Mattel’s Hammond Collection has grown rapidly this year, with last month’s episode of Beyond The Gates introducing The Lost World’s Pachycephalosaurus, and Jurassic Park’s Ray Arnold to the adult-collector line.
This month, the Hammond Collection grows once again with two new items: Jurassic Park 3’s Ankylosaurus, and the concept creature considered for The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the Geosternbergia! Check out the unveiling below:
In this episode, host Chris is joined by Mattel’s lead designer on the Hammond Collection Gregory Murphy, who runs us through the intricate and detailed design process that goes into making these two new items.
Greg explores the reasons behind the decision to include the Geosternbergia in the Hammond Collection, and gives us a detailed run-down of the species’ existence in Jurassic Park lore!
The Geosternbergia and Ankylosaurus are joining the @Mattel#JurassicWorld Hammond Collection!
These two items are wonderful and unique additions to Mattel’s Hammond Collection – be sure to check out the full episode for a deeper look and insight into the making of these Jurassic Park toys!
Did you expect to see these two species join Mattel’s line-up? Share your thoughts down below!
Last year, ‘Jurassic Park’ fans were gifted with the “Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History” book from Insight Editions. While it may not have entirely lived up to what die-hard fans were hoping for, it was overall a great summation of the behind-the-scenes stories for the original ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy. The entire book was also illustrated with loads of pre-production artwork & rare photographs from all three films, making it a beautiful (but deadly?) addition to any fan’s collection. They also produced a very cool cookbook & children’s book that are also worth checking out.
Celebrate one of the most thrilling franchises of all time with this in-depth look at the making of the Jurassic World trilogy. Following the release of director Colin Trevorrow’s smash hit Jurassic World in 2015, the dinosaurs of Isla Nublar once again dominate the public imagination. Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History is the definitive account of the franchise – and a companion book to Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History (released in 2021) – delivering a comprehensive look at the making of the first hit film as well as its thrilling sequels Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022). Through rare and never-before-seen imagery and exclusive interviews with key creatives, the deluxe volume explores the entire creative process, from the films’ stunning dinosaur designs to the epic location shoots and the creation of the films’ incredible visual effects.
The book also includes sections on the DreamWorks Animation animated series ‘Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous’, various games, toys, theme park attractions, and even the short film ‘Battle At Big Rock’. This is the first time any of the ‘Jurassic World’ films have received a behind-the-scenes book, which already makes it vital for this reason alone. But is it truly a “definitive account of the franchise” for this trilogy of films, or is it met with some the same (perhaps nitpicky) issues found in the previous book? Let’s have a look!
WHAT’S GOOD?
VISUAL & WRITING STYLE
Just like in the previous ‘Jurassic Park’ version, this book is visually pleasing. It’s filled with as much colorful artwork and photographs as possible. The text is neatly placed within it all, and nothing ever feels too crammed or out of place. The previous book had more going on with the borders around each page, whereas this ‘Jurassic World’ version has a more barren approach. It simply features gray tabs on the sides with gray/amber-tinged headlines for each new section. This simpler approach feels appropriate with the sleeker look of the films themselves, particularly the first ‘Jurassic World’ and its park’s design.
The writing itself is clear and precise, which is vital in stitching together different information from different sources. James Mottram, who also penned the previous book, weaves the information into a distinct fabric to tell its story.
EXCLUSIVE INTROS/OUTROS
This book includes a foreword by Bryce Dallas Howard (“Claire Dearing” in the trilogy), introduction by Colin Trevorrow (director of ‘Jurassic World’ & ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’, writer of the trilogy), preface by J.A. Bayona (director of ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’), & an afterword by Frank Marshall (producer of the trilogy). Mysteriously absent from this list is Chris Pratt, but I suppose he is too busy voicing Mario these days. These exclusive passages are great bookends for the entire presentation, with each person adding their own personal tribute. They even reveal fun information, like J.A. Bayona as he details Michael Giacchino‘s fantastic music score for ‘Fallen Kingdom’:
One of my most cherished memories from making Fallen Kingdom was working with composer Michael Giacchino. We spent hours talking about film music and listening to soundtracks. There was one specific piece of music we paid attention to: Bernard Herrmann’s work for Mysterious Island (Cy Endfield, 1962). Our common goal while venturing into the musical tapestry of our movie was expressing our love for this kind of film. When I listen to Michael’s music for Fallen Kingdom, I sense our mutual desire to travel back in time and bring back the same unparalleled fascination and heartwarming happiness that those movies gave us.
