Review of Jurassic Park: Collector`s Edition DTS

Introduction

Do I have to mention what this movie is about? What do you mean you haven’t seen it? Have you been living in a sealed box the past 7 years? If you really haven’t seen this movie then read the panel above and just know that it’s a special effects extravaganza involving lots of dinosaurs and plenty or running away from the afore mentioned beasties.

This movie has been released on to DVD in 3 flavours . . . Widescreen Dolby Digital 5.1, Fullframe Dolby Digital 5.1 (I kid ye not) or Widescreen DTS with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top. Ok, so that was obviously not true and, from what I can see, the Dolby Digital versions have a few more extras however the version of preference for me is most definitely the DTS one.

I remember this one fondly from the cinema. Being the first ever feature to carry a DTS soundtrack this film holds a special place in my movie memories. I can still hear the rustling of leaves and the roar of the T-Rex as if it were yesterday. At last I no longer have to rely on my aging memory, the DTS DVD is here and it’s a cracker.

Video

This disc displays an almost flawless 1:85.1 anamorphic transfer. Why almost flawless? Throughout the entire movie the picture is simply stunning but there is one really small part that looked grainy. When the Velociraptor opens the door to the kitchens and steps through the picture looks a little rough. This is me being a complete anorak to be perfectly honest and it lasts for something like 2 seconds so please feel free to ignore this little comment :). Let’s just say that the picture is excellent.

The effects were revolutionary in 1993 and still look amazing today. The T-Rex is still amazing and the Raptors still move with menacing purpose. Top stuff.

Audio

This is what I was really looking forward to and I wasn’t disappointed. The soundtrack is outstanding throughout the movie. All channels are used to excellent effect but be warned, this one will give your sub a real workout. The list of stand out scenes is endless however the first T-Rex encounter has to be one of the best Home Cinema demo scenes in existence.

Do I have to say that the score is excellent when it’s from John Williams? Ok, just for those who don’t know his work he is the man responsible for the scores to Star Wars, Superman, Jaws, the Indiana Jones series . . . the list is very long and VERY distinguished. This score does nothing to harm his reputation at all.

Features

Let me see what we have here. First up is a very informative 50 minute documentary on the making of Jurassic Park. This is well worth a look. Next there is a set of theatrical trailers. I couldn’t wait to see the trailer for Jurassic Park III but it was the biggest let down of the whole disc. A few rustling leaves and a storm, that’s the trailer. Let’s hope the finished movie is more interesting :). Also on the DVD is a reasonably informative Dinosaur Encyclopaedia and the usual cast/production notes. I haven’t checked out the DVD-ROM content yet but the case doesn’t detail anything particularly interesting.

This DVD is badged as a collector’s edition so I was quite disappointed by these extras. Yes the ‘making of’ documentary was very interesting but where’s the audio commentary or deleted scenes? If a disc is going to be a collector’s edition it has to be positively bulging with extras and this one falls short. Also where’s the flashy animated menu? The menu is nothing more than functional when it could have been, and should have been, something very special. I can’t help thinking of the unique THX logo on the recent Ultimate Terminator 2 DVD as a mark of the effort that can be put into a collector’s edition DVD. Every time I think of that I can’t help but think that this disc is not the special release that it should have been.

Conclusion

This is a classic movie. Yes it’s little more than a showcase for special effects but who gives a s*** when they’re this good? For what it’s worth the actors play their parts well and don’t let the side down at all. My favourite was Jeff Goldblum, a wonderfully flamboyant character with some of the movies best lines. The real stars are, of course, the dinosaurs and what stars they are. The T-Rex is simply amazing as are the supporting dino cast.

It’s been a while since I saw this and it’s just as good now as I remembered. The idea of cloning dinosaurs from mosquito’s blood might well be a weak one but who cares. This movie is a rollercoaster ride and demands a dark room and the volume loud. In fact just invite all your neighbours around to watch it so you can play it that much louder :).

A top quality movie, an outstanding quality transfer but falling short content-wise of what I would expect for a collector’s edition.