JP 8 Years Old
Thanks to everyone who emailed me to remind us all that today marks the 8-year anniversary since we saw computer animated dinosaurs causing terror on-screen. Think in 8 years we'll be getting ready to go see JP6? ;) ('Big Razzie' was first.)

JP3 Books Released Tomorrow
Another reminder: Tomorrow is the release dates for many of the JP3 books, which means you can now order the JP3 Junior Novelization, the JP3 Movie Storybook (with lots of pics from the movie), Jurassic Park Institute: Dinosaur Field Guide, Jurassic Park Institute: Dinosaur Alive, and Survivor: Jurassic Park Adventures #1. They should also be appearing at a book store near you.

June 10, 2001

"A frustrated scientist wanna-be who gave up the possibility of a career in marine biology only after flunking physics four separate times, Johnston backed into a directing career that has let him indulge his love of science vicariously. [While] JP3 could be seen as a regression from the emotionally complex October Sky, the big paycheck it offered Johnston was backed by the bait of a personal adventure in the science of paleontology."

[On the pteranodons] "What happens in movies like this is that when you get into production, you realize you can't afford everything. Steven cut the pteranodons out of the first movie, and he figured he'd put them in the second one. Then he had to cut them out of the second one. One of the first things that he said to me in our meetings was that he'd always wanted these flying pteranodons, so he wanted me to come up with something great for them."

[No underwater dinos..] "[An underwater dinosaur sequence] was great in the first draft but they went the way of the pteranodons in the first two movies.."

[What is left of Spielberg's idea for JP3?] "It was a pretty simple idea, and very little of it is left. It was Steven's idea to have Sam Neill's character discovered living on the island. He'd snuck in, after not being allowed in to research the dinosaurs, and was living in a tree like Robinson Crusoe. But I couldn't imagine this guy wanting to get back on any island that had dinosaurs in it after the first movie.."

[On the CGI effects] "It's all in the subtle effects. There's software now that covers muscle groups, so that when a dinosaur exerts itself, the muscles contract, and where muscles aren't being used, the fat deposits move like fat, and all of it happens under the texture of the skin."

Johnston on Aspect Ratio
After the confusion over the wide-screen pic posted here Friday, I asked JP3 director Joe Johnston to confirm what aspect ratio JP3 will be shown in. As several people guessed correctly, the pic was simply cropped for a 2.35 frame, and JP3 will actually be 1.85:1, in keeping with the previous two films. "The best reason for 1.85:1 is the subject matter: Big, tall dinosaurs," Joe said. "They'd have to kneel down to get into a 2.35 frame."

'Dino Hunt' on BBC
Our friends over the pond may want to tune into BBC2 this week (starting tonight) for "Live From Dinosaur Island", where a team of scientists are attempting to unearth some dinosaur skeletons. Apparently this is all going on now, and you can watch the action over the web with their live web stream. (Thanks Natalie and 'InGen')

Vote For JP!
inGenNET noticed the American Film Institute will announce their "Top 10 Most Heart-Pounding Movies" in a special on CBS Tuesday night at 8pm. However, the "public" (that would be us) can vote for their favorites here. JP is at #5 currently, lets see if we can bump it up a bit.. :)

June 8, 2001

JP3 in 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio?
Interesting tid-bit: 'Cheetah167' pointed out in the picture above (and the technical data page for JP3 on the IMDB confirms it), that it looks like JP3 was shot in a different aspect ratio than the previous two JP films, in the widescreen 2.35:1 instead of the "normal" 1.85:1, used by Spielberg in both JP and TLW. 2.35:1 is usually considered the more "cinematic" of the two, and features a somewhat wider screen (at your theater, they may open curtains on the sides for the extra screen width).

June 7, 2001

JP3 Officially "Hot"
At least, according to J-14 magazine, which will feature JP3 as part of their "12 page 'Your Best Summer Ever'" feature in their June 8th issue, says this press release. "[The feature] includes dozens of previews, exclusive interviews with the stars, tour schedules, CD release dates, movie premiere dates, and giveaways."

June 6, 2001

More on the JP Institute
JP3HQ contacted a source a Random House books about the upcoming JP Institute website, who reports that the site should feature a "preview.. in the next week or so." The full site is not planned to go live until the release of the film, according to the source. In addition, they also provided some more insight into exactly what JPI is about. Turns out it's more than just a new marketing campaign to promote JP3: "Jurassic Park Institute is a long-term program that will include outreach to classrooms all over the country next year," the source said. "It is a non-profit program that will also seek to help fund dinosaur research. Major paleontologists are involved in advising -- which makes sense since their professional mission is to educate as well as investigate."

inkWorks Cards Details
This Ebay auction gives some details on the upcoming inkWorks cards and what we can expect from the new set: 1 in 8 packs will contain a "3-D viewer" to get the 3D effect from the cards, 1 in 11 packs will contain a "Jurassic Extreme Die-Cut Card", 1 in 17 will contain a "Ragin' Reflectors -- prismatic foil cards", and 1 in 107 packs will have a "Mega Mahem foil embossed card". (Thanks 'Sinorsis')

More Products
The products keep rolling in! 'jurassiraptor' sends along these two pics of JP3 products he found at K-Mart.. At the right is a "60 piece tattoo and sticker pack" ($3.99), and this is the JP3 "Adventure Pack" ($9.99) which includes "markers, crayons, a plastic 'deck', a 50-foot paper roll (?), and over 60 activities." A few new Ebay auctions as well, thanks to 'Sinorsis': Here's the JP3 HAT, t-rex and raptor eggs.

