Intro and Jurassic Park (1993)

Welcome to It's a Visual Medium! In this blog, we explore the way movies (and TV shows) convey information to their audience, pointing out all the little visual touches that add themes and motifs in a visual medium. Some of these are original observations, some I take from various sources on the internet. (Mainly the SometingAwful forums' CineDiscusso subforum.) I'm always accepting submissions, and will try to credit everyone who contributes.

To start, I'll highlight one of my favorite bits of visual foreshadowing, from 1993's Jurassic Park. (dir. Spielberg) In the scene where our main cast is arriving at the island by helicopter, owner John Hammond, (Richard Attenborough) announces that they have to come in fast, and things will get shaky. Everyone immediately buckles their safetybelts without a hitch:

With the exception of Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), who finds himself stuck with two female pieces, unable to connect:

Thinking quickly, Grant does what come instinctively, and just ties the two belts together, fashioning an improvised harness for himself.

Wait a second, here. Two female components that aren't supposed to go together, but they do anyway, to fulfill their natural function? Wait, that seems like it could be important later...

Life Finds A Way.