#dean cundy

[docrotten]

CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE (1976) – Episode 178 – Decades Of Horror 1970s

“Dang creature . . . I’m gonna get my shotgun and make a rug outta that damn thing!” And Jack Elam is just the one who can do it! Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they make a trip to the bayou to check out Creature from Black Lake (1976) and its new Synapse Films Blu-ray, released December 13, 2022. It’s a beauty!

Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 178 – Creature from Black Lake (1976)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Two young students from the University of Chicago hear of the mysterious happenings at Black Lake and armed with a van packed with scientific equipment set out to solve the mystery.

  Director: Joy N. Houck Jr.

Writer: Jim McCullough Jr. 

Produced by: Jim McCullough (Sr.)

Production Company: Jim McCullough Productions

Distributors: Howco International Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)

Music by: Jaime Mendoza-Nava

Cinematography by: Dean Cundey

Film Editing by: Robert Gordon

Sound: Thomas Causey

Creature design: Dean Cundey

Makeup Department: Charlene Cundey (makeup artist)

Poster Artist: Ralph McQuarrie

Selected cast:

Jack Elam as Joe Canton

Dub Taylor as Grandpaw Bridges

Dennis Fimple as Pahoo

John David Carson as Rives

Bill Thurman as Sheriff Billy Carter

Jim McCullough Jr. as Orville Bridges

Roy Tatum as Fred/Creature

Cathryn Hartt as Eve-Waitress (as Catherine McClenny)

Becky Smiser as Becky Carter

Michelle Willingham as Michelle

Evelyn Hindricks as Grandma Bridges

Roger Pancake as H.B.

Karen Brooks as Orville’s Mother

Chase Tatum as Baby Orville

Jim Garth as Willy (uncredited)

Bob Kyle as Rufus

Joy N. Houck Jr. as Prof. Burch (as J.N. Houck Jr.)

I.M. ‘Buddy’ Brumley Jr. as Barber (uncredited)

To begin with, your Decades of Horror 1970s Grue Crew are universally impressed with the quality in the look and sound of the new Synapse Films Blu-ray release of Creature from Black Lake. In the past, many of the crew had seen the film in a cropped, pan-and-scan version on TV or videotape. They discovered that Creature from Black Lake is an excellent movie that had been marred by the poor quality of many of the prints to which they had access. The Synapse Blu-ray release is a great showcase for Dean Cundy’s cinematography and facilitates a far more enjoyable viewing experience. As far as bigfoot movies of the era, Creature from Black Lake moves to the top among a select few. Synapse did a great service to horror fans in restoring Creature from Black Lake to this pristine, widescreen format.

After gushing over the Synapse Blu-ray, the Grue-Crew gushes equally over the movie itself. A great cast of character actors led by Jack Elam, Dub Taylor, Bill Thuman, Dennis Fimple, and John David Carson, supported by a well-cast group of locals, makes Creature from Black Lake a heck of a fun watch. In fact, they were having so much fun, they forgot to mention that Cathryn Hartt (credited as Catherine McClenny), who played Eve-the-waitress, is Morgan Fairchild’s sister. And be assured, there are plenty of creature shenanigans to supply the tension required in a good bigfoot film. 

The crew’s thanks go out to Synapse Films for supplying them with the Blu-ray screeners! The official release date is Tuesday, December 13, 2022. You can purchase your copy at Creature from Black Lake (1080p Blu-ray + Limited Edition Slipcover) – Synapse Films. You know you want it!

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule will be Count Dracula (1970), directed by Jesús “Jess” Franco and starring Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Maria Rohm, and Soledad Miranda. Yes, Grue Believers, this is their first Jess Franco movie.

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com. 

Check out this episode!

[cary-elwes]

I am so happy I could thank this legend for all the cool movies he and amazing directors like John Carpenter., Steven Spielberg etc. have put out there

[moviesandmania]

The Witch Who Came from the Sea - USA, 1976 - reviews

The Witch Who Came from the Sea – USA, 1976 – reviews

‘Molly really knows how to cut men down to size!!’

