Imax’s ‘T-Rex’ Stands Tall in Terms of Education

The original intent of Marla Matzer’s article “Keeping Imax in Focus” (Calendar, Nov. 27) was unfairly represented by The Times’ photo captions regarding the new Imax film “T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous.” These captions appear to have been influenced by the narrow views shared by museum directors Jeff Rudolph and John Wickstrom of the California Science Center and Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, respectively. I take particular exception to the story’s implication that “T-Rex” does not meet certain standards of cinematic quality or scientific value.

Quite frankly, “T-Rex” boasts the highest production values of any film ever made in the Imax 3-D format. The production team put forth an incredible effort to give veracity and authenticity to the dinosaurs and their paleontological environment. As for the scientific qualifications of “T-Rex,” Philip Currie of Alberta’s Royal Tyrell Museum, one of the world’s foremost paleontologists, served as our advisor on the film. Currie can verify the painstaking attention given to the most minuscule details in the film, such as the nostril slant on the parasaurolophus.

Not only are the Cretaceous- period dinosaurs modeled after the most exacting scientific standards, there is a tremendous amount of scientific and historical information embedded in the film. Viewers are introduced to turn-of-the-century pioneering paleontologists Charles Knight and Barnum Brown. The scientific theory of evolution is discussed, and careful emphasis is placed on the exacting layout of each dinosaur dig site in the film. It is no mere coincidence that recent groundbreaking discoveries of dinosaur eggs with intact embryos in Argentina (L.A. Times, Nov. 18) bear out some of the scientific theories explored in “T-Rex.”

On a personal note, I come from a long line of educators. My father was an elementary school teacher and a principal. My grandmother was a teacher, as well as several of my aunts and uncles. As a parent, I approached this film bearing a distinct mantle of responsibility for its educational content. I find the views expounded by Rudolph and Wickstrom on what should comprise an educational experience for the modern family audience completely absurd.

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For them to discount the tremendous scientific and educational aspects of “T-Rex” because it is framed in an entertaining format misses the central point of the educational debate raging in our society. That is, “How do we educate a media-saturated culture of children without attracting their attention in an entertaining way?” Any modern teacher worth his or her salt will tell you that you have to get the kids’ attention first before you can educate them.

Referencing the fantasy scene where the protagonist is transported back in time to the Cretaceous period, Wickstrom laments, “A particular segment of the audience that ‘T-Rex’ appeals to, elementary school kids, might go away thinking this is real.”

I believe we need to give contemporary children a little more credit in being able to distinguish between fantasy and reality. For example, consider “Sesame Street.” Because Big Bird is a fantasy character, does that damage the educational impact and credibility of the alphabet and math basics taught on the show? Does the fantasy elephant voice-over utilized in “Africa’s Elephant Kingdom,” which has been playing in Rudolph’s theater, undermine the educational information presented? I don’t think so. It’s an engaging story conceit, which frames the educational aspects about elephants in an emotional light that human beings can relate to. The same is true for the story conceits and framing devices used in “T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous.”

I am deeply concerned for the education of our children when we leave the curriculum planning of our museums and educational institutions to the myopic and hypocritical agendas of people like Jeff Rudolph and John Wickstrom. I say “hypocritical” because Wickstrom exhibited the highly educational concert film “Rolling Stones at the Max.” Rudolph plans to exhibit the film “Encounters in the Third Dimension,” which although an entertaining film, has much less educational content than “T-Rex,” featuring extended sequences of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark brandishing her cleavage in Imax 3-D. I would like to ask Rudolph how that film meets his “standards” where “T-Rex” does not. Come on, Jeff. Give me a break.

Brett Leonard is the co-founder of L-Squared Entertainment, a Santa Monica-based mini-studio. He directed “T-Rex,” “Virtuosity,” “Hideaway” and “The Lawnmower Man.” He is currently directing his next Imax 3-D film, “Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box.”