A WALK IN THE 'PARK'

Scientists discover the DNA of dinosaurs in blood-sucking ancient insects preserved for millennia in amber-and use it to re-create the reptiles in all their horrific, carnivorous splendor in a theme park where the one ride you get turns into a matter of life or death. That idea, drawn from author Michael Crichton’s 1990 best-seller, may be just about the damnedest movie premise ever. Already, Steven Spielberg’s megabudget adventure thriller/sci-fi event, Jurassic Park, is stomping around in at least one theater near you. Is it a rex or a wreck? Well, for our money-see our review on page 38-we think it’s a monster, and we mean that in the nicest possible way. On the following pages is our mammoth march through the movie and its makers, the players, the hype, and the dino detritus. As for the car-crunching, man-masticating stars of this show, they’re more jarring than Jaws-too jarring for some children, in fact (see page 22 for our parents’ guide to the movie and see page 65 for dinosaur delights better suited to young children). So strap yourself in and enjoy the ride-but please, for your own protection, keep your hands inside the guardrails.