FANTASTIC COLLECTION OF IMAGES
While many of the book’s images have been revealed online over the years by various concept artists who worked on the films, it is still great to have them all cobbled together in one book as the trilogy’s history is told. Even better, there are some art and photographs that have never been seen before! Here is just a tease of what to expect!
NEW & OBSCURE INFORMATION
Making a book like this requires many sources for quotes, stories, and other information. Website articles, television interviews, Blu-Ray bonus features; everything was sifted through to collect the data. While some, maybe even a lot, of the details could be considered “old news” to people deeply invested in this trilogy’s history, it is all well-arranged while even including new details sprinkled throughout. [NOTE: I will be honest and admit I am not as familiar with the history of the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy as I am with the ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy, so forgive me if any of this is not truly “new”.]
For ‘Jurassic World’, some of these fun new details include Derek Connolly never having seen a ‘Jurassic Park’ movie before when he was tasked with co-writing the script with Colin Trevorrow; production designer Ed Verreaux had sent his art department team to the Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood to photograph everything (including signage) to see what they wanted their fictional park to resemble; and concept artist David Lowery came up with an unused idea for a “Pteranodon Terrace” where guests traveled in glass gondolas hanging from a huge cable that stretched across a vast expanse of jungle (and included “food Frisbees” that would be shot out of the gondolas and snapped up midair by the flying reptiles.). However, one of the most exciting new details for me was a little more about the script written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver right before Trevorrow & Connolly were brought in to pen their draft.
Spielberg also wanted to revisit the idea of a hero character capable of training and commanding dinosaurs. These ideas manifested in the character Vance who, in the Jaffa/Silver draft’s opening scene, is seen jumping out of a helicopter with a pack of trained raptors and landing in a compound belonging to a Colombian drug dealer. Although [John] Sayles used the bipedal Deinonychus in his draft, Spielberg felt that the physically similar Velociraptors, first seen in Jurassic Park, would be a better fit for the role. The story also focused on a Chinese paleontologist who visits the now-open Jurassic Park with her sons. The scientist has a secret agenda, believing that the park’s owners have stolen DNA from bones she unearthed of a previously undiscovered dinosaur—the Malusaurus. The corporate side of the park is run by Whitney, a female manager who views the dinosaurs as commodities and nothing more. Inevitably, the Malusaurus created using the stolen DNA escapes from its enclosure, and Vance must use his raptors to hunt it down.
‘Fallen Kingdom’ includes interesting tidbits, such as Benjamin Lockwood originally having very little connection to John Hammond and the past of ‘Jurassic Park’; in its original draft they went from Isla Nublar to England where a small village gets destroyed by dinosaurs (until Steven Spielberg told them there was no credible way to make that journey happen); and the film’s fantastic opening sequence was originally just over a single page in the script, with Bayona fleshing it out further with an extended climax on the helicopter ladder while also adding Jurassic staples (like the pouring rain and the yellow raincoat worn by the tech that resembles Nedry’s apparel from Jurassic Park). The film’s title itself (along with the next film’s) proves to also have its own unique history:
“I wanted to call [the first film] Jurassic World. And the second one was Jurassic Earth, and then the third Jurassic Kingdom. The studio was like, ‘You can’t keep changing the title of the movie. You already did it once.’” Taking Universal’s feedback into consideration, Trevorrow decided to combine the overall franchise name with a subtitle, taking the word kingdom from his proposed third film and adding it to fallen, suggesting the decline of the dinosaurs’ domain.
Even the small section on the short film ‘Battle At Big Rock’ gets a nice detail on its inspiration: a YouTube video titled “Battle at Kruger“, in which tourists witness a water buffalo being attacked by lions and an alligator.
The section on ‘Dominion’ reveals that a scene featuring Daniella Pineda (Zia Rodriguez) had to be recast with another actor, Varada Sethu, when COVID restrictions kept her from being able to leave another production she was on; production designer Kevin Jenkins ensured that the equipment seen in BioSyn’s abandoned amber mines displayed 1990s-style Biosyn logos, a detail reminiscent of the old rivalry between the company and InGen (although I suppose footage containing it must have been cut, because I can’t seem to spot it in either version of the film); and animatronic creature effects artist John Nolan took inspiration from Frontier Developments’ 2018 video game ‘Jurassic World: Evolution’to get a better sense of the Dilophosaurus’s locomotion for the film. In fact, Nolan’s team had created a device that would allow the animatronic version of the dinosaur to travel on a dolly track with eleven puppeteers following behind it using levers, rods, and cable controls to create the dinosaur’s walk. However, Trevorrow was not happy with the result. But perhaps one of the biggest pieces of interesting information involved our favorite clone girl, Maisie.
