Jurassic Park 3 DVD and the awesome DTS track (1 Viewer)

[Brad_W]

Well, I watched this disc last night and the film transfer was very vivid. Wonderful with no real flaws, in my lil opinion. And the DTS track is frickin' awesome! Nice use of low end throughout, plus a fantastic use of the sub during those "big" scenes. Universal got it right this time and with the first pressing!!!! I cannot praise the DTS and Anamorphic transfer enough!
The extras are also "a plenty." The only real problem I had with the extras is that the "A Visit To ILM" got rather annoying. When I clicked on it it brought me to a menu where I had several different options to choose from. That was okay, but then when I chose one it brought me to yet another three or four options. When I started at the top and worked my way down, they were only about a minute or two in length. Why not click on one option at the begining and run the entire three or four options together? I mean they all fit together, but why stop, bring you to the menu, click on the next one, play it, then stop, bring you to the menu, click on the next one, etc. etc. etc. I could understand it if they were like 15 minutes a piece, but 1 maybe two minutes?! sheesh.
Anyway, I never knew Joe Johnston was never a director, but a special effects designer. He worked on all three original Star Wars films and is even credited as to being the one who officially designed YODA! Very cool. He then asked Speilberg after the first Jurassic Park to direct the next one, but Speilberg said no to The Lost World, but yes to the third installment. Very cool for him. I wish I could have those kind of connections!
The lamest Special Feature would have to be Dinosaur Turntables! I mean I love dinosaurs and palentology, but this was soooooo stupid. You click on the dinosaur name and the dinosaur appears and spins around in grey, then spins around in color. All lasting about 45 seconds. Stupid? Yep.
The Theatrical Trailers are nice because it has all three trailers, but the trailer for The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3 are different from the previous two DVDs. Remember that Jurassaic Park and The Lost World had three trailers, but they were both the same on each disc? Kinda lame, but still nice to have. The only thing I wish was included was any teaser trailers made for the first two films. But I guess I can't have everything.
Finally, I will comment on the "Making of..." and "Behind the scenes..." documentaries. Both are very interesting and informative. The Making of Jurassic Park III documentary is your basic 15-20 minute spot and has interesting stories and footage. The Behind-The-Scenes documentary is neat because you get three scenes to choose from, then click from semi-start to fully-finished.
Well, that's it. Enjoy. Also, keep in mind that I'm a HUGE Jurassic Park fan so I love the film, but that's NOT what this thread is about, just the DVD and hopes to get you excited about buying it on Tuesday.
Enjoy.

 

[Neil Joseph]

I watched this last night at a low volume level and I could still practically feel the bass. Very nice I admit.

 

[RussR]

Brad, apologies in advance if I'm misreading your post above, but Joe Johnston directed a number of well-known films prior to JP3, including October Sky, Jumanji and The Rocketeer.
I enjoyed Jurassic Park III and will definitely be picking it up on Tuesday.

 

[Sean Oneil]

Yes, Russ is correct. JP3 was not JJ's first directorial effort.

 

[Brad_W]

Sorry on the mis-information. I really only thought it was because they listed no films for him or rather no filmography. I guess I made an assumption that he directed no other films prior to JP3. Again, sorry about that.

The Long Kiss Goodnight: "Never make an assumption because it makes an ass out of U and mption."

 

[Luis Cruz]

Don't forget Joe Johnston directed Honey I Shrunk The Kids... Oh, also, I loved JP3, it was an awesome, fun, action packed film that never took itself to seriously and was directed with excellence... Can't wait to buy it.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Are there separate releases for DTS and DD5.1 on this title, like there were on the first two? Or is it just one disc with both of them on it?

I know there are separate discs for widescreen and pan-n-scan, just wondering about the sound formats.

 

[DanC]

Jeff,

JP3 has both DD/DTS soundtracks on the same disc. You can't buy them seperately.

 

[Charles M]

Sounds good enough to convince me to buy it.

 

[Brett C]

As good as it was ....it paled in the low end compared to the first two,which is why I get excited whenever I find out Gary Rydstrom is the sound designer on a new movie. I could tell straight away watching JP3 that it wasn't his work. But it is still a good track though...

 

[Peter Overduin]

Not sure if its just me, but on my normal settings, my P1200 sub sounded a bit boomy. Once I got the settings right, the base was absolutely astounding...deep, rumbling and sustained. It is one of the few DVDs where I have really had to fool around to get the right settings for my sub; am I alone on this one?

