Rumor has it that Spielberg and Lucas are looking for the writer/director of The Sixth Sense (name escapes me) to write the script for this project.
His name is M. Night Shyamalan.
Spielberg and Ford need to hurry up if they're going to make another Indiana Jones movie. Harrison Ford is in his late 50s (agewise). That's going to affect when the movie is set, as well as how much action Harrison Ford can put up with in the movie. Additionally, physical stunts that would appear unbelievable for an Indiana Jones in late-middle age would probably be out of the question (stunt double or not). From what I've heard, the earliest that Spielberg and Ford can get together to make another Indiana Jones movie is 2005.
No "Indy 4". Leave the series be. All three were excellent; why mess it up?
They could do the trick that John Wayne used to do when he was getting old: Make the movie all about the main character getting old, and have a few youthful supporting characters on hand to do the fistfights, while the main character packs a monster of a rifle.
But I mean, heck, if Sean Connery can still play the "greatest cat burglar and lover ever", why can't Harrison Ford do one more Indiana Jones?
I heard Harrison Ford's price for Indy 4 may be a record $40 million. He is already being paid $1.25 million a day for 20 days work on his next project.
For a flick like this he'd probably have to take money off the back end, meaning he doesn't get too much money up front, but when the movie come out he gets a percent of the gross. The 2 biggest paychecks in the history of movies for a leading man came from back end deals, Jack Nicholsen (batman) Tom Hanks (forest gump)
Jack Nicholson has a piece of the "Batman" merchandise. According to an MSNBC profile, he also had a piece of "Batman Returns," although he wasn't even in it. His payday for one flick was $60 million, a record I believe.
"Ghostbusters II" was considered a flop by Columbia as so many of the actors had back-end deals. This kept the cost down to about $30 million but minimized the studio's take. I don't know if Ford ever got a back-end deal.
Any truth to the rumor that Ben Affleck is replacing him as Jack Ryan?
Hmmm....wait any longer and they might as well call the movie: "Grandpa Jones and the Search for the Lost Social Security Check"
Any truth to the rumor that Ben Affleck is replacing him as Jack Ryan?
Very true, I am a fan of Affleck but come on! He's young enough to be Ford's son. Thora Birch played Jack's daughter is Ford's "Jack Ryan" movies, she wouldn't be able do it in this one beacause they are so close in age she could be his leading lady. I read someone's oppinion peice that said that they think that Russle Crowe would be a much better choice to be Jack and I'd have to agree on that one. He can play both tough and smart and is closer to Jack's age in the books than Ford of Affleck is.
"Sum of All Fears" is a prequel, hence the need for a younger actor playing Jack Ryan.
"Sum of All Fears" is a prequel, hence the need for a younger actor playing Jack Ryan.
A Prequel to what? The book takes place after "Clear and Presant Danger". The only 2 Jack Ryan universe books that take place out of the order that they were published in are "Without Remorse" and "Patriot Games".
Even if the the movie is going to change that and be set to predate the others it will have to take place before 1984 (the year The Hunt For Red October takes place in)
The following appeared in this weeks Roger Ebert: Movie Answer Man
Q. A recent story claims that a fourth ''Indiana Jones'' movie is in jeopardy because of Harrison Ford's age. Why is everybody so determined to have Ford play the role? Sean Connery retired his license to kill years ago, but even after 40 years, the James Bond series is still going strong. Why? Quality of scripts and productions notwithstanding, it's the ROLE that keeps a series going, not the actor. You didn't go see ''Harrison Ford and the Temple of Doom.'' Let another actor take over the fedora of Dr. Jones. After all, counting the TV series, four actors have played the role already. My suggestion: George Clooney. He's got the right build, looks, charm and sense of humor to handle the role brilliantly! Remember, ''Batman and Robin'' wasn't his fault.
Christopher M. Terry, Atlanta
A. One problem may be that Harrison Ford, at 59, is understandably reluctant to agree he is too old to play Indy again. Sean Connery retired from Bond in 1971 (''Diamonds are Forever''), at the age of 41, simply because he was tired of playing the character. He then gave it one more try in 1983 (''Never Say Never Again''), at 53. Could he still play Bond today? Sure--brought out of retirement for one more crucial case. And Ford could still play Indy. It might require a certain suspension of disbelief, but then suspending disbelief is a specialty of fans of both the Bond and Indiana Jones movies.
In fact Indy has been played by 5 actors, not 4. One problem that I can see with this is unlike Batman or James Bond (characters that originated on the page and were brought to the screen by actors) Indy was originated by Ford. Every other incarnation of the character has been Indy at some other point in his life. Even the names of the Indy's that the other actors played connect back to Ford. Corey Carrier is "Boy Indy", River Phoenix & Sean Patrick Flanery were both "Young Indy", George Hall is "Old Indy" Ford is not "Middle Aged Indy" he is simply "Indy" and all other incarnations are named by their relation to him. However the idea of George Clooney as Indy is interesting (check out his performance in From Dusk 'Till Dawn or Three Kings) Or here's another idea; how about former "Young Indy" Sean Patrick Flanery (who is 36 this year)? Would anyone like to see him do a film as Indy in the year 1930? I know that Ford still says that he would like to make another one, but if he changes his mind or wants too much money what would you like to see the series do?Should it die without his involvement or get another actor? Who would you like to see grab the whip and fedora hat?