The Witch Who Came from the Sea is a 1976 American horror feature film directed by Matt Cimber from a screenplay by Robert Thom. It was shot by cinematographer Dean Cundey (The Thing; Halloween). The movie stars Millie Perkins, Lonny Chapman and Vanessa Brown.

Plot:

Molly (Millie Perkins) is a dysfunctional and disturbed woman who, after…

[jurassicparkpodcast]

Jurassic Park 25th Anniversary Celebration at Universal Studios! - Bonus Episode

Welcome to The Jurassic Park Podcast! In this Bonus Episode, we revisit the amazing 25th Anniversary Celebration for Jurassic Park at Universal Studios! Tons of fans were able to experience incredible panels with Colin Trevorrow, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Frank Marshall among many other incredible guests. We'll bring you audio from the panels and many people in attendance. We worked side by side with Victoria's Cantina, Chris Cross Media, Sickle Claw, Jurassic Jen, Cat Dekker to bring you audio and we'll hear from other incredible listeners! Sit back, relax and ENJOY this episode of The Jurassic Park Podcast!

See What We Did Celebration Weekend!

Don't Miss Victoria Cantina's Coverage!

Don't Miss Matt's Coverage!

This Week's Guest Contributors:

Chris Cross Media

Victoria's Cantina

Matt aka Sickle Claw

Cat Dekker

Jurassic Jen

Steven Ray Morris

Don't forget to give our voicemail line a call at 732-825-7763!

Share this post and comment below! Enjoy.

[kenro199x]

First blu-ray release (Universal  Studios) - 2008

Second blu-ray release (Shout Factory) - 2016

Third blu-ray release (Arrow Video) - 2017

[brigade-claire-opinions]

Day 30: Halloween (1978)

The original plan was to include Rob Zombie's Halloween film from 2008 in this final block, but then we learned that it actually came out in 2007, so the joke would have been lost. Also, it apparently sucks, so

Halloween is a 1978 slasher masterpiece written by Debra Hall and John Carpenter, who also served as the director. The film starts with the POV of an apparently (if the height of the cameraperson is anything to go by) very tall 6-year-old named Michael Myers, who murders his sister on Halloween 1963 and is sent to Smith's Grove sanitarium. 15 years later, he escapes and heads back to his hometown so he can kill some more.

Believe it or not, I haven't seen this film in its entirety before tonight. I've caught bits and pieces from when my cousin would have it on when we were kids, but this is the first time I've ever actually watched it. Rikka's seen the Rob Zombie remake, but otherwise she's in the same boat.

The great Jamie Lee Curtis headlines our cast in her debut role as Laurie, a high school girl who notices on Halloween 1978 that she's being stalked by some creep in a mask. That creep, it turns out, is now-21-year-old Michael Myers (played by Nick Castle and Tony Moran), who apparently just loves to kill teenagers. We also have Donald Pleasance as Dr. Sam Loomis, who served as Michael's psychiatrist and is trying to find him along with Sheriff Leigh Brackett (Charles Cyphers), the father of Laurie's friend Annie (Nancy Loomis). PJ Soles and John Michael Graham feature as kill fodder characters Lynda and Bob, and our principal cast is rounded out with Brian Andrews as Tommy and Kyle Richards as Lindsey, some kids who the main girls babysit.

Someone did their math wrong. We have Michael age 6 and Michael age 23 in the credits, yet Michael age 6 exists in 1963 and Michael age 23 exists in 1978. Somehow, Michael aged two extra years in the fifteen years between '63 and '78, I guess.

I honestly can't buy any of the teenage characters as teenagers, though that might just be a 70s thing. Jamie Lee Curtis delivered the best performance of the young cast, and I can certainly see why she became known as a Scream Queen. The adult performances were sort of hammy, but I think the film was going for that B-movie feel. Michael Myers has what is probably the second most famous breathing sound in cinematic history, right behind Darth Vader - I adore it.

The cinematography impressed me - Dean Cundy set up some pretty tight, claustrophobic shots when Michael was off killing, and there were some cool subtle shots involving our killer in the background. This film has a surprisingly small amount of blood for a Slasher feature, and the blood we did see didn't look particularly convincing, but that just lends to the B-movie feel.

