Yesterday I started to read Ray Bradbury's short story A Sound of Thunder. I ran out of time in my break so I'll have to pick up later.
Essentially its a story about time tourism and dinosaur shooting parties, specifically a T.Rex.
I found the above shot of the original magazine entry from the Fifties. I thought the artwork was superb. Ray B has signed this online example too!
The bit I read made me think of Jurassic Park and the second instalment where the big game hunter just wants to bag a T.Rex. I wonder if the author Michael Crichton ever read The Sound of Thunder? Have you read it readers?
Who can forget the impact tremors in the first film, the very stuff of my own childhood nightmares decades earlier when I imagined a Thunder Lizard stomping down my street and peering through my bedroom window, a nightmare scenario which Crichton included in the second film.
My favourite impact tremors are the simple vibrations in the glass of water seen in JP.
Are there any more dinosaur tourism books or films?
I seem to remember a comic strip adaptation of that story. It might've been in the Marvel uk Planet of the Apes comic that I used to get as a kid.
ReplyDeleteWow, a strip! I remember that comic Kev.
Delete2000ad originally ran a story called 'Flesh', where future man, running out of food for a burgeoning population uses time travel, to return to the Cretaceous and farm dinosaurs for their meat. Naturally, things didnt go to plan.
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant idea! Wish I'd have read 2000AD more.
DeleteRead TYRANNOSAUR by David Drake.Its a good one.
ReplyDeleteJust looked it up Brian. A new one on me, author and book. Looks good and very A Sound of Thunder!
DeleteThere is a film version of the story starring Ed Burns (Saving Private Ryan fame) directed by Peter Hyams
ReplyDeleteReally! I shall have to check it out. Thanks Dave!
DeleteI’m pretty sure it was also done as an episode in the Ray Bradbury tv show in the early 90s
ReplyDeleteThanks again Dave!
DeleteOne of my favorite short stories. I've read it 30-40 times. One of several read to us by teacher in primary school (would have been juniors about the same time The Hobbit was read to us). Enjoy!
ReplyDelete40 times! Blimey Toadster, I've only just found it and not read it completely yet, which I need to rectify. Cor, you remember what was read to you at Primary! I'm so jealous of your memory banks! I can't recall a darn thing from first school!
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