When it came to casting the role of Maisie’s mother, Charlotte Lockwood, Trevorrow considered using digital tools to graft Isabella Sermon’s face onto a body double and age her features appropriately. However, during a casting section for the body doubles, he made a remarkable find. “I had been given a set of faces whose bone structure was similar enough to Isabella Sermon’s,” says Trevorrow. Among those faces was Irish-born Elva Trill. As Trill began reciting lines with the director, he quickly came to realize that she would be perfect as Charlotte and abandoned the digital augmentation idea. “I’ve never seen an actor come in and just grab a role by being so good,” says Trevorrow.
The section near the end of the book that details ‘Camp Cretaceous’ scored some of its own interesting details, such as the showrunner’s original plan to feature Owen Grady and Claire Dearing; there was an early version of the story where Ben doesn’t survive past Season 1; and most interestingly how the originally intended final shot of the film trilogy was instead used as the final shot for this series:
Camp Cretaceous also brought Trevorrow full circle, back to his early meetings with Steven Spielberg when he pitched the arc of the Jurassic World franchise, which would ultimately lead to dinosaurs entering our everyday lives. Specifically, the image of a child looking out his window on a suburban street and seeing a traffic jam caused by a Brachiosaurus at an intersection. “We actually ended up making that the very last shot of the entire [Camp Cretaceous] series,” says Trevorrow. “After nine years, that idea found its way back into the story.”
THE INSERTS
As usual with Insight Edition’s Visual History books, there are numerous “inserts” on certain pages that feature unique items. While some are still applied with an adhesive per the previous book, many of the inserts this time are more technically “part of the book” and not meant to be removed entirely. Some are just meant to be unfolded beyond the confines of the book’s dimensions, while a few are even in the form of actual booklets to flip through. The only real negative is that it is focused more on the first film than the rest. Here is a complete list of what you will find:
From ‘Jurassic World’: Poster art advertises Jurassic World’s Gyrosphere ride; Storyboards by David Lowery from an early iteration of Jurassic World’s evolving storyline; A map of Isla Nublar showing the island’s topography and the location of Jurassic World; Dr. Wu’s Jurassic World security pass; Concept art by Glen McIntosh for Jurassic World’s petting zoo; The sketches that Steven Spielberg drew for Colin Trevorrow to illustrate his feedback on the Indominus rex breakout sequence; A tourist map of Jurassic World highlights the theme park’s attractions; & Storyboards by Glen McIntosh for the scene in which the raptors pursue a pig in the Raptor Research Arena.
From ‘Fallen Kingdom’: Raptor movement study by Glen McIntosh; A sticker sheet featuring production design art created for the Dinosaur Protection Group; & Production design art for the jacket of Dr. Ian Malcolm’s book, God Creates Dinosaurs (not actual size).
From ‘Battle At Big Rock’: Concept Art Booklet.
From ‘Dominion’: Storyboards by Glen McIntosh for Jurassic World Dominion’s prologue scene & Malta Concept Art Booklet.
From ‘Camp Cretaceous’: Concept Art Booklet.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER?
A fan wouldn’t be a fan without needing to nitpick, right? (Don’t answer that.) Despite being mostly pleased with this book, there are still a few areas that could have been improved upon (perhaps in a revised edition, which Insight Editions have done before).
WHAT ABOUT ‘JURASSIC PARK 4’?
The opening of the book does briefly go into ‘Jurassic Park 4’ (the obvious working title before it eventually was named ‘Jurassic World’), mostly delving into some details on the John Sayles script and then eventually a little more about Jaffa/Silver’s script before Trevorrow/Connolly did their own version. But what about the rest? There were numerous versions of the film, by other writers, that were tackled in the 14 years between ‘Jurassic Park 3’ and ‘Jurassic World’. Given that it was such a long range of time where the studio kept throwing ideas around to try to make things happen, most of it shrouded in secrecy, this had been one of my most anticipated sections. Instead, it was only a few pages, and generalized.
Also, while they mention the dinosaur/human hybrids, it’s a shame that none of the wild concept art (that has been online for many years) was included at all. Perhaps they couldn’t get the rights to feature them?
Speaking of art from this period: where was John Bell‘s art? Last year’s book featured loads of art by Bell for the original trilogy, plus a tease of two pieces of artwork he did for ‘Jurassic Park 4’. And yet, this book didn’t feature any of it. This is another case where the art has been online for years, on Bell’s very own site. And there is some fantastic stuff, including his concepts for gyrospheres and even a version of the park’s map that perhaps coincided with the Jaffa/Silver script. This book even mentions Bell in the “special thanks” section, making the exclusions even more mystifying.
