Welcome... to Jurassic Nostalgia

By Kyle Crawford, Fright-Rags Art Director

There’s a time period that I feel like I was lucky enough to grow up in, where consumers would create shows and animated series to sell toy lines. Nowadays they make shows and hope it’s popular enough to warrant products. When it was 1993, and Jurassic Park was nearing its release, I knew it for a few things. The toys with the Dino-chomp, bone exposing gloriousness. It was a book. And of course, McDonalds. The placemat I would stare at, while eating out of the T-Rex shaped fry cup. Did I just say cup? The cupssss. Those damn cups.

I was a kid who didn’t get to go to McDonalds frequently. My mother was always working and dragging me along. I don’t remember many meals, but when I got McDonalds, it might as well have been Christmas, and Santa Ronald delivered that year. I remember having 2 of those cups. The Dilophosaurus, and the one I feel everyone had, the T-Rex fence escape. Having missed out on the Batman Returns cups a year prior, I had to have them. I needed them. Do you know how hard it is to ask your parents to NOT get you a happy meal? To spend more money, so I could go to school and brag about at least being able to get 1 cup. That, was an expense that was always spared in my house. Peer pressure, man.I didn’t actually see the movie, until almost a year later.

We didn’t have a lot of money, so it wasn’t until it was in the dollar theatre I could see it. At the time, I didn’t actually appreciate it. I was too busy trying to make sure my FOMO was repressed and that I could see what the hype was about. This movie can’t be THAT good. It’s based on a book! Bleck, books! Not to mention the poster reminded me of the Dick Tracy poster, which I despised, because for some reason, my parents bought me everything Dick Tracy under the sun. Those gigantic wrist walky talkies, still haunt my dreams. Go suck an egg, wrist radio!I can’t pinpoint the year, where my love for it began, but if you told me back in 1993, 10 year old me, that Jurassic Park would become my favorite movie of all time? I would spit in your face, Dilophosaurus style.

This film is the perfect movie. It’s quotable, it’s “meme-able”, it’s funny, it’s scary, it’s got the, “Oh man, would I wouldn’t give to be there” factor. It’s got monsters, not just monsters, DINOSAURS. It’s got adventure, and heart. It’s got it all. As far as Blockbusters are concerned, this IS the Blockbuster movie. There have been so many out throughout my lifetime that have come close. Last Action Hero, Independence Day, Batman Forever, and the list goes on. But none of them, can stand the test of time like Jurassic Park. They just got it right. In every aspect. Marketing, products, longevity, timelessness.

Welcome, to Jurassic Park.

PS: Our officially licensed JURASSIC PARK collection is now in-stock and ready to wreak havoc on your home. New tee, 90s-inspired lounge pants & 32oz souvenir cup. Grab yours now & stay out of the long grass. 👉 Check it out!