John Carpenter's score is absolutely incredible. I mean, come on, EVERYONE knows the Halloween theme, even people who have never seen the film. It's just as iconic to the film's identity as Myers' silly William Shatner mask.

I really don't like the way Halloween frames mental health. There's this implication that the mentally ill are skeevy murderers. I don't think that Carpenter and Hall necessarily meant for that to come through, but it still just feels a little gross. Sure, there have been mentally ill serial killers throughout history, but... well, you know. I kinda wish it didn't come off that way.

Despite its issues, Halloween was a fun watch! I can absolutely understand why it's considered a grandparent of the Slasher genre and why Jamie Lee Curtis had such a successful career stemming from it. I'm sure that this film is beloved by many of you who might read this, and I completely get it. I had a fun 90 minutes.

Tomorrow is Halloween, and that means that this review series is finally coming to a close. Halloween itself had a ton of sequels, a remake, and a sequel to that remake. However, in 2018 - 40 years after the original film's release - another sequel came out, one that retcons everything after the first film...

[nixonsmoviereviews]

"Halloween"- One of the greatest experiences in horror ever crafted.

"Black cats and goblins and broomsticks and ghosts... Covens of witches with all of their hosts... You may think they scare me, you're probably right... Black cats and goblins, on Halloween night... Trick or treat!" Those words, a comparatively adorable and childish rhyme, usher in the beginning of one of the greatest experiences in horror ever crafted. Deliciously terrifying and capable of chilling you to the very core, John Carpenter's iconic classic of mayhem and murder still stands tall nearly forty years later as perhaps one of the greatest films ever made. I am of course referring to the legendary film known as "Halloween"- a pioneering achievement that not only created virtually every trope and cliché of the slasher-film genre that we know today, but also showed how they could all be performed with craft and class. Set 15 years after a six year old child named Michael Myers murders his older sister without reason on Halloween night, the film follows two relatively disconnected story lines. When the now 21-year-old Myers escapes his captivity in a mental institution, his obsessive Psyichiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) begins tracking him back to his home in Haddonfield, Illinois, sure that his former patient has only the most deadly of motivations in returning. At the same time, a group of teenage girls including the somewhat sheltered Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) are about to embark on a Halloween night of babysitting, unaware that they will become prime targets in the violent homecoming of the deranged and inhuman Myers. While perhaps antiquated by today's standards, Carptenter's film is one that has continued to enthrall and thrill audiences even to this day. The script co-written by Carpenter and then-girlfriend Debra Hill is amongst the most finely-tuned in the slasher film genre. It is a carefully assembled machine where every single sequence is expertly written to contribute towards the furthering development of story, character or atmosphere, without the need for excessive filler or meandering diversion. It's a perfectly constructed puzzle, with all of the pieces fitting just into place, as it builds throughout a 90 minute runtime towards a heart-stopping climactic showdown. I've always been a fan of Carpenter's visual direction. The man has a knack for storytelling and a grand, old-fashioned approach to his camera-work and composition. And here, he excels with perhaps the best work of his career. Combining his slow and methodical, flowing camera movements with the masterful lighting of cinematographer Dean Cundy, Carpenter is able to increase tension and drama with each passing moment, like a high tension wire ready to snap at any instant. Carpenter also perfectly compliments his beautiful imagery with a haunting and freakish musical score that he composed himself, with chilling piano compositions and some delightfully dated-but-eerie synthesizer riffs that just ooze of atmospheric thrills. The performances are uniformly magnificent and further aid in elevating the film to its highly-regarded standard as one of the greats. Donald Pleasence is just stunning as the troubled Psychiatrist Sam Loomis, giving him a great deal of pathos and depth in the role that went on to define his career. Pleasence solidifies himself as acting royalty here, and nothing will ever be able to top what he does with the character. Curtis is a revelation as Laurie Strode- her breakout role. Now considered one of the great "Scream Queens" of the big screen, Curtis does a fantastic job at creating a highly identifiable and relatable heroine that all can see themselves in. Nick Castle- the man behind the mask as Michael Myers- also is able to build such a menacing and devious presence in his role, despite having no dialog and having his face hidden by the iconic William-Shatner-mask-painted-white. Castle, who is a filmmaker in his own right and helmed the wonderful "The Last Starfighter", creates a grand character through only physical movement, which is highly commendable and exciting. Supporting roles by the likes of Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles, Kyle Richards and Brian Andrews also all similarly knock their material out of the part and are a great addition to the story. The other really fascinating thing to mention is just how influential a film that "Halloween" was, and how big an inspiration it became to the numerous other copy-cat films to emerge after its release. This is the movie that essentially defined the slasher sub-genre of horror. Every cliché... every trope you can think of was started here. The idea that "sex is danger"... the fact you never say "I'll be right back"... the false scares proceeding the real jump... the fact you don't drink or do drugs if you're underage. "Halloween" is the movie that established all of these unwritten "rules" of horror. There is sort of a tragedy to this, however. As its style was continually emulated in film after film (including most notably "Friday the 13th"), audiences became increasingly familiar with the ideas established, and they became the new clichés. And I do think it's sad... plenty of new audiences will not be able to experience them for the first time as audiences did back in the 70's, and a degree of impact may be lost as a result. Despite being a 90's child, this was one of the first horror films I was allowed to see uncut, and I am happy that this was the one that was chosen, as I could experience it in a "pure" sense without it being spoiled by other films. At nearly forty years of age, "Halloween" still exists in a league of its own. Not only as one of the greatest horror movies ever made. But as one of the greatest films ever made, period. And it most certainly and easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10 from me. Worth seeing to all fans of cinema.