June 5, 2001

When Steven Spielberg... handed the franchise off to Johnston, he said, "I just want to warn you that these movies are hard," Johnston recalls. "And I said, ‘Oh, yeah, I know. . . .’ I had no idea." One day, an animatronic velociraptor went berserk, sending Johnston flying. "It’s such a relief when you’ve got a scene that involves actors sitting around the jungle talking," he says.

The stars [also] called on more than their acting muscles. "My fellow actors guffawed when they saw me stretching out before some of these [scenes]," Macy says. "But after about the fourth day, when they were so lame that they could hardly walk, they started stretching out, too."

Final Stretch
Not really news, but for those of you who are interested in the long process of the JP3 post-production, I received word from Joe Johnston that he and his crew left for the Skywalker Ranch on Saturday to complete the final sound mix. "We'll be there most of June," he reports.

New Scenes on Access Hollywood Tomorrow
Check your local listings and set your VCR's, as 'Chaos' and 'da madman' report tomorrow's (that would be Wednesday) Access Hollywood will feature "new scenes" from JP3. [Update: The footage shown was apparently old. (Thanks JP Aftermath)]

June 4, 2001

Lego Set Review
Since it's a slow news day, I figured I'd post a review of the brand new JP3 LEGO set, "Raptor Rumble Studio", written by Kyle Hatch. If you want to write a review of a new JP3 product (no action figure reviews please), send it in! If it's well written, I'll post it on the site. Here's Kyle:

"So far, there seems to have been a great deal of negative buzz in the JP3 toys department, particularly when it comes to the two JP3 LEGO Studios sets. However, I've recently bought set #1370, "Raptor Rumble Studio" and I think both LEGO fans, and non-fans will be pleasantly surprised!

One of the first things I noticed about the set were the minifigs, they're hard to miss. While the two cast figures bare no resemblance to those in JP3 (The guy is none other than LEGO Adventurer "Johnny Thunder", and the girl is also nothing new) However, the cameraman is pretty cool, excellent detail and personality for a minifig, actually kinda looks a little like Macy! The video camera he holds is also really neat, even comes with a little 1x2stud tape, which slides right inside!

The movie set itself is by far the coolest part; it's filled with all kinds of little details and special effects!\ The set comes with a little 6x6stud clear dome, which can be flipped open and closed. Both windows on the lab can 'break' open sideways, (Providing easy access for hungry raptors!) and if that weren't enough, the entire roof of the lab, including the dome, is detachable! All pieces included can also be rebuilt to create a hanglider for two.

And then there are the dinos -- it includes two raptors and a pteronodon. They may not bare an exact resemblance to those in the movie, but the liberties taken make these figures extremely poseable -- especially the raptors! My only disappointments are that the dino's heads aren't able to open or close, and that the actors included look absolutely nothing like the JP3 cast.

But this certainly shouldn't discourage you from at least considering to buy this se -- if you're into JP toys, you shouldn't be disappointed here!"

June 3, 2001

Stromer stands next to a bone of his spino skeleton

Paleontologists Return to Where Spino Was Discovered
The world's only spinosaurus skeleton, discovered by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in the early 1900's, was destroyed in 1944 during Allied bombings of Munich, where Stromer did his research. However, according to this MSNBC.com story paleontologists are now for the first time returning to the Egyptian dig site where the spino was discovered, making new finds and continuing Stromer's work. On the first expedition to the site, the team discovered a new species, "Paralititan stromeri", which "apparently ranks as the second-biggest [dinosaur] ever found". While no new Spino skeleton has been found yet, the team plans on continuing to go back to the site, "as long as the Egyptians can stand us.. and we keep getting money." (Thanks 'TheJPExpert', among others)

June 2, 2001

New Video Interview
WindowsMedia.Msn.com is running another feature on JP3, where you can view the trailer in streaming video, in addition to another interview segment with Winston, Jack Horner, and Kathleen Kennedy, according to 'giganotospinotaurus'. "My favorite new dinosaur is the Velociraptor," says Stan Winston. "And the Velociraptor was in Jurassic Park one, and the Velociraptor was in Lost World, and Velociraptor is back in Jurassic Park III, but in a way, you've never seen it."

[News from May 27th through June 1st]