Jurassic Park, the action-packed science fiction adventure directed by Steven Spielberg, was catapulted to new heights in Leeds this weekend.
The film, which pits man against prehistoric predator in the ultimate battle for survival, was shown in HD, on a massive screen, and with the full symphony Orchestra of Opera North performing John Williams’ iconic score live to the picture.
For those who haven’t seen the film, it is an American science fiction adventure set on the island of Isla Nublar (fictionally located near Costa Rica). The film tells the story of how a billionaire philanthropist and his team of geneticists extract dinosaur DNA from fossilised mosquitos and then grow living animals to create a park of de-extinct dinosaurs. When a catastrophic event takes place and the park’s security precautions fail, a group of specialists, and the grandchildren of the philanthropist, face the challenge of their lifetimes in the struggle to escape the island and the clutches of its prehistoric residents.
As you can imagine, the dramatic events of the classic film are backed by an incredible score. However, this weekend saw the music come to life, with the orchestra of Opera North, conducted by Ben Palmer, playing the entire film score live and in time to the film. The film-with-orchestra experience was shown as part of Millennium Square Summer Series, bringing the classic family film of Jurassic Park, plus the sounds of the Orchestra of Opera North, to the people of Leeds.
I attended the Sunday evening showing on behalf of Leeds Living, and was captivated from the moment I arrived. The whole experience was incredible. Not only have I never seen the first Jurassic Park film, but nor have I ever watched a film with a live orchestra. For me, it was stunning to see and hear a live orchestra whilst watching the pre-historic drama unfold on the big screen surrounded by thousands of other equally captivated people.
The music of the film is varied, with almost every moment accompanied by a different tune. For example, when the helicopter drops down to the waterfall pad on Isla Nublar the music, which is so often associated with the film, is exciting and playful. Then, when the dinosaurs are going about their daily business in the park, they are backed by music which is bold, and almost hymn like. When the dinosaurs begin to chase, for example the chase scene between the velociraptors and the T-Rex, the music turns aggressive, fast, threatening and violent. Having the opportunity to hear the music live, brings the drama itself to life. The sound of the trumpets, the ripple of the triangles, and the willowy notes of the clarinets create an incredible atmosphere that cannot be achieved in a cinema.
I cannot imagine how hard it is to keep a 75-piece orchestra in time with such an action-packed film, especially when playing in real time. The film cannot be stopped, the actors will not wait if a note is missed, or the tempo changes accidentally. Throughout the experience, I was in absolute awe of how precise the conductor and his orchestra were. Everything was in perfect synchrony, all of the events in the film were accompanied by the classic music score – simply sublime.
Just before the interval, when in the film the group of specialists and the grandchildren of the philanthropist were stuck in the park whilst the dinosaurs roamed free, the heavens opened, both in the film and in Leeds. In Leeds the rain was torrential, but it did nothing to dampen the spirits of the audience, most of whom remained throughout, despite the weather. The hard and fast fans stayed in their seats, hoods up, watching the film and listening to every beat.
Even with the rain, I really couldn’t recommend this event highly enough. Having live music playing alongside an action film is incredible. The orchestra heightens the sense of wonder, amazement and terror, and gives the audience an even greater movie experience. What is more, such an event is a great way to introduce orchestral music to children, perhaps even inspiring them to pick up an instrument. I cannot wait for another event like it because after this weekend I won’t want to watch another film without a live orchestra!
Photographs by Sarah Zagni. Provided by Opera North.