The other thing about Bond is that he being a secret agent man the name may stay the same but the face will change. Just like the lyrics say. Indy is Indy and all of the other Batmen's are just imposters from the dark universe. Michael Keaton is Batman.
No! Adam West is!
Roger Moore was James Bond at almost the age Harrison Ford is now.
Michael Keaton is Batman.
No! Adam West is!
No, West was a spoof of the Batman character.
East west they are all the same. Keaton is the best.
Why does almost every board here seem to become a "Batman" discussion at one time or another?
Roger Moore should have quit being Bond sooner than he did, say in For Your Eyes Only.
Or here's another idea; how about former "Young Indy" Sean Patrick Flanery (who is 36 this year)? Would anyone like to see him do a film as Indy in the year 1930?
Yes!!! I think Sean Patrick Flanery has been my favorite of the five Indys---it would be great to see him back in the saddle again.
Why not simply do a story about Indy aging and having one last bout of adventure? Star Trek did it (The Undiscovered Country) and it turned out to be one of the best of the series.
I heard bad news. Indy 4 has Kate Blanchett (sp?). Maybe it was just being in the weakest movie, but wasn't her character just plain annoying.
Agreed. She acted like a whore.
William and John, are you referring to Kate Capshaw? Cate Blanchett hasn't been in any Indy movies yet.
I would rather see Karen Allen return as her Raiders character, but Kate Capshaw is married to Steven Spielberg.
Sorry, it was Alison Doody that I was thinking about that acted like a whore.
Kate Kapshaw was too flaky. Every 5 minutes she was screaming about something.
Karen Allen RULES!
The blond one who screams about breaking a nail and is married to Speilberg. Apologies to Kate Blanchett. (P.S. can some one give Kate Moss a sandwich?) I guess I meant Capshaw. (Gotta keep ScottN on his toes!) [Yeah I got her name wrong on purpose, that's the ticket!]
Please note that Ms. Blanchett spells her first name with a 'C' (as in "Cate"), not a 'K'.
Indy has gone after the Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara stones, and the Holy Grail. If there is an Indiana Jones 4, in keeping with the pattern, what religious artifact should he go after this time?
Hi, everyone. Please visit my Indy page @ http://www.geocities.com/mftf.geo/INDIANA.htm .
I personally think there shouldn't be another live-action Indy film with the old Model H Ford. Maybe the series should live on in the same way the Star Wars saga has - books, comic strips, video games, prequel series or films. (On second thoughts... maybe not. 
)
Let's remember the first three the way they were (or in our case, heavily cut).
There was a prequel series. It was called "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." It was pretty good. I would like to see them make another with Ford, but only if they take his age into account.
Yes, I recall that. Looking at indianajones.com I see that they planned to make several more of the stories (there are significant gaps along the Indy timeline) but I haven't heard any news of it.
I have head that now there is a fourth Indiana Jones movie with Harrison Ford. I understand it is meant to take pace in the 1950's to account for Ford's age. If I were to make such a movie, I can think of a couple ways to do it.
1. Set it later, with the older Indy teaching a younger archaeologist. It could work like Batman Beyond; Indy is too old to go out into the field, so he sticks to libraries and has his protege do the legwork. Sean Patrick Flannery could play the younger man.
2. Set it earlier, perhaps with Sean Patrick Flannery as young Indy and Harrison Ford as Abner Ravenwood. It would require some suspension of disblief, and I'd steer clear of Indy and Marion's relationship except to establish if she was his daughter or his wife.
3. Set it very much later. I have an idea in my head for an Indiana Jones sequel that the character is not in. It would be set today, or possibly in the near future, and would be about archaeologists resarching Dr. Henry Jones Jr.'s work and discovering that he did find the Ark of the Covenant, and deciding to liberate it and let it finally be studied, as Marcus wanted in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Harrison Ford could appear in a voiceover as the protagonists read his writings. I would name it Raiders of the Found Ark.
As for the question of what Indy could search for in a fourth movie, I can imagine a few ideas. Sodom and Gamorrah, the Golden Fleece, the Burning Bush, Excalibur, the Garden of Eden, the True Cross, Camelot, the Labyrinth of Crete, and these are just from Western Civilization. I'm sure people familiar with other cultures could suggest more.
I think the Labyrinth of Crete appeared in the PC game 'IJ and the Fate of Atlantis'.
It also appeared in the ancient Greek story of Theseus. If a real person could find Troy and Indy could find the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, why not have him find the Labyrinth under the palace at Knossos?
I'm voting for him loosing and recovering the Shroud of Turin as it is returned from the Benedictine Abbey of Montevergine to Turin in post WWII Italy.
How about the Spear of Destiny? I know it's in Vienna, but there are lots of conspiracy theories about that being a fake and the Nazis (surprise surprise) stealing and hiding the real one. And I thought the Judaeo-Christian-themed movies (1 and 3) were lots stronger than the any-old-ancient-cult film (2). It seems closer to home.
An article alleges that Lucas is supposedly throwing a monkey wrench in the Indy 4 works, blocking production of any such film, because he's being........well.....a pr***k. It's from the June 2004 Esquire, and if anyone wants me to email ithe scans I made of it to them, just ask. It's a really good article.
