Jurassic Park

Today I saw Jurassic Park in 3D, a 20th anniversary presentation of the Spielberg classic.

When the movie originally came out, I was a senior in high school and went to see it with my friend Laurie. My most distinct memory of the film is her bolting out of her chair during the T-rex attack and retreating to the lobby. I'm not 100% sure she ever came back in, but I made it through to the end.

Now, 20 years later, the magic has returned in a special 3D presentation, which makes the dinosaurs even more real (and horrific).

For those too young to remember, Dr. Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Sattler (Laura Dern) are scientists in love when they are plucked away from their dig to visit a yet-to-open theme park featuring resurrected dinosaurs.

Yes, it sounded ridiculous at the time, but now with all of the progress in genetics, the reality of the possibility makes it all the more frightening.

Anyway, wealthy John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), who "spares no expense" for anything has created this paleontology nerds' utopia without regard for what could happen if the security of the property is compromised. So of course, the climax of the movie is the security of the property being compromised. People get eaten; our heroes each experience a maximum state of peril.

I had no idea it would still get to me, knowing of course how it ends, but it did. It was almost just as thrilling as seeing it for the first time (and the only thing that looks dated are the hairstyles).

If you enjoyed it back in 1993, you'll enjoy it even more now as the dinosaurs leap off of the screen and lunge for your lap. If you've never seen it, brace yourself.

It may give you nightmares.

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