Jurassic Park 600ft Stereo

[Lee Mannering]

JURASSIC PARK Super 8 review by Lee Mannering

Duration 29 minutes 600ft Stereo Sound

When I entered the world of 8mm film making and collecting in the 1960's I never envisaged we would see a day when we could project films at home on Super 8 with Stereo sound and a quality of prints we see today.
Enter then the new release of Jurassic Park into the 21st century world of Super 8 film collecting.

This has been a welcome release to collectors and from the get go its a roller coaster ride inside a man made Jurassic Park. I'm sure I don't need to explain the story as this box office smash already is a well respected classic coming from a more than noted director.

I can remember clear as day entering my favourite Warner 12 screen multiplex in Bury UK (earlier filmed inside and out for my 8mm documentary Cinema of our time) then sitting in a packed out screen to watch this 2 hour movie with a group of film collectors, after which we went back in to watch it again!
This Super 8 condensed version has been brilliantly edited by someone who knows the full movie well enough to keep the story in a very presentable 600ft film and make no mistake it has been well edited.

The films starts as pretty much where the feature does then we enter the park gates for quite a ride!
Viewing the film from a technical standpoint editing of the master has been carefully done and any joining during editing being virtually invisible. The master used is of such excellent quality you could mistake it for 70mm and the Super 8 release print looks detailed and frankly stunning, at least on my 8ft screen.

On screen the Super 8 film is colourful, zero vertical jitter and with a quite super stereo sound track. I feed my Elmo GS1200 into a analogue to Digital conversion system to squeeze the max from the sound and at times JP sound is a floor shaker as the dinosaurs stomp about the screen. Colour saturation and detail is truly amazing with very fine grain showing Super 8 off to its very best.

I had the stereo magnetic stripe under a simple microscope and its as flat and solid as it gets with good coverage that does not waver, so extremely even throughout. It doesn't peel and delivers a solid sounding track.

We have not seen a new flat 600ft release of this quality for decades and I would highly recommend it to collectors to bolster your top shelf collection along with the other really wonderful releases we are seeing from the
USA.

Well done David the brains behind it and of course the laboratory who did the technical side. Details where to order are on this very site so pop a note to Santa as soon as you can!

Print quality *****
Sound quality *****
Magnetic Striping *****
Collectability *****

TEST EQUIPMENT USED: ELMO GS1200-Analogue to Digital converter-Denon Amplifier-Mission Loud Speakers

[Maurice Leakey]

Lee
An excellent review.
Did you have to pay any import duties or VAT?

Maurice

[David Baker]

Lee

THANK YOU for an in-depth review !
I found it most interesting of the Test equipment you used .
Very informative and interesting review . Great screen shots too .

THANKS for supporting the Hobby !

Dave

[Lee Mannering]

Maurice. The price paid when ordering was inclusive also trackable.

I suspect if you are looking to place a order quickly you may stand a chance to have your print for christmas.


It would be wonderful to have a 200ft JP trailer reel as well so one for the melting pot David.

[Mike Newell]

There was a Jurassic Park feature release by Derann. One of those special lists. Don’t think there were more than 30 prints released.

[Mark Norton]

looks really good. Excited & looking forward to receiving my print.

[Lee Mannering]

It is beautiful Mark and a really welcome addition to my collection. David has worked hard on this and the end result does the hard work and investment justice eased to report. I received personal phone calls from David to update me and you will guess it reminded me if the service from Derek Simmonds.

We are blessed with the dedication of Seve O and David with some excellent NEW releases and more to come. I'll embrace them as much as I am able to do.

Well done 'the boys'

[Lee Mannering]

Mike The full feature is also still available to Reel Image magazine subscribers so we have the best of both worlds.

[Osi Osgood]

OK ... Just one question, and I definitely don't want to be a downer ... But I noticed that the greens seem to be off. Is this just a by product of taking screenshots? I just ask, as I compared it with the DVD, and the greens don't look right. Could the print be on yellowish acetate? However, definitely agree with the sharpness! It just goes to show just how good super 8 can really be.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Osi,

We screened this at CineSea and the polyester print's greens seemed totally fine to me.

[Bill Phelps]

Yes, I saw a screening at Steve’s as well and the greens looked fine to me too. Excellent digest and nice review Lee! I’m already glad to have this in my collection and I haven’t even got it yet! Good things come to those who wait!

[Lee Mannering]

Osi. You see this is the thing with digital photography.
Joking apart colours are wonderful on the actual film print, operating a camera when projecting a new print on the Elmo still recovering from Coronavirus devastation is another thing.
One thing I will say is this new release really cheered us both up so thank you David for making it happen.

[Michael O’Regan]

This is not a film I’ve ever really been in love with but this print looks fantastic. Anyone who takes the time and effort to release anything on Super 8 these days is to be commended.

[Brian Fretwell]

I feel the same I saw it on first release, but have never had the desire to watch it again.

[Bill Phelps]

And this is why new releases will never be a success as collectors will never all agree on the right film to release. Ask 10 different collectors what they would like to see and you get 10 different answers. Jurrassic Park is not my favorite film...but I do like it and this is a well done, exciting release. Although...Michael I remember you mentioning at various times you do not get or like digests so I understand you not wanting one. I also understand that if collectors don't like the film then your not interested in owning a print. The market for new stuff is so small now.