Rather than wade through those four pages (which I have yet to do), you could go to the Internet Movie Database, and under trivia read this comment: "As of April 2004, the project has been officially shelved once more after George Lucas rejected the script by Frank Darabont earlier. Reportedly, Lucas did not like Darabont's handling of the storyline between Indy and his brother (both Indy's father played by Sean Connery and brother, a role for which Kevin Costner was rumored to be considered, were to have roles in the new movie). In media reports Frank Darabont indicated he was 'disappointed' with the decision." Much more simple, succinct, to the point and doesn't require any downloading, doncha think?
I'm not too keen on the concept of an Indy 4, to tell the truth. I think Lucas is making a wise choice, not that I agree with *all* his choices. ;-)
Benn: Much more simple, succinct, to the point and doesn't require any downloading, doncha think?
Luigi Novi: No, I don't. I think it's much less detailed, in-depth, and analytical of how the manner in which Lucas' and Speilberg's relationship and respective careers have evolved may have served to darken Lucas' desire for the movie for more personal reasons. Simplicity and succintness can be desired by some and in some situations, but largely if the alternative is supefluous and unnecessary, rather than serving to provide greater insight. To each his own.
"Brevity is the soul of wit." - William Shakespeare
It is interesting that in the original context of the quote, the character is neither brief nor witty. Discuss.
I think it's much less detailed, in-depth, and analytical of how the manner in which Lucas' and Speilberg's relationship and respective careers have evolved may have served to darken Lucas' desire for the movie for more personal reasons. - Luigi Novi
In other words, you agree with Benn that his summary is "more simple, succinct, to the point and doesn't require any downloading."
Okay, I have now read the article. While it was interesting, it lacks one thing that the quote I got from imdb has - what exactly it was Lucas' objection to the script was. Four pages and it doesn't even say what one paragraph did. Go figure.
"Why is it always snakes?"
"Why is it always snakes?" - Benn
Isn't it "Why'd it have to be snakes?"
You're right, Darth. But I was thinking that in a later installment of the series he said, "Why is it always snakes?" Apparently not. I haven't seen any of these three films in years. I really ought to pick the DVD set....
"He chose poorly."
According to The Indy Experience, the movie is still on, and Ford will play Indy.
Given Harrison Ford's age (he'll be 63 this July), MAD magazine did an article on suggested titles for the film, beautifully (and hilariously) illustrated by Hermann Mejia:
Indiana Jones and the More-Affordable Canadian Prescription Drugs
(Jay Leno did the same joke in one of his recent monologues.)
Indiana Jones and the Search for a Firm Mattress with Good Lower Back Support
Indiana Jones and the Trump Taj Mahal Bus Trip
Indiana Jones and the Romantic Co-Star Half His Age
(Hell, she might end up being a third his age!)
Indiana Jones and the D@mn Kids Playing In the Yard Again
Indiana Jones and the Incontinence of Doom
Or "The Adventures of Grandpa Jones"
Read carefully, and you'll find there's a New Hope for the 4th Indiana Jones film after all.
We have a release date.
Cate Blanchett joined the cast.
You probably can guess, but Sean Connery is out of this film. And all others, from what I can gather. Seems he did consider it, but he's "enjoying retirement too much." Try this (scroll down a bit).
Seems like all the old franchises are going to be revived in the next three years. We've got Babylon 5: The Lost Tales, the second X-Files Movie, a Star Wars TV series, the next Star Trek movie, and this Indiana Jones movie all in the next few years. Should I expect to see "Back to the Future IV" or "Men in Black III" in theaters as well?
I forgot "Batman Begins" and "Superman Returns".
Well, I don't think that those last two are franchises that are being revived, since the activity between their upcoming installments and their previous ones has been continuous, rather than interrupted. (Arguably so for Star Wars too.)
(Pick, pick, pick! 
)
The title! It's one of these six:
Indiana Jones and the City of Gods
Indiana Jones and the Destroyer of Worlds
Indiana Jones and the Fourth Corner of the Earth
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Indiana Jones and the Lost City of Gold
Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Covenant
Personally, the first one seems to me like the most likely one. A city of gold right off the bat sounds like something that an archaeologist and more nefarious treasure hunters would go hunting for. A "city of gods" sounds okay too, but a city made of gold makes it explicitly clear why everyone wants it: It's made of gold!. I can't imagine that Indy would want to find something that is reputed to "destroy worlds". Fourth corner of the Earth? Well he's pretty much been to every corner of the Earth in the previous three movies. It sounds kinda generic. Crystal skull? Please. Indy's treasures have always been higher-stakes. He went after a head made of gold in the first film, and that was just the prologue, and not the central plot! What's so alluring about one made of crystal? The Covenant? Um, didn't he find that one in the first film? And wasn't it put into storage?
So for me, Lost City of Gold makes the most sense. (I'd say that City of Gods is the runner-up.)
What does everyone else think?
How about:
Indiana Jones and the Loss on the Grip of Reality
?
I know it's probably a coincidence, but these titles remind me a lot of Stargate SG-1.
Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Black Pearl
Or how about Indiana Jones and the Search for Spock?
"I like to watch." - Chance the Gardener
Indiana Jones and the Final Frontier
I like the ones that MAD magazine suggested, which I posted in my January 7, 2005, 10:27ppm post.
