Sanz next explores a variety of films and literature which involve both dinosaurs and humans and the plot devices used to explain the co-existence of the two. These devices are: "prehistoric cinema" (a "contemporary" film made of cavemen living with dinosaurs), the lost world myth, dinosaurs that are frozen or in suspended animation, time travel, dinosaurs that have somehow reappeared in the future through the evolution of extant (still living) species, exodinosaurs (dinosaurs on other planets), and dinosaurs created from genetic engineering. He also explores themes related to the relationships between dinosaurs and humans: humans and dinosaurs co-exist peacefully, humans move into the dinosaurs' territory causing conflict in the form of hunting, and dinosaurs move into the humans' territory (dinosaurs against civilization) which can involve a "beauty and the beast" subplot.
Sanz also devotes a chapter to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and cryptozoology. He also discusses the phenomena of the dinosaur-like Godzilla and other giant Japanese film monsters, large reptiles (such as giant alligators and crocodiles) and mammals (the giant ape of King Kong) as monsters, and the dragon-dinosaur connection.
Throughout Starring T. Rex!, Sanz discusses how scientifically accurate the movies, books, and comics that he mentions are. My husband hated the book, but I enjoyed Starring T. Rex! as an introduction to the portrayal of dinosaurs in popular culture. At the same time, however, I felt that Sanz gives only a cursory examination of most of his points. The book could have easily been much longer, and given a more thorough examination and discussion of the themes and devices used in dinosaur films and literature. In his attempt to mention as many books and movies as possible, he is only able to give a somewhat in depth look at only a few, and can only allot a few pages for each of the devices that he examines.
