difference between a good dinosaur movie and a fun one.

“I suppose it has to be Jurassic Park,” he told IFLScience. “There are a few others that I kind of get a kick out of, but I can’t say that they’re good films.”

Dr Jingmai O’Connor, Associate Curator of Fossil Reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, came through with an answer that really got us thinking. We interviewed O’Connor not long ago on the topic  “Do We Still Live In An Age Of Dinosaurs?” and you may be able to guess the answer based on this response.

“My favorite dinosaur movie: Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds,” she said to IFLScience. “Why? Well, because they don’t exaggerate the dinosaurs (much larger than life size in JP) and because they mention Archaeopteryx.”

I take my job very seriously, ensuring that the filmmakers know what paleontologists know about the real dinosaurs, the real fossils, the real evidence.

Prof Steve Brusatte

University of Edinburgh palaeontologist Prof Steve Brusatte came prepared for the question – perhaps unsurprising, as Brusatte is no stranger to Hollywood as the palaeo advisor on Jurassic World Dominion and the upcoming Jurassic World: Rebirth.

“For me, the answer is simple,” he said. “It’s Jurassic Park, the original. Maybe it is a bit clichéd, but I remember it so vividly, seeing it in the cinema with my dad and brothers back in the summer of 1993 when I was nine years old.” 

“I had never seen dinosaurs portrayed that way before. They were ferocious and nasty and in your face, but they were also shown as real animals.” The special effects even stand up today, hardly appearing dated, and still making the animals look alive, he told IFLScience.

“Those dinosaurs still rock. Many years later, I’m stunned that I got the opportunity to be the paleontology consultant for the Jurassic World series. So, I now take my job very seriously, ensuring that the filmmakers know what paleontologists know about the real dinosaurs, the real fossils, the real evidence,” he said. 

“I hope that there are nine-year-old kids out there these days, watching the Jurassic World films, feeling that same sense of awe that I did in 1993. And who knows, some of them may end up becoming paleontologists, or even paleontologist movie consultants!”

An inspiring answer to the big dinosaur movie question, and perhaps our favorite, but shortly followed by this shot of reality from the Natural History Museum, London’s Prof. Susie Maidment.

“I’m afraid I’m going to rubbish at answering that, because I very rarely watch movies with dinosaurs in them,” she told IFLScience. “It’s like watching a movie on your work… why would I do that in my spare time?”

Touché.