 

[Martice]

Nope Peter. You aren't. Infact I had to adjust the settings on my sub as well. I put in some of my other heavy hitters like The Haunting DTS, Titan A.E., Pearl Harbor etc... and they were all fine at the calibrated level that I had previously set. However, as I sat down to watch JP3, I noticed that the bass was exagerrated almost. The spino's foot steps were not as distinct as the one's used by T-Rex. Spino's foot steps sounded like LFE and not footsteps that you could easily identify. Infact, when T-rex makes his entrance for the first time in JP1, you can hear him laboring as he's taking his first steps on to the road where the kids are stranded in the car. Not so in JP3,

just good old, house shaking, making me queezy, I'm going to call the cops if you don't turn that S*%t down LFE that could've been used in any movie for any low frequency effect.

Still an excellent film to show off your system and enjoy for the effects.

 

[Chris Maynard]

Pet Peeve -
"Awesome DTS soundtrack"
Probably never listened to the Dolby Digital track.
:frowning:

 

[Jens Raethel]

Are the trailers in 5.1?

 

[Brad_W]

Probably never listened to the Dolby Digital track.

No I did not. But I rented the DVD and the DTS was good enough. Why would I not want to listen to the Dolby Digital track? Well, not enough time for one and the other is that I am very pleased with the DTS track (had the DTS track been bad I would have immediately switched to DD). I also didn't say that the DD track was bad, I was merely commenting on the track I did listen to, which was DTS. Chris, I see your reasoning for the pet peeve, however it is (in my opinion) unwarranted to my description/review of the DVD.

Jens,

All three trailers are in dd 5.1

My pet peeve:

When you select DTS via the menu and takes you to another menu asking you "if your sure you want to continue."

I pressed the damn thing, didn't I??

 

[Matthew G Hetman]

Brad,

Thanks for the review....I added JP III to my Xmas list and hope Santa picks it up....

 

[Brad_W]

Matthew,

You're welcome.

 

[Robert George]

(had the DTS track been bad I would have immediately switched to DD)

How would you know?

 

[Lewis Besze]

I was wondering how long this thread could go on without someone bring the "age old debate" into this.I wonder if that qualifies this time a "thredfarting"?
Anyhow,

Nope Peter. You aren't. Infact I had to adjust the settings on my sub as well. I put in some of my other heavy hitters like The Haunting DTS, Titan A.E., Pearl Harbor etc... and they were all fine at the calibrated level that I had previously set. However, as I sat down to watch JP3, I noticed that the bass was exagerrated almost.

Would you say that most bass energy is @ 40-60hz,instead of the 20-40hz exhibited very loudly on the soundtracks you compared to?You see in my set up I have to drop the sub by 3db on The Haunting and Titan A.E.,just to make it somewhat fair[not to mention to avoid bottoming out,even if for a brief moment] to the other soundtracks out there.
I'm planning to pick this up on tuesday along with the RH2.

 

[BertFalasco]

I will definitely be buying this title because I am a huge fan of Spielberg and Jurassic Park. I'm not "bashing" it but I do have the right to state my opinion; therefore, JP 1 and 2 had a sweet storyline, plot, and screenplay. JP3 on the other hand was not based on a book (which is why I believe Steven didn't do it) and I thought it was a waste of something Steven made so awesome. I am buying it because I can't disrespect Steven or the JP series for that matter.
JP3, the kid from the Patriot, Tea Leoni, William H. Macy..!!!!!!!!!!Yuk!!
I hated how the writers made Sam Neil's character (Dr. Grant...duh..) so damn unwilling anymore. In the first two, Dr. Grant was so into it and loved to study dinosaurs and made it more exciting for the viewer (atleast for me) to watch. Jeff Goldblum, I heard he wasn't casted because his character was too smart and the writers would probobly have to add some questions in the script for Jeff to say because his character is very smart (ie: when he said "life finds a way", that briefly foreshadowed the dinosaurs evolvement/birth) and would probobly make the plot more complicated. Also, Laura Dern, married!!! That made me so angry. What the hell were they doing in JP 1 then, were they just 2 horny people on an island!! How dare she get married. Also, the unrealistic features on the dinosaurs, talking to each other, and especially how T-Rex had a minor role. T-Rex was glorified in the first 2 of this and that, then the spinosaurus just kills it. If it were up to me, I'd have it so JP3 was never made.
That, my friends, is just my opinion. I mean no offense or for you sensitive people, "harm."
Is there anyone that agrees with me?
Enjoy
-Bert