[doodlesdelirium]

What Women Want (2000)

Written by two women and a man (Diane Drake, Cathy Yuspa, Josh Goldsmith) and directed by a woman (Nancy Meyers). The cinematography was by a guy named Dean Cundy, which I’m taking note of ‘cause there were some shots I really liked (specifically one of the main character banging on a door, and each hit cut to a different angle).

Boyfriend irritated me immediately with the smirk and “nice, uh, nail polish” I’ll fight you men should get to wear nail polish. He gave me bad vibes instantly and I dreaded where that was gonna go.

Made me upset how the main character used being able to hear women’s thoughts against them/to steal their ideas because “that’s such a man thing to do😤”, but that’s the POINT!!! You’re supposed to be irritated, he’s in the wrong.

I love his character progression as displayed in the two scenes of him watching the tv—he went from scornfully saying “too much estrogen in television nowadays” to skipping the macho/male-gaze stuff and appreciating the little things.

Thought the film was gonna turn out dated when he said “I’m a lesbian”, but honestly, in a the-year-2000 way, very LGBTQ+ friendly film (a woman pleasantly wondering if she’s lesbian, a woman supporting a man when he says he’s gay (although she did ask in a self-preserving way)). Also, in an equally the-year-2000 way, handled mental health VERY WELL. There was a character who was depressed and I was touched with how it was handled.

THE REMARK ABOUT PENIS ENVY BEING FAKE AND HOW MEN PREFORM FOR MEN. This is everything.

The daughter stood her ground against the creep of a boyfriend!! And the main character supported her and was comforting and encouraging instead of yelling at/blaming her. An excellent and touching father/daughter scene (tho said “slut” in the derogatory fashion in the context of creep boyfriend situation)

“Truth is, I’m the one that needs to be rescued” a king

He did not lash out and was understanding when he was fired. It wasn’t some “oh he changed so all is forgiven and can proceed in like fashion” fairy-tale nonsense; he took full responsibility and there were consequences for his actions and he accepted that. Love to see it.

“What kind of knight in shining armor would I be if the man I love needs rescuing and I just let him walk out my door?” “My hero.” IM GONNA CRY

All in all I think it’s a good movie, and I recommend.

[horrorjapan]

Totally underrated track soundtrack. You have those rare directors that have a collaborator so integral to their directorial identity that they almost become part of the same persona. Quentin Tarantino x Sally Menke, Sergio Leone x Ennio Morricone, John Carpenter x Dean Cundy, and Shinya Tsukamoto and Chu Ishikawa are another of those pairings.