Yeah, Harrison Ford is getting just a bit too old to do some of the things he did in the 80s. I hope the writing of the movie reflects that.
I wonder if they will explain how Indy got his eyepatch in this one. Or is Old Indy in the Chronicles not considered "canon"? He sure was grumpy.
A scene I'd like to see:
Indy is drinking at a bar, regaling (boring?) the clientele with his adventures, and saying that he's retired now. The bar is closing and he is getting ready to leave, the last one. He looks up, and sees a familiar silhouette on the wall. He turns around and says, "Marion Ravenwood. I always knew that someday you'd come walking through that door." Marion says, "Hello, Indy". And proceeds to tell him about the son he never knew about.
Indy got the eyepatch after playing with his BB Gun which he got for Christmas.
(Ref. "The Christmas Story")
I thought he got it after drinking one of those beverages with the little umbrellas in them... when he forgot to remove it first...
I was wrong about the title.
Oh well. Can't win 'em all.
Gee...I wonder if he'll find a crystal skull (?)
NAH! 
And giant aliens?
Of course, no one will believe him when he sees the giant aliens, and then he'll be committed to a psychiatric institution for the rest of his life.
quote:Indiana Jones and the Search for a Firm Mattress with Good Lower Back Support
I think they could have at least just gone with "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull". I think marquee posters will be really ticked off!
Poster!
And once again, it's illustrated by the MASTER, Drew Struzan! Woo-hoo!
That poster rocks. So far, this movie looks great, especially with the return of Karen Allen as Marion. I'm more enthusiastic about the new Indy movie than I am about this film.
And, go to the site that Luigi linked to in his 9/10/07 post. Watch the videoes of the crew (especially Spielberg) get progressively older with each shoot. Oh, and to the webmaster of that site: It's spelled "Principal photography", not "Principle photography."
Cool Vanity Fair article on the series.
According to the article, the film is set in 1957, and Indy will go up against Russians, led by Cate Blanchett.
There's a couple of other things mentioned in that article that some of you may consider spoilers, so be forewarned.
For the most part, though, the article is mostly about Lucas and Spielberg, and their careers. Great read.
(NDS) (NDS) (NDS) (NDS)
Did that crate that attracted the glasses say "Roswell New Mexico, 1947"?
Where have we seen that warehouse before?
I don't know. Have the "Top Men" seen it yet?
Top. Men.
Nah, it is Indiana Smith and the Search for Kirk's Katra.
At a local Imax near you.
------------------------
by the way, Crystal Skull is due in May sometime?
May 22, according to IMDB.
Saw the trailer at the movies.
Doesn't look very exciting or very good for that matter. However, it was good to see Marion (Karen Allen) again
I must add Harrison Ford looks REAL ANCIENT in the trailer.
Maybe the movie should've featured him as the relic being discovered.
I can't wait to see it.
Neither can I.
I was home sick yesterday, and the airwaves were bombarded with ads for this film, and the Sex and the City movie that opens eight days later. The announcer at the end of the ad just says "Indiana Jones"; he doesn't say the full title.
I noticed that too, but I suppose that's all you need to know.
Review.
Spoiler - The review all but gives away one plot point, but if you've read anything at all about this movie, you probably know it already.
Security probably should be tightened at that Nevada military base.
Just saw it...who was that Russian Kgb lady?
You mean the actress? Cate Blanchett?
THIS POST WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!
A bit surprised nobody has commented on this movie yet. I saw it today, and the best description I can come up with is National Treasure meets X-Files. I also got a Pirates of the Caribbean and Red Dawn vibe from this movie as well. It was entertaining but it didn't feel like an Indy movie, as much as the others anyway.
There were various times where Henry Jr. should've died but was relatively unharmed, example: the refridgerator and waterfall scenes. This isn't out of the ordinary but it seemed more exaggerated here. That MI-6 guy who betrayes Jones the first time should not have been trusted for the rest of the movie. If Mariann hit the breaks when the KGB lady was on the hood of that duck should would be dead. If there are 13 aliens in that commune, and one of them was taken by that conquistador, then why did the KGB need to get the one from Area 51? What did they learn from that one? That other doctor, Ox something, said they were inter-dimensional beings, and knew a portal when he saw one, how did he know these things? Looked like an alien ship cleaning house before it left to me. I don't care much for the actor who plays Indy's son but apparently the torch has been passed to him, if there are any future movies that is.
Warning - If you have not seen the movie, you should not be reading this board past opening day.
Ok, where to begin nitpicking this? Let's start with the opening scene. That big magnetic box I would think would have been causing quite a lot of issues for that warehouse before Indy got there, given how strongly metal seems to be attracted to it. Also, it seems to be pulling metal objects from everyone nearby, and the Russians seem to be having great difficulty holding on to their weapons, yet it doesn't seem to be having any effect at all on the weapons of the ones actually carrying it. Also, we see the light fixtures in ceiling above bending towards it, but they weren't doing this before they got it out. Was the wooden crate really blocking the field from the alien skeleton by that much? Also, Indy somehow manages to survive a nuclear blast by climbing into a lead-lined fridge. I'm pretty sure if it were actually that close to a nuclear blast that fridge would melt in fairly short order. Somehow miraculously though, that fridge and absolutely nothing else manages to be thrown well clear of the blast. Indy then gets out and has a good look at the mushroom cloud. He seems to be standing awfully close to the blast. I'm pretty sure if he were that close to a mushroom cloud he would at the very least be getting a killer sunburn, and probably have given himself cancer as well. Also, later in the film, Indy is very quick to trust Mac when he says he's really a double agent. He just says he is without any proof at all when the situation turns against him, and surprise surprise, he's really crooked after all. Indy was very quick to believe him based on this. What other nits are there?
