Steven Spielberg is a legendary filmmaker whose resume has delivered some of cinema’s greatest quotes. 51 years after Jaws, fans are still saying, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” People have been telling E.T. to “phone home” since 1982, and borrowing from Indiana Jones since 1981, repeating classic lines like “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” Each line has stood out for marking moments that affected the audience, whether through fear, intrigue, or even humor, highlighting the masterful storytelling that thrives in the director’s work.
One of Spielberg’s most quoted films is his 1993 sci-fi masterpiece, Jurassic Park. While the dinosaur thrills may have lured the audience in, the smart screenplay by Michael Crichton, based on his novel, and David Koepp (Mission: Impossible, War of the Worlds) delivers memorable lines for just about every character. Fans know that John Hammond “Spared no expense,” and Samuel L. Jackson’s Mr. Arnold warned everyone to “Hold on to your butts.” Even Grant’s awe at seeing his first group of brachiosaurs will always be punctuated by Sam Neil’s stunned delivery of “They’re moving in herds. They do move in herds.” However, the most memorable lines are generally attributed to the stellar Jeff Goldblum, who plays the charismatic Dr. Ian Malcolm.
Jeff Goldblum Has the Best ‘Jurassic Park’ Quotes
Goldblum brings a frantic, skeptical energy to Malcolm, who is portrayed as a rock-star intellectual, right down to his all-black attire. The character delivers an irreverent flair that easily sets him apart, with his unconventional swagger adding distinct appeal. This also allows Malcolm to have a wide range of quotable moments throughout Jurassic Park. The most famous quote the doctor utters is likely: “Life, uh, finds a way.” However, his plea to Hammond about playing god is instantly recognizable, with Malcolm stating, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
Yet, he also has some of the movie’s funniest lines. Jurassic Park masterfully weaves humor throughout, with some jokes lending depth to a character, while others cut tension during the movie’s more harrowing scenes. Malcolm gets a great bit of both, with some of the biggest laughs, like saying, “That is one big pile of sh*t.” While that line may draw one of the film’s most memorable moments, it doesn’t quite outweigh one that is brilliantly layered, speaking to the character in fantastically nuanced and darkly funny ways.
“Boy, Do I Hate Being Right All the Time!”
When the T. rex breaks out of its enclosure, the tension couldn’t be higher. Thankfully, right as things are ramping up, Malcolm drops one of his most famous lines, saying, “Boy, do I hate being right all the time!” The words generate a quick laugh, as he has been the ethical voice of reason. It’s also a terrible moment to make a joke, as they are being plunged into potentially deadly peril, but that’s why it speaks to Malcolm as a character. Even in the face of danger, he’s still the cocky doctor who will take a moment to pat himself on the back for being right, even if through a joke. It also brilliantly masks his fear in the moment, allowing him to be cocky even when he has no clue what to do.
Jurassic Park uses Malcolm as a voice of concern, as he literally discusses his work in chaos theory, which posits that a simple change can cause a system to succumb to unpredictability. In basic terms, it’s “the butterfly effect,” with Nedry being the unknown factor that causes the park to begin failing, proving Malcolm right. As the T. rex breaks free, his earlier line about scientists being preoccupied with whether they could or should bears even more meaning. When he lands his quote about being right, it perfectly embodies his dark-humor sensibilities, with a moment of smug vindication at the least appropriate time. It may not get the biggest laugh, despite deserving it, but Malcolm easily nails one of the funniest quotes of all time.
- Release Date
-
June 11, 1993
- Runtime
-
127 minutes