[tabloidtoc]

Life & Style, June 24

Cover: George and Amal Clooney and Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston double date

Page 1: Rose Leslie at a Mumford & Sons performance while husband Kit Harington is in rehab 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: The Top 10 Gold Looks -- Katy Perry, Awkwafina, Irina Shayk, Naomi Campbell, Karlie Kloss 

Page 5: Emily Blunt, Sophie Turner, Lucy Boynton, Vanessa Hudgens, Eva Longoria 

Page 6: Twinning -- Becky G vs. La La Anthony, Margot Robbie vs. Ellie Bamber, Kristine Froseth vs. Phoebe Tonkin 

Page 8: Miranda Lambert’s cop husband Brendan McLoughlin wants to be a movie star 

Page 9: Meghan Markle’s former friend Lizzie Cundy tells all, Throwback -- Chelsea Handler, Biggest Spenders of the Week -- Adele, Tracy Morgan, Bella Hadid, Cardi B, Travis Scott 

Page 10: Beyonce and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy has her own staff, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez’s ex Cynthia Scurtis call a truce, Whose Purse Is It -- Katy Perry, Angelina Jolie, Kelly Osbourne, Paula Abdul, Miley Cyrus, Helena Bonham Carter 

Page 12: Madonna’s obnoxious tour rider 

Page 13: Inside Mindy Kaling’s life as a single mom, Katherine Schwarzenegger cracking under the pressure of planning her wedding to Chris Pratt but mom Maria Shriver will help, VIP Style -- Jamie Foxx and Miles Teller, Kesha, Jennifer Lawrence, Cardi B and Offset, Colton Underwood, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dascha Polanco, Mario Lopez 

Page 14: The Week in Photos -- Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez 

Page 15: John Legend and son Miles, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson 

Page 16: Cardi B 

Page 18: John Cena, Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid, Jamie Foxx

Page 20: Howie Mandel and America”s Got Talent singer Joseph Allen, Amy Schumer and son Gene, Katie Finneran and Lucy Liu 

Page 22: Jimmy Kimmel, Justin Theroux and Aziz Ansari, Tiffany Haddish 

Page 24: Stars Behaving Badly -- Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling, Jonah Hill, Kristin Chenoweth 

Page 26: Say What?! -- Miranda Kerr on Evan Spiegel, Taron Egerton on Elton John, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth 

Page 28: Carrie Underwood begs husband Mike Fisher to help out more 

Page 29: Nicole Kidman is keeping tabs on Keith Urban, Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn ready to wed 

Page 30: Cover Story -- Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s Roman holiday with George and Amal Clooney 

Page 34: Longtime rivals Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence try to outdo each other’s weddings 

Page 36: Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper fights, jealousy and separate bedrooms 

Page 38: Kate Middleton’s face-to-face with Prince William’s rumored mistress Rose Hanbury 

Page 40: Stars’ Hidden Talents -- Hailey Baldwin, JoJo Siwa, Zac Efron 

Page 41: Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Mark Ruffalo 

Page 42: Who Lives Here? Kylie Jenner 

Page 44: Entertainment 

Page 45: Star Review -- Tom Sandoval

Page 46: Beauty -- Super-sleek strands -- Shay Mitchell, Kate Bosworth, Miley Cyrus 

Page 48: Fashion -- Tie-Dye -- Rachel Brosnahan 

Page 50: Style Crush -- Jessica Alba 

Page 52: Diva or Down-to-Earth -- Sophie Turner, Ariel Winter, Reese Witherspoon 

Page 54: Social Stars Posts of the Week -- Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari, Chip Gaines, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s three children 

Page 55: Jessica Chastain, Drew Barrymore and ex Will Kopelman and daughter Frankie, Kerry Washington, Kim Kardashian and daughter North 

Page 56: Horoscope -- Gemini Nicole Kidman, They’re Not Together But They Should Be -- Josh Duhamel and Jaimie Alexander 

Page 58: Made Ya Look -- Vanessa Lachey and daughter Brooklyn 

Page 60: What I’m Into -- Tara Lipinski 

[jjsedelmaier]

Fido process reel from J.J. Sedelmaier on Vimeo.