Oh, I know, why didn't Marion tell Mutt to give Indy her maiden name when Mutt talked to him? She should've known Indy would not have recognized her married name. Of course, if she had, it would have spoiled the least well kept movie surprise since we found out that kid in The Sixth Sense saw dead people.
Ok, one more. Why did Jones and Mutt even begin to walk out of the diner with the two KGB agents. They were in the middle of a very crowded cafe. Did they think the agents were just going to shoot them right there? The safest thing would've just been to stay right where they were.
Oh, sorry if I spoiled The Sixth Sense for anyone who hasn't seen it.
NANJAO: (SPOILERS)
Some of the music from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" returns in this movie...specifically, "The Map Room (Dawn)". Apparently, either John Williams couldn't think up any new music or he's in a rut.
It was cool to see the Ark in that crate in Hangar 51.
However, I must add, I think Area 51 should've had a LOT more security surrounding it....seeing it has all the government's secrets inside.
I agree with other people's observations, how did Indy survive the A-Bomb blast...not to mention the fallout?
I agree that Indy should not have trusted that MI-6 guy anymore after the warehouse scene. Indy must be slipping in his old age.
The Russian lady sounded an awful like Natasha Fatale from "Rocky & Bullwinkle". I was waiting for her to say, "Keel da Moose & Sqvirrel!"
Also, I was disappointed that they didn't show her psychic and mental powers some more
It was sad to see that they "killed off" Henry Sr. (Connery).
It was nice to see that they remembered the guy who played Marcus (who died a few years ago) and put him into the movie in some sort of way.
It was good to see Indy & Marion get married at the end.
more spoiler-
Anyone heard the Star Wars theme at the end?
----------------------------------------------
also the actor who was in the beginning of Raiders
of lost Ark was there- cant place the name.
Wish Short Round was in this movie!
SPOILERS
This was an enjoyable film--not a patch of any of the originals, but a friendly little movie that comes off more like a homage or good-natured knock-off than an actual full-blown Indiana Jones movie.
Ford was fine, still looking pretty sharp as Indy. He was very comfortable as the character and had a lot of magnetism still. The same can be said for Karen Allen; while Marion gets to do very little, Allen looks great and still seems feisty as ever. It's too bad she and Indy don't get enough scenes to show their still-existing chemistry.
As for the newcomers, Shia LeBeouf is okay as Mutt, who comes off more like a caricatured plot device than an actual living, breathing character. He tends to disappear at times, which is nice as LeBeouf's characters are generally more enjoyable in doses. Ray Winstone's Mac is an utterly pointless character; it's too bad because Winstone has the chops to play menacing, jovial, and comic--the script can't make up its mind what Mac is (Indy films work best when characters are unambiguous). John Hurt basically just gets to babble insanely the whole film, and Jim Broadbent has nothing more than a cameo of reciting left-over Marcus Brody dialogue.
That leaves Cate Blanchett. Blanchett cuts a great figure as Spalko, looking both dangerous and sexy at once. She and her Soviet friends need to be more menacing--the big strong Soviet dude seemingly gets nothing to do but get punched by Indy. Blanchett's accent is a little too mannered and humorous at the beginning, but she settles down and doesn't have a lot of dialogue after the halfway mark anyway. The subplot about her being "psychic" elicits more puzzled giggles than anything else.
Now for the movie itself. The opening sequence is fairly entertaining, although the action is over really before it starts. It comes off as rather pointless in the long run--why is Spalko mucking about with skeletons when she already has a lead on the Crystal Skull? I liked the rocket car and, yes, even the a-bomb scene.
The college scenes elicited a few goosebumps, what with the almost identical blocking to Marcus' arrival at Indy's class from the first film. It was nice to reflect the troubled political times of the '50s, if unfortunately it proves to be a forgotten plot device.
As silly as it was, I greatly enjoyed the mucking about with the motorcycle chase at the university. It had a fun whimsy to it with some good comedic moments.
Another goosebump-eliciting scene came with the appearance of the old familiar map to show globetrotting. I was a little disappointed at Indy's locations this go-round; he basically just went to South America. Then again, Indy in TOD just went to India. The tomb-raiding sequence featured the really pointless "skeleton native" thing which is not as creepy as it should have been. There's a few attempts to call up memories of the puzzle-solving exercises from Raiders or Last Crusade, but on the whole, this is just a bunch of exposition.
The Soviet camp sequence--it's a cheesy scene when Indy is put under the skull's influence. The arrival of Marion and the revelation of parenthood is sort of oddly treated. On one hand, it's nice to not have it treated heavy-handed and emotionally, but it does seem almost like a throwaway moment, depriving us of scenes like the lump-in-throat inducing ending of Last Crusade where Indy and his father finally have their Big Moment. There's none of that in this film, and for all of his strengths, Ford's interaction with LeBeouf once they become father-son is clumsy.
