The incredible success ofJurassic Parkintroduced a generation of filmgoers to dinosaurs on the big screen, but the first depictions of these prehistoric creatures go backmore than 100 years. That’s because the very first dinosaur film was a 1905 British silent movie that laid the foundations for the portrayal of dinosaurs in cinema long before CGI even existed.
While Steven Spielberg changed the game, it’s important to give credit where credit’s due and recognizePrehistoric Peepsas the first-ever dinosaur movie. As viewers revisit some of the best dinosaur films of all time following therecent release ofJurassic World Rebirth, they should alsotake a moment to learn about the birth of dinosaurs in cinema.
Prehistoric Peeps Is The First Movie To Depict Dinosaurs On Screen
The Film Was Released In 1905
As a four-minute comedy short,Prehistoric Peepsachieved quite a lot in its short runtime. This caveman comedy was based on a cartoon series by Edward Tennyson Reed and depicted non-avian dinosaurs for the first time in film history. Coming from director Lewin Fitzhamon, this one-reel film was packed with impressive practical effects.
ThePrehistoric Peepscartoon comic series began in the 1890s and appeared in the British satirical magazinePunch.
Prehistoric Peepsfeatured actor Sebastian Smith as a sleeping scientist who dreams that he’s being chased by dinosaurs in a cave. With actors inside giant pantomime models, they chase the man who attempts to shoot the creatures to no avail. Eventually, the scientist manages to defeat the monsters before meeting a prehistoric woman who lives in a grass hut.
This wasn’t just the first dinosaur movie but also the first to show cavemen living alongside these prehistoric creatures. Blending action, comedy, fantasy, and sci-fi,Prehistoric Peepsset the tone for future dinosaur films and evenechoed many of the elements that madeJurassic Parksuch a blockbuster juggernaut 88 years later.
Despite Being An Essential Part Of Film History, Prehistoric Has Never Been Officially Released
Prehistoric Peeps Is Available At The British Film Institute
AlthoughPrehistoric Peepsholds an important place in dinosaur cinema history, it has long been difficult to find. Onceonly viewable in person at the British Film Institute, a bootleg copy has since surfaced online, finally giving curious dinosaur enthusiasts a chance to see this long-unavailable short film.
While most will think of Spielberg’s work onJurassic Parkas the most prominent piece of dinosaur media ever made, the truth is that the film comes out of a long legacy of depicting these creatures in cinema. The presentation of everything from a Tyrannosaurus Rex to a Velociraptor on screen has a long history behind it, all of which began withPrehistoric Peeps.