The step by step phases used to produce an animation/live action commercial that also employed motion control. Sue Rose - designer/creator JJ Sedelmaier - animation director Tony Eastman - animator Tree O'Donnell - compositor Bill Mather - live director Dean Cundy - cinematographer

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN Returns to Theaters!

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/john-carpenters-halloween-theatrical-release/

John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN Returns to Theaters!

“You can’t kill the boogeyman!”

This iconic quote from John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) has never rung more true. Trick-or-Treaters worldwide be prepared, the groundbreaking horror classic is coming back to cinemas this October! Though not a full “wide” release, the film will be shown in select theaters across the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Ireland, and the UK. And if seeing the classic slasher on the big screen wasn’t enough, moviegoers will also be treated to additional bonus features before each screening!

…catch an exclusive interview and retrospective with the legendary master of horror, John Carpenter. Introducing the film, this special bonus explores the history of the film and the indelible influence Halloween has had on not only the horror genre, but the entire film industry. Carpenter explains why the film is meant for the big screen, the influences that inspire his filmmaking and how Halloween became the highest grossing independent film of all time.

Specticast notes the version of Halloween (1978) hitting theaters has been digitally restored and remastered by the original cinematographer Dean Cundey. A Carpenter mainstay, Cundy also helmed the camera for the sequels Halloween II (1981) and Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982).

This is not the first time John Carpenter’s masterpiece has snuck back into theaters. However, this year’s release comes on the heels of news regarding the long-awaited sequel. It was recently revealed that Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise her role as Laurie Strode in the upcoming October 2018 release. Introducing new generations to Michael Myers and the Halloween mythos is a great way to generate early buzz!

To see if you’re one of the lucky horror fans near a screening, visit Specticast.com for a complete list of theaters, dates, and ticket sales!

[moviesandmania]

The Witch Who Came from the Sea (USA, 1976)

The Witch Who Came from the Sea (USA, 1976)

‘Molly really knows how to cut men down to size!!’

The Witch Who Came from the Sea is a 1976 American horror film directed by Matt Cimber from a screenplay by Robert Thom. It was shot by cinematographer Dean Cundey (The Thing; Halloween). It stars Millie Perkins, Lonny Chapman and Vanessa Brown.

Molly (Millie Perkins) is a dysfunctional and disturbed woman who, after suffering repeated abuse at…

[jurassicparkpodcast]

Jurassic 25: A Celebration - From Victoria's Cantina

“An adventure 65 million years in the making.”  The year was 1993.  8 year-old me, who had already been obsessed with dinosaurs at that point, caught wind of a TV spot that contained that simple tagline.  I distinctly recall seeing the herd of Gallimimus flocking, and it excited me in a way no other movie commercial had.  The movie was called Jurassic Park, and it was the movie to see that summer.  Thankfully, my wish came true.  It was a hot day in Fort Worth, Texas, when my father, uncle, brother and I went to see it at a theater in a local mall.  The moment the film began, I was mesmerized.  The way it began with such an intense scene of a man being violently attacked by what was obviously some sort of monstrous dinosaur truly set the mood.  But this was not a scary movie.  Sure, it had terrifying moments.  (I still recall the shot of the Tyrannosaurus Rex breaking through the glass to attack Lex and Tim scaring the living daylights out of me.)  But there were warm, touching moments, such as when our heroes are taken to see a dinosaur for the first time.  Or when everyone suddenly abandons their Jungle Explorers to get up close and personal with a sick Triceratops.  Indeed, for an 8 year-old dinosaur-crazed kid, this movie was nothing short of a great adventure.  And it was one that would stay with me into adulthood.