The big action scene with the jeeps and Jungle Cutter sounds better than it really is. While well-done and exciting, the sequence suffers because it's tough to know where all the participants are at one time; it lacks the crisp simplicity of the other great Indy chase sequences. I liked Mutt fencing with Spalko, Spalko trying to ram Indy off the cliff, and some of the fights. I didn't like the monkeys and the cluttered nature of the scene. Where the heck is the big troop transport vehicle when all of this is going on either? It shows up almost immediately after the other cars crash. The fire ants were a pretty cool idea and that actually was a pretty grisly way of knocking off the big Soviet. That fight was kind of lame though--the big guy pretty much just had to push Indy over a few times but just stands there like a moron and lets him pick up the log (why didn't he just throw him into the ants?). I enjoyed Spalko crushing the ant with her thighs.
The waterfall stuff is funny but having it three times is overkill and one gets no tension from it. I also didn't like the weird natives-in-the-temple bit. What do all of these natives do, just hang out there waiting for intruders to come? How in the world can three soldiers, even with machine guns, kill the entire tribe?
The temple scene goes on a while and basically turns into Mummy territory with weird stuff happening for little reason. The deux ex machina with the other dimensional portal is oddly unsatisfying. Maybe it's because everyone and his little brother could predict Spalko's ultimate fate. Maybe it's because it doesn't make a lot of sense. The final Mac scene should be more poignant than it was; instead it is just rather baffling (part of the problem is we just don't get a sense of who Mac is). Spalko being consumed by knowledge would have been okay if it wasn't really just the same thing from Raiders (done even tamer!). The saucer looks kinda silly.
I liked the wedding scene, though, and it was charming to have Indy put the hat back on in the final bit. If Mutt Williams wants to have his own film, that's okay, I guess, as long as it recognizes its limitations. Maybe Indy can play the Marcus role.
All in all, enjoyable if one understands it isn't going to be like the originals in terms of quality. At least it's not the abomination that the Star Wars prequels turned out to be. I did think though that John Williams' score wasn't as great as it could have been; it was fine, but Williams did some darn brilliant stuff for the poor Episodes I, II, and III, so I was wondering what he had up his sleeve for this one. I think he just chose to keep with the whole homage factor--he uses a lot of his (perfect) old cues, but the effect works.
To clarify: A lot of people have hated the sword fight. I don't like how it turned into a comedic joke with Mutt having to keep stretching out--I like the general visual and wish we could have seen a real fencing action sequence (ah, the days of Errol Flynn!).
SPOILER WARNING
Of course, you're on the movie board after the release date, so you should expect that.
The one review I read in its entirety could probably sum up my view on the film. The first hour is spectacular and really brings back all of the charm and excitement of the originals. After that, though, things gets a little muddled. The Indiana Jones movies have always had our hero doing plenty of things that should kill him (getting dragged behind trucks, driving through tunnels with crashing planes passing him, most of the latter of of ToD) though this movie seems to ramp that up with nuclear refrigerators, driving into trees, and falling down waterfalls. Three times. Still, that doesn’t really bother me since I’ve come to expect that for suspension of disbelief. Later in the movie, though, when we’re getting weird visual gags and not that great CGI, it’s a little eye roll inducing. Shia playing Tarzan, for example, didn’t seem necessary, not to mention (nit time) that unless the two trucks looped around somewhere, there’s no way Mutt would have been able to swing into Cate’s vehicle to take her out and save Indy’s from going over the cliff. And I’ll admit that the moment I saw that CG gopher at the beginning, part of me was worried. Indy is still Indy though and it helps to have Ford still doing the character to throw the whip, toss the one-liners, get his behind beat to a pulp, and take on men three times his size. If the entire movie had been the first hour, it would have been perfect. As it is, it’s still plenty enjoyable and well worth the matinee price I paid for it.
quote:John A. Lang: Some of the music from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" returns in this movie...specifically, "The Map Room (Dawn)". Apparently, either John Williams couldn't think up any new music or he's in a rut.
quote:John A. Lang: Also, I was disappointed that they didn't show her psychic and mental powers some more
: I didn’t catch that, but I did chuckle when Indy noted that he had “a bad feeling about this.”
quote:It should be called Raiders of the Lost Spaceship or Area 51.: Anyone heard the Star Wars theme at the end?
quote:MikeC: Blanchett cuts a great figure as Spalko, looking both dangerous and sexy at once.
quote:MikeC: The temple scene goes on a while and basically turns into Mummy territory with weird stuff happening for little reason.
It was unclear if Spalko was really psychic. She seems to have had a reputation for it in the Soviet Union, which is rather vague. Her attempted mind-meld with Indy doesn't work and it appears as if she is trying to again read Indy's mind right before the jeep chase. But she really demonstrates no real paranormal ability; I've heard some theorize her latent psychic powers contribute to her absorption of knowledge at the end of the film, but there's nothing really to suggest that.
I would guess that she's probably got a photographic memory with a good sense of anticipation, which would lead folks, especially Eastern European peasants, to label her supernatural. Stalin probably thought it was a good PR move and she bought into the press.