OTHER OMISSIONS
Look, I get it: this book can’t be 1,000 pages long like all of us die-hard fans would like it to be. Putting the complex histories of three massive films into one book is a huge undertaking (just like it was in the previous book). Still, there were some things I wish had been mentioned or visually included in this book. Because when and where else would it be, apart from random online articles & videos that eventually get buried with the rest? Perhaps that’s why some of these details were possibly missed to begin with?
Seamus Blackley, the creator of the XBOX and the ‘Lost World’-related game ‘Trespasser‘, had pitched a video game that he titled ‘Jurassic World’ (before anyone else); which would later inspire several ideas for the new film trilogy. None of this important revelation is mentioned at all (although to be fair it wasn’t publicly known until very recently). Also for ‘Jurassic World’, there is no mention of the “Stegoceratops“: a second hybrid dinosaur that was originally planned to be in the film, and even had a toy made for it!
The previous book had spent a lot more time detailing most of the different scripts for the films. This book does this at times but to a lesser degree. While it was nice to learn a little more about the Jaffa/Silver script for example, it still just grazed the surface. And since this script can’t be found anywhere online currently, a more detailed summary would have been amazing. For example, was the concept art that was shown in one of the Blu-Ray bonus features (and not in this book) of the Indominus attacking a robotic T-Rex coming out of a waterfall (ala ‘Jurassic Park: The Ride’) something from this script?
MORE LOVE FOR THE SEQUELS
This is another reoccurring issue, but it just feels like more focus is given to the first film of the trilogy (despite me just complaining I wanted more from it!) with less invested in the sequels; ‘Fallen Kingdom’ and ‘Dominion’. More details about their different scripts, more inserts related to them (A pull-out Hammond painting from ‘Fallen Kingdom’ would have been awesome!), or even the mention of certain deleted scenes we know were filmed thanks to still images (that aren’t in this book): such as Iris’s death from the Indoraptor & a dead/decayed Stegosaur that Owen and his team come across as they search for Blue on Nublar.
According to more “hush-hush” behind-the-scenes stories, we also know that ‘Fallen Kingdom’ was going to originally involve Isla Sorna, a ‘Gene Ship’ for Wu’s experiments, and more of Ian Malcolm. He was going to try and sabotage the rescue mission on the Arcadia! ‘Dominion’ was originally going to be two films that would have been filmed at the same time. But again, none of these details are brought up.
In an ideal world, each film in the series would have gotten its own book. This would have allowed much more breathing room to fully explore all these things, and more. Perhaps that is just not economically feasible anymore, even for a big franchise? Especially when, let’s be honest, the sequels in each trilogy are not as popular or well-regarded as their first entries. While a slew of die-hard fans would have clamored for a ‘Fallen Kingdom’ making-of book, for example, is it really something that would sell well? Especially now? Sometimes these sorts of “package deals” are the only way to at least get what we are able to.
SO, SHOULD I GET IT?
I think‘Jurassic World’ fans shouldabsolutely get this book. My complaints, as you’ve read, only really dwell with what isn’t in it. While the omissions are disappointing, it isn’t so egregious that it takes away from what is included. There’s a wealth of information, concept art, photographs, and nice inserts (the “concept art booklets” being my favorite) that are all woven together wonderfully. In most ways it improves upon their ‘Jurassic Park’ book, and in retrospect I may have originally been a little too critical on it. But if being a little harsh helped make this book better, well, that’s why I still felt the need to point some things out this time, too.
What I didn’t expect to feel while reading and looking through this book was how much nostalgia it gave me. The first film in this trilogy is nearly a decade old, and it’s crazy how time flies. Books like Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History help preserve these films beyond the screen, along with all our memories that come with them.
The feelings we had in anticipation for these films, the news as details were revealed, the organized screenings every time they came out, and the events we attended where other people obsessed with this series finally felt like they belonged. Friendships made, perhaps even hearts broken, or miraculously the bond of marriage formed. We all have our stories. And when you go through these pages, I can almost guarantee that at least one image, maybe something obscure not literally in the film that you would never expect to elicit an emotion, reminds you of a time that once was. And you remember your place in that time, and perhaps realize just how different you are now; or the same.
This trilogy, and our time in it, is over. But like everything in nature, it will evolve. And so will you.
What are some of your favorite memories related to the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy? Did you go to a fun event, see any of the films with someone you loved, or make new friends because of it? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and may the joy you have for these films never go away!
