10 Essential Monster Movies You Need To See Before Godzilla

3. Jurassic Park (1993-2001)

Movie Monster: Dinosaurs Steven Spielberg's classic film is synonymous with the monster genre. Launching two sequels (with another on the way), it's the perfect example of innovative blockbuster entertainment. The sequels may not have been up to much in comparison, but they do have dinosaurs galore - when it boils down to it, that's the selling point of these movies. The original makes use of some incredible ground-breaking effects work, utilising impressive CGI and tangible props and puppets - resulting in a final product that still holds up today. Sam Neill has never been better than he is as Dr. Alan Grant, and we never get tired of seeing Laura Dern in those khaki shorts. The real scene-stealer though, perhaps even more so than the dinosaurs, is Jeff Goldblum. His stylishly entertaining fillers and stutters have become one of the film's most recognisable aspects... but when the dinosaurs finally break loose, we're simply dealt iconic scene on top of iconic scene. From the T-Rex bursting into the toilet, to the nerve-shredding Velociraptor kitchen scene, Jurassic Park is one of the most memorable films in the monster movie canon. Held together, of course, by the firm hand of one of the world's most gifted directors: Steven Spielberg.