Josh M:Like the any big time franchise with very identifiable and sometimes iconic music, you’re going to get reprises.
I'm pretty sure it was more of an homage than anything else, since when the Raiders... music was play they were in the warehouse where the Ark is, and we even see it on the way out. I'm pretty sure there was music from all three of the other movies for appropriate scenes.
Ok, where were Mulder and Scully? The whole plot was kind of an X-Files episode to start with, and the end was lifted virtually directly from the movie.
My first thoughts on the opening in Nevada were "Didn't this happen in the opening of the first Tomb Raider game?" - admittedly, they didn't release an insane, ancient being bent on taking over the world, but still... ;)
Which I guess is the problem with the movie, it's basically 20 years too late, it did things that had been done in all the movies, tv series and computer games that were inspired by the Raiders series in the first place.
When they had the stand off in the hanger, I expected Indy to realise what was going to happen, smile, put down his gun, Spalko to order her troops to shoot him anyway, and when they fire, the bullets from their guns are attracted by the artifact, loop round and shoot the troops.
Speaking of, the "magnetism" obviously had read the script, and only turned itself on when it needed to - somehow attracting ferrous and non-ferrous metals alike.
The moment Mutt mentioned fencing, I knew he'd be going up against Spalko, although I thought that would be right at the end of the film, counterpointing with a showdown between Indy vs Mac, not halfway through it.
And gee, not one, but two non-American actors cast as the bad guys in a Hollywood movie. Are all American actors incapable of playing villains, or even doing a foreign accent these days? ;)
A jeep probably wouldn't be able to exert enough force to try and push a DUKW over a cliff if the driver didn't want to go - they're rather large and heavy with a lot of torque (they were designed to drive off landing ships, through the water and up onto the beaches of Normandy etc carrying a couple of tons of supplies). And would you really have only one guard AND an RPG on a truck that's carrying your prisoners, especially when one of them is someone that you've already had a platoon aiming their guns at because you believe he's that dangerous?
I think there was a missing scene in that escape, Indy opens the flick knife and there's a strange sound like he's ripped his jacket or something, followed by Mutt saying something like "Ooops", but that doesn't get expanded on anywhere.
How did Spalko and her team get into the US in the first place? Especially with McCarthyism and the Cold War beginning to kick off.
I agree with Spalko's mind reading - if we'd seen her read someone else's thoughts it would have worked.
quote:Chris Marks: And gee, not one, but two non-American actors cast as the bad guys in a Hollywood movie. Are all American actors incapable of playing villains, or even doing a foreign accent these days? ;)
Mr. Cranky has posted his opinion. He hated it, and gives it "four bombs." (Warning: The review contains spoilers and considerable profanity.)
Well, it was no Raiders or Last Crusade but I still found it to be enjoyable. I pretty much assume it was intended to be tongue-in-cheek. Harrison Ford has definitely still got it. Anyhow we're here for nits so here's what I got from one viewing:
The Russians weren't well informed about the warehouse they were breaking into. If they'd known more about the contents they could have skipped all that running around in the jungles of South America and just grabbed the Ark (including the prop was a nice touch).
The crystal aliens were hanging around that temple for hundreds of years waiting for the missing skull to be returned so they could leave, right? So... why did they let the conquistador walk in and yank one of their skulls off in the first place?
The two barriers in the final temple have issues of their own. First one: If the sand in the column is what somehow keeps the entrance closed and sand is leaking out, however slowly, how has the thing not fallen open already? Also, how do they close it again afterwards? I suppose it could be alien technology but in that case what's with the sand 'key'? Second barrier: Indy needs the crystal skull to open the door to the alien's chamber. How did the aforementioned conquistador get in then? Did the aliens have regular visiting hours during the 16th century?
I wonder if the aliens would have given Indy something if he'd asked, given that he was the one who did most of the work to return the skull.
Things I Learned From This Movie:
Magnetism is an on/off force.
Refrigerators make great emergency escape pods. They're also made of adamantium and confer +12 residual protection against heat and fallout.
Being eaten alive by giant ants is not a good way to go.
When asking the dimension-traveling aliens for a gift, maintain a reasonable understanding regarding your own ability to accept said gift.
Well, I saw it late last night and I enjoyed it. It easily falls within the quality we've come to expect from Indiana Jones, being somewhere between Temple of Doom and Last Crusade.
The musical cue that played when they entered the warehouse is the Ark cue from the first movie, isn't it? The same one that was played in Last Crusade when Indy sees the picture of the Ark in the tomb? I liked that touch. Williams seemed to go the same route he did in Episode III of Star Wars with this one. He created some excellent original music while referencing music cues from the earlier movies during the appropriate times. He referenced Marion's theme a good bit too. I'm pretty sure I heard an altered part of her theme in Mutt's theme, which was very nice!
The magnetism of the skulls was intentionally weird, as evidenced when Mutt points out that it's attracting gold, which is not magnetic.
Would the events depicted in the film's climax have been reported in the news, or could it have been suppressed?
Given the pressure the Board of Regents was under to fire Dr. Jones, why would they give him a promotion?
Who saw it, Hans? The family Jones and Ox. Not that hard to cover-up.
As for the promotion, Ox and Marion probably told General Ross what happened, who spoke with his superiors, who pressured the FBI into laying off him and approaching the school to clear his name.
