Saturday, May 24, 1997
Early viewers approve of new adventure
By GREG JAKLEWICZ / Entertainment Editor
Staying up late Thursday night to see the "Jurassic Park"
sequel was, well, a "Lost" cause.
Two sneak previews of the summer movie season's first blockbuster
at the Carmike-6 drew mostly teen-age fans, obviously out on the
town to celebrate the end of the school year. Most were anxious
to see what filmmaker Steven Spielberg had planned for his new
dinosaur adventure, "The Lost World."
"Hurry it up!" one moviegoer shouted as another preview
flicked on the screen.
Everyone had entered one of two theaters through a lizard-covered
papier mache cave, created earlier in the day by manager Kevin
Hollingshead and his staff. Most had been in line before 6 p.m.,
when the box office opened, and then returned for the late-night
adventure.
Definitely up past his bedtime was 7-year-old Zach. The film
started one hour after he normally gets tucked in. No worry -
his parents bought him chocolate candy, guaranteed, they said,
to keep him wired for the next two hours.
Zach's excitement, however, probably would've been enough.
"Perfect," the wide-eyed first-grader and pint-sized
film critic announced well after midnight when the credits rolled.
Then, turning to his mother, he asked, "Can we stay and see
it again?"
No doubt Zach will be back. Though even Spielberg backs off
recommending his dino adventure films for kids under age 8, Zach
didn't cringe or cover his eyes once.
"I have the video at home," he said before the movie
started. "I hope they make it a little scarier."
Celebrating their second anniversary at the movies, after a
hopefully more romantic Italian dinner, were Angela and Thomas
Estep. Four summers ago they weren't even dating, but each saw
"Jurassic Park" on the big screen. A sci-fi and comic
books fan, Thomas enjoyed the movie but already has his sights
set on "Batman & Robin."
Two families of four provided eight thumbs up for "The
Lost World."
The Cortinaz family, owners of Michael Crichton's books and
the "Jurassic Park" video and audiotapes, were in their
seats by 9 p.m. Melissa, an Abilene High student, showed off her
"Lost World" watch from Burger King. Casper, 13, admitted
to being a little scared at the first movie, but had no plans
to be so uncool at the sequel.
"But I told him he could sit in my lap again if he wanted,"
joked his mother, Rosa.
Two rows were back was Larry White's family, including his
22-year-old daughter Cassie who also was wearing the Burger King
watch.
"She's why we're here," said dad. "A father's
got to show his love for his daughter."
But pop also expected a good movie, "pure family fun but
certainly not up for an Oscar."
Across the auditorium, 13-year-old Thomas Laird sat with three
buddies and lamented he's the only dinosaur fan in his family.
But his mother was sport enough to drive him to the theater to
get tickets four hours before.
"Four stars," he shouted after the movie was over.
"It was good. I liked the Japanese tourists running from
the T-Rex, like it was Godzilla.
"I'll probably see it again tomorrow."
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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