SDCC 2023 Exclusive Jurassic Park: The Hammond Collection “Man Creates Dinosaurs” Steven Spielberg Action Figure by Mattel

In celebration of Jurassic Park’s 30th Anniversary, Mattel is releasing a San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Exclusive Jurassic Park: The Hammond Collection “Man Creates Dinosaurs” Steven Spielberg Action Figure! Now JP fans can recreate the making of the iconic film with this set, which includes legendary director Steven Spielberg, a director’s chair, a camera, and a Dilophosaurus. It can be purchased at Mattel’s SDCC booth #2945 or online at creations.mattel.com at 9am PT on Friday, July 21st.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind Screen Print by Todd Slater

The Blot can’t lie, as much as I love sci-fi movies I’ve never been a huge fan of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But combine Spielberg’s seminal 1977 film with Todd Slater, one of The Blot’s favorite artists, and you end up with an incredible, highly detailed screen print. Just look at all the details Slater put into this one! While I may not care about CE3K, how does anyone pass up purchasing this stunning print?

Close Encounters of the Third Kind by Todd Slater is a 24”x36” hand numbered AND signed screen print. The blue standard version has a limited edition run size of 300 pieces and will retail for $40 each, while there are only 70 prints of the orange variant, which will retail for $65. Both go on at the Mondo online store today, Friday, March 11th, at a random time.

Johnny Cupcakes x Hook “Capn” T-Shirt

Another Johnny Cupcakes midnight screening means an all new limited edition movie themed t-shirt! On Saturday, November 21, 2009 at Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA, Johnny Cupcakes hosted a very special screening of Hook starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman. Hook is definitely one of Steven Spielberg’s most underrated films and a 90’s classic that only gets better with age. Ru-fi-ooooooooooooooooooooooo!


What I like most about the Johnny Cupcakes x Hook “Capn” t-shirt is the way it merges JC’s Cupcake and Crossbones logo with the image from Hook’s one-sheet movie poster. The logo on the back of the shirt is a nice touch as well!


The Johnny Cupcakes "Capn" t-shirt sells for $35.99 and comes in both guys and girls styled tees. You can purchas the Hook tribute t-shirt directly from the Johnny Cupcakes online store here.

Author and ER Creator Michael Crichton Dead at 66

The Blot was shocked and saddened yesterday to learn that my favorite author, Michael Crichton, had passed away unexpectedly Tuesday at the age of 66 after privately battling cancer. (link) I had been eagerly awaiting his newest novel and like most of America, had no clue the accomplished novelist was even sick. It is hard for me to remember a time I wasn’t either reading a Michael Crichton novel, watching a feature film adaptation of his work or watching NBC’s ER on Thursday nights, a show he created back in 1994.

I first discovered Mr. Crichton’s work the same way most people my age did, by seeing the 1992 blockbuster Jurassic Park. It seemed like raptor fever was sweeping the globe in the early ‘90s and my love of the film drove me to Crichton’s written work such as A Case of Need, The Andromeda Strain, Eaters of the Dead, Rising Sun, Disclosure and the Jurassic Park sequel The Lost World. Each book was better than the last, and even when his film adaptations began to flop (Sphere, Congo) I always knew his novels, from his early medical thrillers to his more recent sci-fi techno-thrillers, would never disappoint.

ER executive producer John Wells told the AP that Crichton was "an extraordinary man. Brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful." (link) Director Steven Spielberg, a friend of Crichton’s for 40 years, said “Michael’s talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.” (link) I think this latter quote is a fitting description of Crichton’s legacy, and I know he will be sorely missed by his legion of fans around the world.


Crichton’s final novel had been tentatively scheduled to be released next month, but has now been postponed indefinitely by publisher HarperCollins. (link) According to Crichton’s Wikipedia page, the untitled novel will be released posthumously on May 4, 2009. (link)

Official Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Theatrical One-Sheet Movie Poster

The new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “payoff” theatrical one-sheet promotional poster has been unveiled at IndianaJones.com. You can download this promo poster and check out previous official Indiana Jones theatrical posters at the site’s downloads page.

You really gotta hand it to Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, they definitely know how to design a movie poster.

Dr. Jones! Dr. Jones!

Nothing gets The Blot more excited about a movie than the name Indiana Jones. How can a movie not be amazing when it combines two of the greatest minds in epic moving making, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, with Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford. What pains me to no end is that it took almost 20 years since the last Indiana Jones installment for this movie to be made. I'm sure the special effects will be much better than in the first three movies, but I have to believe something will be missing after the prolonged layoff. If nothing else it probably means less screen time for Ford and more for Indy's son in the movie, Shia LaBeouf.

Here's the official first movie poster for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull due out May 22, 2008.

I just pray this movie is better than the last time Lucas decided to revisit one of his storied franchises (Star Wars). Thankfully, Spielberg has had a much better track record in recent years for making entertaining movies.

And if you haven't been to Disneyland lately, there's a new ride, Indiana Jones Adventure, that's a must for any Indiana Jones fan. It was by far the best ride I went on in my trip there last week. Whatever you do, don't let the tremendously long line scare you off!