ADDENDUM: In celebration of the release of “Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History”, Insight Editions presents author James Mottram in conversation with Jurassic World Animation Director/Paleoartist Glen McIntosh. Discussion moderated by Derrick Davis, Writer at Jurassic Outpost & Creator of Jurassic Time! Intro/Outro by Insight Edition’s Marketing & Publicity Strategist Amanda Hariri. Live Book Release Event via Crowdcast (10/25/22).
Last month’s episode of Beyond The Gates unveiled two brand new Hammond Collection figures, Dr. Ellie Sattler and the Dilophosaurus from Jurassic Park!
This month, The Hammond Collection continues to expand with two new items: the Pachycephalosaurus from The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park’s Chief Engineer, Ray Arnold.
This penultimate episode of Beyond The Gates’ second season is hosted by the very one and only Chris “Feather Agenda” Pugh and Mattel’s leader designer on the Hammond Collection Gregory Murphy runs us through these brand new items!
But not only that, we are once again joined by Matt Winston from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. Matt walks us through the animatronic dinosaur design for the Pachycephalosaurus!
These two items are wonderful additions to Mattel’s Hammond Collection – be sure to check out the full episode for a deeper look and insight into the making of these Jurassic World toys!
The Hammond Collection is expanding with this month’s brand new items! Last month’s Beyond The Gates unveiled a brand new dinosaur debuting in Jurassic World Dominion, the ridiculously sized Dreadnoughtus! This month, Mattel are winding the clock back all the way to 1993 with these two new items…
The Hammond Collection is pleased to welcome: Dr. Ellie Sattler and the Dilophosaurus from Jurassic Park!
This exciting episode is hosted by the one and only Chris “Highland Velociraptor” Pugh, who is joined by the Hammond Collection lead designer Gregory Murphy who walks us through the design process for these two new figures.
Not only that – legendary Matt Winston joins us from the Stan Winston School of Character Arts, to talk us through the incredibly animatronic that Stan Winston and his team created for the original film.
These two items are wonderful additions to Mattel’s Hammond Collection – be sure to check out the full episode for a deeper look and insight into the making of these Jurassic World toys!
With Jurassic World Dominion now available on demand (and still playing in theatres!), the Beyond The Gates team are here to debut one of Mattel’s new dinosaurs featured in the movie… the long, lumbering Dreadnoughtus!
Last month we debuted the Epic Battle Pack which featured three electrifying slashing dinosaurs featured in the movie, but this month we’re slowing things down and taking a look at one of the (Jurassic) World’s most majestic creatures…
In this exciting episode your Jurassic host Chris is joined by the almighty Rafael Bencosme from Mattel’s design team, who walks us through the process of developing such a ginormous toy! He also discusses the other sauropods Mattel have made and shares insights into the design process.
Chris is also joined by lead visual effects supervisor from ILM David Vickery who talks us through the story of designing this dinosaur for Dominion, the development process with director Colin Trevorrow, and we see some never-before-seen renders of this dinosaur in the full!
This episode truly is not one to miss and we wanted to thank the team at Universal and Mattel, and of course the team at ILM for working with us to create this exciting behind the scenes look at one of Dominion’s new dinosaurs!
‘Jurassic Park’ has an earth-shattering music score that fans have never forgotten. The memorable themes expertly crafted by composer/conductor John Williams are filled with wonder, action, and intense horror that are forever engrained in our ears. Now, nearly 30 years after it was originally heard, the music score to the classic film gets a definitive release in a brand-new 2-CD set from La-La Land Records. But how definitive is it, and what sets it apart? To learn that, let’s have a little “history lesson.”
In 1993, the soundtrack was released on CD in the form of a 70-minute album via MCA records (also available on cassette and LP). This 1-CD release was assembled by John Williams himself, combining some cues together to form certain tracks, and arranging it all in his own personal sequence. There were some rather interesting decisions made in this arrangement. For example, the actual “End Credits” from the film happen in the middle of this album, titled as “Welcome To Jurassic Park.” Then at the end of the album the track titled “End Credits” is actually just the second half of the same cue. Why? We shall perhaps never know, but it is a very curious choice. While this album featured a large portion of the score it did leave off several cues that fans of the film sorely missed. But overall, it was a fantastic representation.
This same program was replicated in the year 2000 for a CD re-release of the score. It was included in a neat “Collector’s Edition” set with the films and soundtracks for ‘Jurassic Park’ & ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. It featured unique cover art that mimicked the DVD release at the time.
