Dinosaur movies have a long history in Hollywood, dating all the way back to the Silent Age of motion pictures. One of the all-time greats in the genre is Universal Pictures Jurassic Park, which roared into movie theaters in 1993. Jurassic Park not only struck gold at the box office, creating a successful movie franchise in the process, but also created a wealth of memorabilia for todays collectors. Jurassic Park is based on the 1990 bestselling novel of the same title by Michael Crichton (1942-2008), whose fertile imagination also produced such science-fiction/fantasy gems as The Andromeda Strain (1969), The Terminal Man (1972), Sphere (1987), The Lost World (1995), Timeline (1999), Prey (2002) and Next (2006). Budgeted at around $63 million, Jurassic Park was produced for Universal Pictures by Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald L. Molen. Writing the screenplay were Michael Crichton and David Koepp with Steven Spielberg directing, Dean Cundey in charge of cinematography, Michael Kahn as film editor and John Williams delivering the music score. Heading the cast were Sam Neill as Alan Grant, Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler, Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm and Richard Attenborough as John Hammond. Also in the cast were Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, B.D. Wong, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Wayne Knight and Jerry Molen. Jurassic Park was filmed on location in Hawaii and later moved to California for shooting on sound stages. The films all-important special effects, delivered by Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett and Michael Lantieri, were achieved via animatronics and computer-generated imagery. Jurassic Park opens in the United States, where paleontologist Alan Grant and paleobotanist Ellie Sattler are working on a dinosaur dig. The pair, along with mathematician/chaos theorist Ian Malcolm, are summoned to the island of Isla Nublar, off the coast of Costa Rica. Here, wealthy industrialist John Hammond has built Jurassic Park, a theme park featuring various long-extinct dinosaurs brought back to life via dinosaur DNA preserved in amber and genetic engineering using frogs and other animals. Things quickly go awry at the fledgling amusement park, as the dinosaurs bypass the safeguards of the scientists and begin breeding in the wild, something Ian Malcolm had warned against. Also complicating matters is disgruntled lead computer programmer Dennis Nedry, who steals dinosaur embryos which he plans to sell to John Hammonds business rival. Before trying to flee the island in a raging storm, Nedry has deactivated the parks security system, including the electrical fence paddock which holds a fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. Grant and Sattler, along with Malcolm and Hammonds grandkids, Tim and Lex, are later terrorized by the T-rex and vicious Velociraptors after their electric Ford Explorer touring vehicles lose power. Jurassic Park went into general release in the United States on June 11, 1993, where it soon became one of Hollywoods all-time summer blockbusters. To date, Jurassic Park has grossed $1.058 billion, producing six sequels, video games and theme park attractions. Jurassic Park, a real monster of a movie, is huge with collectors. Leading the way is the films T-rex-themed one sheet poster (27 by 40 inches). A DS (double-sided) example in rolled very fine-near mint condition sold at auction for $687.50. High on any movie memorabilia collectors list is the pictures fabulous lobby card set, originally displayed in movie theater lobbies. Numbering eight 11-by-14-inch cards, the set features important color scenes from the film. One set in near mint condition brought $203.15 at auction. For those who enjoy larger items, look to the Jurassic Park subway banner (46 by 60 inches). Displaying the films opening date of June 11, 1993, one example in rolled fine-very fine condition hit a top bid of $179.25 at auction. Like many modern action films, Jurassic Park generated its fair share of official licensed merchandise. A set of three Jurassic Park action figures (Ellie, Tim, Velociraptor) made by Kenner and still sealed in their packages sold at auction for $159. Theres also the Jurassic Park comic book #1 published by Topps Comics in 1993. One example in graded CGC near mint+ 9.6 condition brought $55 at auction. Original movie props can bring big bucks, and Jurassic Park is no exception. The Barbasol shaving cream can prop, used by the devious Dennis Nedry to hide and smuggle dinosaur embryos off the island, sold at auction for a whopping $250,000. Other props and their winning auction bids include a Danger 10,000 volts warning sign ($30,000), a group of five Motorola Saber radios with park map ($10,625) and a Velociraptor head model ($17,500). Auction results and images are courtesy of Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas. William J. Felchner is a graduate of Illinois State University. His work has appeared in a number of periodicals, including True West, Hot Rod, Movie Collectors World, Big Reel, Old West, Corvette Quarterly, Western & Eastern Treasures, Goldmine, Autograph Collector, Illinois, Sports Collectors Digest, Frontier Times and Pennsylvania Magazine.