TIL: All the computers on the set of Jurassic Park were real, and someone has finally catalogued them in ’excruciating detail’ because life, uh, finds a way
Researcher Fabien Sanglard has meticulously documented all the computer equipment used on the original Jurassic Park film set, publishing the detailed catalogue on his website. The documentation examines the specific hardware in what Sanglard describes as “excruciating detail,” offering an in-depth look at the technological environment of 1990s cinema.
Among the catalogued items is the SGI Granite Keyboard in Indigo Style, the keyboard used by Samuel L. Jackson’s character during a pivotal scene in which he attempts to regain control of the park’s security systems. The project represents a thorough piece of technological archaeology, preserving the material culture of both filmmaking and computing from that era.
The comprehensive documentation appeals to technology enthusiasts interested in computing history as well as Jurassic Park fans curious about the practical details of the film’s production. The work underscores the considerable attention to authenticity in creating a believable technological environment for the film, even when most viewers would never scrutinize such details. Such thorough cataloguing serves to preserve the often-overlooked hardware and equipment that contributed to the visual authenticity of one of cinema’s most influential blockbusters.