Thankfully, in 2013, many of the missing cues from the score were introduced as bonus tracks for a digital-only 20th Anniversary Release by Geffen Records. Not only was this an expanded release, but it also featured a brand-new remaster. (Note: Mondo Records also did a limited-edition LP release of this remaster, sans the bonus tracks.) Several of the previously unreleased cues were combined (despite chronologically being from different scenes), and in some cases omitted the tail end of some of the music. These included the “T-Rex Chase”, when our favorite Rex goes after Ellie and the others in the Jeep; the “History Lesson” Tim gives Grant as they attempt to decide which tour car they want to go in; and Mr. DNA’s whimsical music as he is “Stalling Around” in his cartoon while explaining how they obtained dino-DNA. One of the most interesting additions was actually “Hungry Raptor,” which was the original version of the music for when Ellie is attacked by a raptor in the shed; followed by Muldoon’s death. In the film, only the middle portion of this cue is used, with the rest using music “tracked” from other scenes. Amusingly enough, the opening of the cue was first publicly heard during the end credits of the original ‘The Making Of ‘Jurassic Park” documentary that was narrated by James Earl Jones.
The 2013 release was a godsend for fans of the music score at the time. But just three years later, in 2016, La-La Land Records released a 2-CD expanded edition that was part of a 4-CD collection that had included John Williams’ score to ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (also expanded and remastered for the first time). Using the source from the 2013 remaster, they did further mastering of their own (producing even better sound quality) while also going back to the original elements and providing every cue of the score for the very first time. This included Grant’s realization of “You Bred Raptors?”, Dennis Nedry’s “Race to the Dock” after the T-Rex gets out, and even a cue that was not heard in the film at all known as “The Saboteur.” That cue was meant to score the scene where Nedry is left at his messy workstation as the camera pans over to his inconspicuous Barbasol can. In presenting the complete score, the set also separates the unnaturally combined cues of both previous releases so they can be heard on their own for the first time, and without a single note being cut off or faded out. It also featured an extensive booklet detailing the making of both films and scores.
While many units of the 2016 set were produced, it did eventually go out of print. This led to second-hand sellers taking over the reins of offering this presentation of the score to people online, often selling for well over $100. While the 1993 Album remains in print and the 2013 digital-only expansion remains online, neither offer the perfect sound quality or the complete score that the 2016 release contains.
Now six years later, La-La Land Records returns with a brand-new 2022 re-release. Only this time, it is focusing on just ‘Jurassic Park,’with some additional improvements to truly make this be the definitive release of the first score for the series:
La-La Land Records, Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Geffen Records present JURASSIC PARK, a limited 2-CD re-issue presentation of maestro John Williams’ (JAWS, STAR WARS, SCHINDLER’S LIST) original motion picture scores to the 1993 blockbuster JURASSIC PARK starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum and directed by Steven Spielberg. Williams’ monumental JURASSIC PARK score teems with thematic orchestral wonder and is celebrated as one of the composer’s most accomplished works. Produced, edited and mastered by Mike Matessino, (with fresh outputs of the 192k/24 bit master files utilized in our 2016 collection) this re-issue utilizes that material to re-create the original 1993 soundtrack album. This is featured on Disc 2 and is followed by the source music track “Stalling Around” (the composer’s homage to classic Warner Bros. cartoon music for Jurassic’s “Mr. DNA” sequence). Disc 1 showcases the entire main Score Presentation, which now includes, for the first time, the performances and mixes of “Journey To the Island” and “Dennis Steals The Embryo” as heard in the film. The 28-page CD booklet features liner notes by Matessino (adapted from our 2016 collection) and the new art design is by Jim Titus. This is a limited edition of 5000 Units.
As mentioned, having the film-version performances and mixes of both “Journey To The Island” and “Dennis Steals The Embryo” are quite special. Sometimes, the film performance or “version” of a cue can be different than what is presented on the released albums. In this case, neither had ever been heard before, apart from the film itself. In the film, and now on this new release, “Journey To The Island” features a bit of a faster and more timed tempo of the adventurous “Island Theme,” most notably a snappier pace when it transitions to the park visitors beginning their ride in the Jeeps. The moment for when the Brachiosaur appears is also now properly timed to how it is in the film, as well as later when the Jeeps begin their ride to the Visitor Center. “Dennis Steals The Embryo” fixes a mixing issue that has somehow always been present on every single release: the orchestra had been improperly mixed against the synth. Now it can be heard properly mixed, as it is in the film, for the very first time.
The inclusion of a rebuilt/remastered version of the 1993 Album is a nice addition on the second disc (where the Mr. DNA “source music” was decidedly put since it couldn’t fit on the first CD). Whatever qualms anyone may have had (such as myself) with that initial release, for many it is a bit nostalgic to hear the takes/mixes/editorial choices John Williams had created for it. In fact, for some fans of the score, the takes John Williams preferred for the album of certain cues are preferable to them as well! With this release, you get the best of both worlds by having it all together, and all sounding the best it ever has.
