When we think of extinct species, we think of the creatures of the past – long gone and impossible to bring back. But what if these extinct species could be brought back to life again, albeit in a different form? For decades, filmmakers have been using the stories of extinct species to craft captivating movies. From dinosaurs to mammoths, these movies have drawn the attention of millions of viewers. Here we will take a look at the top 5 movies based on extinct species.
1. King Kong
It’s no secret that King Kong isn’t an accurate representation of a regular gorilla, but of a pre-historic creature; nevertheless, his species is in danger. We should pay homage to the 2005 re-make which updated the classic, while still preserving its originality. In 1933, the special effects used to create the giant creature were revolutionary and well ahead of its time. The use of stop-motion animation and rear-projection set a standard for special effects for years to follow, revolutionizing the film industry. Everyone knows the story of a giant prehistoric gorilla that is discovered by a film crew who take him back to exhibit in New York, only for him to escape and cause chaos in the city.
2. Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel, Jurassic Park, follows the story of John Hammond, a wealthy entrepreneur who opens a park featuring dinosaurs cloned from DNA. Unfortunately, due to a safety breach, the dinosaurs are set free, causing destruction. The ground-breaking special effects utilized for this movie in 1993 paved the way for CGI to be used in movies and helped create a franchise with six movies. Though none of them ever achieved the same amount of success as the original Jurassic Park, it remains a timeless classic.
3. Life of Pi
Director Ang Lee was awarded the Best Director Oscar at the 2013 Academy Awards for his movie adaptation of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning book Life of Pi. Pi Patel is stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean, accompanied by a variety of wild animals, including a large Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The picture is incredibly vivid and has a dreamlike quality to it. It depicts the splendor and danger of nature in an intense and realistic way, as Pi navigates his long and trying 227-day journey. The use of 3D technology allows the viewers to become immersed in the chaos and emotion of the experience.
4. Ice Age
Disney’s Ice Age is a beloved movie series that follows Sid, Manny, and Diego, a sloth, mammoth, and tiger respectively, as they attempt to reunite a baby with its father during a time of an impending Ice Age. With comedic elements such as Scrat’s pursuit of an acorn, as well as the relationships between the main characters, it has a wide range of appeal to viewers of all ages.
5. Madagascar
The majority of creatures featured in the 2005 hit movie Madagascar, while classified as ‘vulnerable’ instead of ‘endangered,’ showcase a particularly endangered genus, starring well-known celebrities such as Ben Stiller, Sacha Baron Cohen, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The movie, which tells the story of animals from a New York Zoo that are stranded in their natural habitats, lives up to its comedic promise, although it might be a bit lacking in the plot.
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