Fast-forward 25 years to 2018.  In April, Universal Studios Hollywood announced that it would be hosting the Jurassic Park 25th Anniversary Celebration.  Originally set to span two days on May 11th and 12th (May 13th was added due to the high demand for tickets), it would celebrate a quarter-century of one of the biggest film franchises in cinema history.  Being somewhat local in San Diego, I knew this was an event I could not miss.  I convinced my husband that this was something we absolutely had to do.  (If visiting Kualoa Ranch and hunting for Jurassic Park filming locations across Hawai’i in 2016 did not affirm my fandom to him, what would?)  We booked our tickets and made plans to drive up to Hollywood on Friday, May 11th.  While I do visit Disneyland periodically, I had not been to Universal Studios Hollywood in 8 years.  I did get the chance to visit Universal Studios Japan last year, but I always feel that despite the grandeur of their newer iterations, theme parks just do not hold up to their original locations.  (And surely, the same is often true when we speak of our favorite film series.)   After surviving the always chaotic Los Angeles traffic, my excitement heightened as we parked in Jurassic Parking and made off towards Universal CityWalk.  According to our tickets, we would not be let into the event until 5:30 PM.  Since we were a bit early, we bided our time at CityWalk and admired the beautiful Jurassic Park Jeep Wranglers and Jungle Explorer that sat adjacent to the CityWalk AMC movie theater.  It was a cool evening, and my hair decided early on that the intermittent drizzle would become its greatest foe.  What was nice about this event was that the park did not close until 7 PM.  So we made use of this precious time to wait a ridiculously short 10 minutes for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  After admiring the recently opened The Simpsons area, we followed the signage leading our way to the Jurassic Park event and rode the Starway down to the Lower Lot.  When we arrived, we were instantly thrown into Jurassic mode. 

Universal used the Jurassic Park: The Ride area to stage the Jurassic Park 25th Anniversary Celebration.  Along with the ride itself, the celebration included a main stage, an activity area, the Raptor Encounter experience, restaurants, shops, and multiple bars that were set up to meet the needs of alcohol-deprived fans.  The queue of Jurassic Park: The Ride contained prop displays such as Claire’s outfit and a gyrosphere from Jurassic World.  There was also a Mattel Jurassic World toy display.  The activity center featured face painting and caricatures.  The main stage would be where Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow would be moderating a panel with special guests a little later.  Shops such as Jurassic Outfitters were filled with merchandise, some of which was created for the 25th Anniversary Celebration.  Mattel toys were priced double their MSRP.  You could get a Super Colossal T-Rex for the “special” price of $90.  (Markups on merchandise are not uncommon at theme parks, but such drastic premiums came across like gouging.)  And as an added bonus, Revenge of the Mummy and Transformers: The Ride were open for fans attending the exclusive event.  Both were walk-ons for the entire night, which again, is just unheard of.  Around 7:15 PM, the D.J. put his beats on pause as Velociraptor Zulu and Velociraptor Blue made their way out to taunt the crowd awaiting the panel.  This was a confusing moment, as many fans who had already gathered in front of the stage for the panel were asked to disburse so that the raptors could do their thing.  The “show” included several ACU soldiers who were working to steady the two raptors and contain them.  It really lacked any choreography or plot and came across as very disorganized.  I got the impression that most fans could have done without it; especially since it disrupted most everyone who had already claimed a spot for the panel.  Moments later, the emcee welcomed Colin Trevorow to the stage.  The Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom co-writer spoke a bit about his fandom and then promptly welcomed three Hollywood veterans who were involved with the production of Jurassic Park.  They included assistant director John Kretchmer, cinematographer Dean Cundey, and visual effects artist Dennis Muren.  The three esteemed guests shared stories about working on Jurassic Park and why it remains such a beloved film.  For me, the panel was the biggest highlight of the evening.  And what was quite great about it was that each night of the celebration would feature different guests.  (Saturday attendees got to hear from Laura Dern, while Sunday guests got a nice dose of Jeff Goldblum!)  When the panel concluded, the D.J. cranked the music back up.  But his performance was again paused for the costume contest and trivia game.  Of course, another highlight of the evening was the IMAX showing of Jurassic Park at the CityWalk AMC theater.  It contained the opening sequence to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which was met with a rave response from fans.  And of course, there is nothing like seeing one of your favorite films on the big screen.  While all of these activities were fantastic, I would be remiss if I did not mention how special it was interacting with so many Jurassic Park fans face-to-face.  Seeing their enthusiasm for the franchise, with their faces lighting up as they discussed their favorite characters and dinosaurs and memories, truly left an impression.  It was truly special to connect with like-minded Jurassic Park fans, and it was tremendously special to meet former online friends who I can now simply refer to as friends. 