The booklet included in this release is very much the same as the one from the 2016 release, but of course only focuses on ‘Jurassic Park’ this time. The artwork and layout is a bit different as well, making it unique enough from the former release. There are some additional credits this time as well, including a special thanks to yours truly due to years of nerdy insight made on old forum posts (as well as Jurassic Outpost friend Bernard A. Kyer).
By far the most important aspect of this release isn’t what is new, but simply the fact that it is available again. Generations of old and new film score fans, and even those who would like to study such a masterful score as this, should have a comprehensive presentation that is accessible. As good as the previous releases were for their time, having every single cue available, and now different variations of them, is integral for preserving this important milestone of music.
If you have never purchased the music score to ‘Jurassic Park’ before, this release is a massive no-brainer. It is the definitive release, finally back in print and with some great new inclusions that bests every release that came before it. If you only have the 1993 Album or the digital 2013 release, I can promise you that this is still worth getting. It’s presented in a much better way, and with much better sound. For those that have the 2016 CD set paired with ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’… I can understand skipping this. There may not be enough to fully justify shelling out more money for it again, but that will just depend on who you are.
Since this is my favorite music score of all time, to my favorite film of all time… the choice was pretty easy. This new edition is a must-have. And who knows, perhaps ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ will be similarly visited down the line? Maybe even ‘Jurassic Park 3’? We can only hope!
Are you going to get this new release? What’s your favorite cue from this soundtrack? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!
Jurassic Outpostis heading to San Diego Comic-Con 2022! We hope to see you there, but even if you’re enjoying the news and festivities from afar, we’ve got everything you need to know for everything Jurassicand dinosaur-related at this year’s con!
JURASSIC-RELATED:
‘Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up’ Author Matthew Reinhardt with Insight Editions
7/21/2022 | 2:00 PM | Booth #2135
Join InsightEditions on Thursday to meet authors including AshleyEckstein, MatthewReinhart, JennFujikawa, and more. Insight Editions CEO Raoul Goff, VP of Licensing & Partnerships Vanessa Lopez, and VP & Editorial Director Vicki Jaeger will also be on hand and make themselves available to chat. There will also be sneak peeks of incredible new pop culture products from Matthew Reinhart’s new Insight Editions imprint Reinhart Pop-Up Studio!
Toys Find A Way: Behind the Scenes and Screams of Jurassic World Dinosaur Design
7/22/2022 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Booth #3029
The MattelJurassicWorld Design Team will take fans behind the curtain of creating the toys based on dinosaurs from Jurassic World: Dominion. Designers Rafael Bencosme, Chandra Hicks, Greg Murphy, and Nikolai Dryuchin will be on hand for a Q&A, first-ever product reveals, trivia, and giveaways!
The Science of Jurassic World
7/22/2022 | 6:00-7:00 PM | Grand 12 & 13, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
In the JurassicWorld movies, the dinosaurs get from the island park to our cities and wilderness. Scientists who are fans of the franchise explore the real-world science of bringing dinosaurs back to life and letting them loose. What do the films get right and wrong about these extinct creatures? What are the technical challenges and ethical considerations of re-creating and genetically tinkering with different species? What is the impact of introducing megafauna into different environments? Once dinos are loose, what rights do they have to survive? Does life really find a way? This team of scientists includes paleontologist Stuart Sumida (technical consultant, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Camp Cretaceous), herpetologist Earyn McGee (Find That Lizard), conservation biologist Sam Wynns, cell and developmental biologist Claire Meaders, paleontologist Gabriel Santos, and geneticist, ecologist, and sci-fi author J. Dianne Dotson (Questrison Saga). Moderated by James Floyd (podcast host, Star Wars-ologies; regular freelance contributor, Star Wars Insider magazine).
Production Design: The Jurassic Park Saga: A Design 65 Million Years in the Making
7/23/2022 | 4:30-5:30 PM | Room 29CD
It’s the end of a Jurassic era. From the world it takes place in (the sets), to the creatures, vehicles, props and so much more, the production design is what makes the words on the page come to life on screen. The process begins with the vision of the production designer and continues with hours of research, and months of collaboration with the director, cinematographer, and an army of art department and visual effects artists. The Art Directors Guild brings you some of the foremost designers who have worked on the six-film Jurassic Park saga to share their processes, techniques, and experiences. Panelists include Doug Meerdink (Jurassic World, Jurassic Park 3), Stefan Dechant (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park), Ed Verreaux (Jurassic Park III, Jurassic World), John Bell (Jurassic Park), and Lauren Polizzi (The Lost World: Jurassic Park). Moderated by Michael Allen Glover (Station 11, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness).
