Buzz
Even before Samuel L. Jackson became a household name with Pulp Fiction, his brief yet impactful role in the 1993 dinosaur thriller Jurassic Park left a lasting impression. Though his screen time was limited compared to stars like Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern, Jackson managed to steal the spotlight with one of the film's most unforgettable lines.
Portraying John "Ray" Arnold, the park's chief engineer, Jackson's character plays a pivotal role when the power fails, unleashing the dinosaurs. Just before attempting to reboot the system, Arnold quips, “Hold onto your butts,” a line that has since become a standout moment in a movie filled with iconic scenes.
In a recent episode of the ReelBlend podcast, Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp shared an intriguing backstory. While juggling scripts for Jurassic Park and the 1992 dark comedy Death Becomes Her, Koepp found inspiration from an unlikely source. Robert Zemeckis, director of Death Becomes Her, unknowingly contributed the now-famous line during their collaboration. As Koepp recounted:
"Initially, we faced a disastrous ending after one of those brutal test screenings that leave you reeling. We rushed to film a new conclusion, but with the release date looming, there was no time for reshoots. The pressure was on—this had to work. As we reviewed the dailies, Bob Zemeckis quipped, 'Hold onto your butts,' just as the lights dimmed."
Koepp was instantly captivated by the phrase and seamlessly incorporated it into a high-stakes scene in his Jurassic Park script. Though Zemeckis wasn’t involved in Jurassic Park, his prior collaborations with Spielberg, including executive producing Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and the Back to the Future trilogy, created a creative connection. Interestingly, Koepp never mentioned to Zemeckis how his offhand remark became part of one of Spielberg’s most iconic films.
