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After a three year Holdout, Speilberg's highest Grossing worldwide boxoff hit has finally made it to DVD in a worldwide Simultaneous release.
Seven years has passed since it's original theatrical release, and Jurassic Park was THE first film released with a DTS encoded soundtrack and most certainly set the standard of future high octane Digital Surround Tracks. 

Based on the Michael Crichton novel, of the same name, Paelentologists Dr Alan Grant [Sam Neill], and Ellie Sattler [Laura Dern] are co-ordinally invited by their research sponsor John Hammond [Richard Attenborough], to suss out an island he's been doing research on.  It's not until they all arrive at the island (along with another doctor, Ian Malcolm (the ever realiable Jeff Goldblum) and the blood sucking lawyer [Bob Peck] that they really get to see what Hammond has been up to.....re-introducing dinoasaurs into the new world!!  and it's not long after everyones done with the "ooh-ing" and "aaah-ing" that all hell breaks loose!.  hell being some very nasty, hungry, dinosaurs.
Unfortunately, with Hammond being so excited about the new adventure park, his grandchildren are also there, Timmy [Joseph Mazzello] and Lex [Adriana Richards] ...nice going gramps!.  
JP's real main claim to fame wasn't with its use of digital sound, BUT that of some truly groundbreaking CGI work.  The DInosaurs in JP came to us as both computer generated imagery and Stan Winston Modelling.  (biiiiig modellings)  The idea was to seemlessly integrate live action with computer action,a nd they came pretty damn close to perfecting it.  Suffice to say, there are quite a few filmic moments that will have you jump out of your seat with the notion that these dinos are real! 


So How Does This Transfer Hold Up?

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VIDEO
Unlike many of the Universal DVDs, the Columbians, in this instance, took the liberty of authoring this DVD over at their Sony Digital Authoring Centre!, and they've done a very nice job in presenting JP with an Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer. 
Though it shows some signs of dating, and a hint of noise reduction to cover an faults (grain, print specks, etc), it's still a very watchable transfer.  Fleshtones are quite natural looking, sharpness is good, and certainly show's no real signs of edge enhancement, and detail pretty high as a result. 
JP has a very natural look about it, so there are times when lighting and such are Not under control and so don't have that manufactured look of many Hollywood blockbusters, and personally i think this helps the "authenticity" of the film overall.
Running some 122 minues, and will all those extras, JP is spread over 2 sides of an RSDL DVD, and the layer change 75:12.  The transition to the scene which follows the Layer change is quite abrupt so the Layer change works quite well, even with it's brief pause.

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AUDIO
Well ya know, it's been a while since i've seen JP, and heard it with it's kick-ass 5.1 mix, but the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix on this DVD is a bit of a let down!.   Just when you think it's gonna get really really dynamic, it kinda wimps out.   Compared to the included 5.1 german mix, you really it a bit.  (the german mix seems seems a bit more aggressive, and not just as result of a higher volume either)
Surround presence is however very constant and certainly doesn't let this DVD down, in fact it's got more rear channel activity than i remember, and bass attack is pretty good to.
It's a fun 5.1 mix, but ultimately let this reviewer down with it's lack of aggression.   I was actually expecting the dynamics to be a bit too harsh on this DVD, but it ended up going in the opposite direction!  doh!!
The Other Disappointment is that PAL territories have been denied a DTS version of Jurassic Park DVD.  Considering this is the film that DTS first graced our screen with, AND set the standard for Digital soundtracks, this is a sad oversite on Univeral's part!   Hang your heads in shame!

Dialogue is pretty much clean and clear thoughout with only some signs of sloppy sync.   in fact it's nothing to even concern one's self with  as you'll be too busy looking for CGI faults!  :)
Other audio tracks included are in English and Hungarian Dolby 2.0 surround.

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EXTRAS
Sans a director's running commentary, this is quite an extras packed DVD!
Here's what we've been treated to :-
- a 50 minute doco on the making of (it's no Jaws doco, but it's good)
- Video tapes footage of early pre-production meetings and location scoutings
- truck load of key sequence story boards,  and photo gallery (NOTE, you need to hit the ENTER key to return to the main menu, and the right arrow for NEXT)
- Animatronics / Stop Motion of Phil Tippetts work (raptors in the kitchen)
- Foley Artist footage (sound FX creations)
- Theatrical trailers from all three films (sadly only in DD2.0!  )
- Dino Encyclopedia (which reveals that many of the dinos where from the Cretaceous Period.  Though "Cretaceous Park" just doesn't have the same ring to it now does it!  :)
- Cast and Crew Bios
- Groovy animated menus (again only in 2.0 :(

With the region 4 version of JP sounding a little over compressed, and the fact there's a USA version out there with a DTS5.1 mix, you're gonna be buying the PAL version moreso for the piccy.  Personally i'm a little disappointed with this release, but it's still pretty good, and is gonna sell bucket loads!

Jurassic Park is available as a single DVD, or as part of the Jurassic Park Ultimate Collector's Pack, which also includes The Lost World : Jurassic Park.

Review Equipment
TV: Pioneer SD-T50W1 (16:9 RPTV)
DVD: Pioneer DV717  (using RGB outputs)
Receiver/Decoder: Marantz SR870 & Sony SDP-EP9ES
Speakers:-
     Fronts: Quadral Phonolgue Gold Amun
     Centre: B&W CDMC-SE
     Rears: B&W 602
     Subby: M&K V125 

- Reviewed 20th November 2000

* Jurassic Park  jpeg files for internet promotion use only. Copyright© exists on all aspects of these files by Universal Pictures.