MusicalAnatomy of a Superhero: Film & TV Composer PanelhostedbyJurassic World franchise composer Michael Giacchino
7/21/2022 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Composers Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Natalie Holt (Batgirl, Loki), Nami Melumad (Thor: Love and Thunder), Christophe Beck (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Amie Doherty (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), and moderator Michael Giacchino (The Batman, Thor: Love and Thunder, Spiderman: No Way Home) discuss the challenges of creating the musical landscape of the superhero genre and explain the process through unreleased music and video clips from upcoming and recently released projects. Music has always played an important supporting character in films and TV. This is especially evident in the superhero genre, where the music clearly sets the tone that defines a character, an impending battle, or a triumphant moment. Introductions by Ray Costa (producer, Costa Communications).
DINOSAUR-RELATED OR NON-JURASSIC-RELATED:
Dinotopia: Reborn
7/21/2022 | 7:30-8:30 PM | Room 10
Dinotopia, the hugely popular, critically acclaimed series based on James Gurney’s bestselling books, is currently running on Crackle. While fans thought the show had gone extinct, a new series is in the works. Producer Jordan Kerner (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Smurfs) and Matt Loze (president of scripted entertainment & production at Halcyon Studios) offer sneak peeks and discuss the new adaptation of this beloved series. Moderated by Chris Woolsey (senior director of communications, Crackle Plus).
Stay tuned for more information, and follow Jurassic Outpost for all Jurassic updates from SDCC!
Jurassic World Dominion is here, and Mattel have flooded stores with many toys from the new Jurassic movie. Last month on the show we debuted a Legacy Collection favorite, but this month’s episode of Beyond The Gates mixes things up as we unveil the ultimate Dominion set: the EPIC BATTLE PACK!
In this episode of the show we are joined with Mattel’s mastermind and head legend Rafael Bencosme, who discusses the three dinosaurs development and how the designers worked with the team at Industrial Light & Magic to bring these toys to life!
Lead visual effects supervisor from ILM David Vickery walks us through the intricate process of designing Jurassic World dinosaurs – you won’t want to miss this!
This episode is full of behind the scenes from Dominion!
Be sure to take a deeper look at the making of this wonderful set by checking out the episode now, and if you haven’t already, head to Target.com to pre-order this exclusive set!
There’s more very exciting items coming to Beyond The Gates, stay tuned!
The Ceratosaurus from Jurassic Park 3 has made it to the Hammond Collection! Joining the two dinosaurs unveiled in the first episode of season 2, this Isla Sorna carnivore was designed by Mattel using concept art and references from artists such as Erich Rigling who brought this dinosaur to life back in 2001.
Last month we debuted the Dr. Sarah Harding & Stegosaurus Figure Pack which featured unique packaging and the first-ever baby Stegosaurus in toy form. Today, alongside the Ceratosaurus, the Triceratops and Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park join this exciting Mattel toyline!
These items really shine in the Hammond Collection, and in this episode of Beyond the Gates we discuss the design of these toys with the mastermind himself, Gregory Murphy.
This episode is also joined by Stan Winston School’sShannon Shea, who’s voice through archive material guides us through the original paint job featured on the Triceratops, which designer Gregory matched with the deco on the toy.
Be sure to take a deeper look at the making of this wonderful set by checking out the episode now, and if you haven’t already, head to Target.com to pre-order this exclusive set!
There’s more very exciting items coming to Beyond The Gates, stay tuned!
For the first time ever, the juvenile Stegosaurus from The Lost World: Jurassic Park has been captured in toy form and joins the adult Stegosaurus, alongside Dr. Sarah Harding in this all-new set from Mattel!
Last month we debuted the first ever Lex Murphy figure in the Jurassic Park Kitchen Encounter Set, and today’s episode of Beyond The Gates dives into this Jurassic World Legacy Collection set, which takes us all the way to Site B…
This Dr. Sarah Harding & Stegosaurus Figure Pack brings one of the most iconic characters from The Lost World back to toy form for the first time since 1997, and debuts a first: the baby Stegosaurus. All packaged together in this perfect packaging, this set certainly is one for both play and display!
We are join by the incredible, the amazing, the Toy Designer himself Rafael Bencosme, and we hear from the packaging designer behind this incredible set, Katherine Benecke.
Be sure to take a deeper look at the making of this wonderful set by checking out the episode now, and if you haven’t already, head to Target.com to pre-order this exclusive set!
