MAGNET contributing writer Jud Cost is sharing some of the wealth of classic films he’s been lucky enough to see over the past 40 years. Trolling the backwaters of cinema, he has worked up a list of more than 500 titles—from the silent era through the ’90s—that you may have missed. A new selection, all currently available on DVD, appears every week.
Jurassic Park (1993, 127 minutes)
Two-dozen men armed with industrial-strength tasers watch nervously as a heavily reinforced crate, large enough to hold two elephants, is lowered slowly onto a dock. One man scampers to the top of the crate to raise the park’s gate but falls on his descent. His legs are grabbed by the animal inside, grunting like a 10-thousand pound warthog. He is slowly dragged into the crate, screaming at the top of his lungs.
John Hammond’s helicopter, stirring up a whirlwind of dust, lands next to the archaeological dig of Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler, deep in the American outback. As they rush to cover a partially unearthed dinosaur skeleton, Grant (Sam Neill) and Sattler (Laura Dern) show Hammond (Richard Attenborough), the CEO of Bio-tech firm InGen, back to their trailer. “I own an island called Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica, and I’ve spent the last five years setting up a kind of biological preserve,” says Hammond excitedly in a Scottish burr. “It’s quite spectacular. Our attractions will drive kids out of their minds.”
Before he can open his theme park, its investors insist the safety of the place must be certified by a panel of experts, explains Hammond, opening a bottle of champagne he’s brought with him. “Let’s face it, in your particular field, you’re the top minds. If I could persuade you to sign off on the park, or maybe pen a wee testimonial, I could get back on schedule.”
“What kind of park is this?” asks Grant, a paleontologist with a world-wide reputation. “It’s right up your alley,” replies Hammond with a twinkle. “Why don’t you both come down for the weekend. I’ve got a jet standing by.” Grant and Sattler explain their reluctance to leave their work until Hammond makes a most generous offer. “I could compensate you by fully funding your dig, shall we say, for the next three years.” The irresistible lure is toasted all around with a glass of bubbly.
Lewis Dodgson steps out of a taxi and carries a leather satchel to a table in a restaurant in San Jose, Costa Rica, where he’s spotted Dennis Nedry mopping up a plate of chili relleno. “Here it is, 750 thousand for getting all 15 species off the island,” says Dodgson (Cameron Thor) to Nedry (Wayne Knight, best known as Newman from Seinfeld). The disgruntled computer systems architect of Hammond’s park is being paid handsomely to deliver dinosaur embryos to one of Hammond’s competitors. “Remember, the embryos are useless to us is if they don’t survive,” says Dodgson, showing Nedry a can of Barbasol, whose false bottom has been engineered into the perfect device to transport the stolen goods. “I’ll get ’em all,” says Nedry, squirting a dollop of shaving cream onto his cherry tart.