On the whole, Universal did a remarkable job organizing this special event for the Jurassic Park fans who had traveled not only from within California, but also from other states and even other countries.  There was abundant signage throughout the park for fans to find their way to the event.  The fact that the Upper Lot was available for attendees for an hour and a half was a huge plus that made the event all the more enjoyable.  The exhibits, activities, and games added an extra layer of interactivity that gave fans an ample number of things to do.  The Raptor Encounter special show was quite disorganized and seemed more of a nuisance than a contributing element to the experience, but it was countered with a great panel and a tram ride through part of the backlot towards the movie theater.  And then when you factor the showing of Jurassic Park with a preview of Fallen Kingdom, you truly feel like the $69 paid for the event was quite a bargain.  What’s more is that through my observations, I noticed fans of all demographics enjoying the event.  I also got the sense that attendees were happy and having a great time, and it was certainly nice to see Universal commemorating the anniversary of one of its biggest films.  With the first two events selling out, I have to wonder if Universal will hold similar events in the future not only for Jurassic, but also for other established franchises like Harry Potter or Back to the Future.  I know more than a few fans who would wholeheartedly welcome a Jurassic Park 30th anniversary party in 5 years. 

In 2018, I am enormously excited.  Not only is Universal celebrating the 25th anniversary of one of my favorite films, but they are also releasing Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom this summer.  Mattel is putting out some of the finest Jurassic Park toys of all time and truly delivering on the promise of what a great toy line should be.  Indeed, it is perhaps the best time to be a Jurassic fan.  Somewhere inside 33 year-old me, 8 year-old me is smiling and enjoying every minute of it. 

Victoria B.

Please find Victoria's Cantina on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Don't miss our special episode focusing on the Jurassic Park 25th Anniversary Celebration at Universal Studios in the player below. Also find a few more photos in the gallery below:

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Some thoughts on a couple of these Blu-rays here.

Personally, I think these releases get better and better. While the Scream Factory release was supervised by original cinematographer Dean Cundy, the color grading is different. It’s still gorgeous and yes, there are scenes where I do prefer this more the original color grading. Scream Factory did a great job with their 2K scan and restoration.   

The Arrow Video one is incredible. Their 4K restoration is beautiful and it’s the best this movie has ever looked with its original color grading. Just look for yourselves. Up until three days ago, I preferred the Scream Factory edition over this one but upon further review... 

I’ll just give the edge to Arrow’s incredible release as the best one on the market right now. It’s just a Thing of beauty *ahem* but you can’t go wrong with either the Scream Factory one and Arrow Video releases. 

Go buy the one of your preference and give it a good home! 

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John Carpenter’s The Thing

Tomorrow night, I’ll be at the BFI Southbank to enjoy a special member’s screening of one of my all time favourite movies.  What more is there to say about John Carpenter’s masterwork of alien body-horror paranoia?  Although it really got a beating on the initial release (many blame the release of ET; apparently audiences preferred their aliens looking like friendly poos rather than toothy monstrosities), it has been redeemed in it’s home video releases over the years.  The performances, Dean Cundy’s cinematography, Ennio Morricone’s score, Rob Bottin’s jaw dropping (literally!) effects; it all comes together perfectly.  Now you may have seen the original trailer, with some choice moments from the film and that creepy tagline “Man is the Warmest Place to Hide”.  However, you may not be so familiar with this teaser, shot way before anything else.  This may also have lead to some misapprehensions about the film, as it hints at a more direct redo of The Thing from Another World, rather than the new adaptation of Who Goes There.   It doesn’t really sum up the film terribly well, although the sight of the vague shape within the ice is quite creepy.   Have a nice winter solstice everyone!

Bonus: The Thing the Musical!