About the knife thing with the ripping sound. When I saw that, I just assumed that Indy had opened the switchblade wrong and had just accidentally stabbed himself. It was weird, though.
I thought he'd torn his pants. I did wonder why they didn't follow up on that.
When Indy and pals go over the waterfall the first time, was I the only one singing... "On a routine expedition..." "Laaaaaaaand of the lost!!!!!!!" hehehehehehe
The simulated suburb: First, it was too detailed. It was close enough to the blast center that the refridgerator was thrown a good distance. I can see detailing the interiors of the houses and maybe setting up the dummies if it was far enough away to be mostly singed, but the way that place was leveled it would have been more than sufficient to just build the houses and leave them unfurnished. Second, the water inside the house didn't work. This is a nice clue to anyone who hasn't caught on yet that it's a simulation; why bother hooking up the water when no one will live there before it's blown up? But in the same house someone did bother to hook up the electricity (and, given that that place must be off the grid, set up a generator nearby) and outside there is running water for the sprinkler and the mannequin washing his car. Outside. In the desert. Third, it's within ready walking distance of the end of the rails from the warehouse. Those rails are part of the "warehouse facility" and lead straight back to it. The bomb test seems really close to the warehouse housing America's secrets. . .
For a greaser, Mutt didn't have nearly enough grease in his hair.
It's something of an amazing coincidence that while Indy was off on a random dig in Mexico where he was kidnapped by Soviets he was accompanied by a KGB mole who was known to his kidnappers. Did the Soviets really plan that out ahead of time?
NANJAO: Indy did mention his time with Pancho Villa, which was great. I kept hoping that he'd compare the Sovs unfavorably to his friend Leo Tolstoy. . .
It's not a coincidence at all, TWS. Macky was in on it from the start. They planned all that.
Merat, you just stole my line. But I agree with you. Macky was in on it from the start (Indy even asked him how many of our guys died because of info he had given the Russians, meaning he didn't just flip right than) and he was probably the one who set Indy up in Mexico to give his commie 'friends' a chance to get Indy.
TES Garrison: Third, it's within ready walking distance of the end of the rails from the warehouse. Those rails are part of the "warehouse facility" and lead straight back to it. The bomb test seems really close to the warehouse housing America's secrets. . .
Not really. That rocket was going pretty fast for some amount of time, so odds are they had travelled a pretty long distance. Also, when Indy got off, it was night, but he didn't come to the suburb until the next morning, so he could've actually walked a fairly long distance to get there.
NIT: Gunpowder is not magnetic.
Further nit: Neither is lead.
commented on, if not explained in the movie. The gold coins get pulled toward the skull. Indy says "quartz isn't magnetic" and Mutt says "neither is gold."
That's true. Forgot about that.
Thought that still doesn't explain why Indy thought gunpowder would lead him to the skull. Unless he already knew that it attracted non-magnetic materials, but he seemed somewhat surprised when he noted that it attracted quartz.
Or maybe he doesn't know gunpowder isn't magnetic. He is a professor of archeology, after all, not physics.
by John A. Long:
-It was good to see Indy & Marion get married at the end.
-My son said he was watching a show, where someone, a reviewer said that Indy dies in the end. I told him, 'he did, he got married!'
I can say this, I'm married.
by John M.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
quote:
John A. Lang: Also, I was disappointed that they didn't show her psychic and mental powers some more
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did she actually have any or did she simply believe she did? Like Indy, I didn’t get the impression that she was genuine with her claim.
Well, I thought she probably didn't have it either, but I noticed the scene when trying to break into the warehouse, the electrical box near the door just sparked off, and I didn't see anyone do anything except Spalko shout something and wave her hand. So maybe she has something, unless I'm wrong.
I thought psychic powers were just what she was researching, not necessarily something that she had.
I have similar points to what was mentioned..
like the russian's bullets not being magnetised like they should have when they are going to shoot at Indy..
Anyway I liked the movie a lot. it was my first Indy film.
I felt it reminiscent of X-Files / Smallville (the caves with alien technology and writings, plus the slot where you go slot an alien technology in - namely the skull) / Roswell / Stargate (the Asgards aliens - their high council even which had the same form of room and arrangement - see
http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Image:Asgard_Council.JPG
)
plus Sliders for the inter-dimensional sliding...
So I enjoyed the nice little tributes...
Has anyone spotted a Wilhelm scream yet? I have.
It's funny you should ask that Richard Davies, since I was thinking about it and kind of looking for it while watching the movie. I almost was ready for Mutt to scream it during the Tarzan swing, but that would be the tarzan yell, and not the Wilhelm scream. Where was it?
During the motorcycle chase, they nearly run down a guy with a large stack of books. He lets out the Wilhelm.
No Luigi review yet....very strange given his fondess for posting BEFORE the film came out....
and I thought Luigi was the Final Cylon!
(seen Bsg boards).
Maybe he hasn't seen it yet. I haven't. Since movie prices are outrageous (I paid $11 per ticket for Sex and the City at the Staten Island Regal multiplex), and since I'll buy the DVD regardless (as I have the other three Indy films on DVD) I'll just wait for the disc. My guess - It should be out by Thanksgiving. Theaters are already cutting back the number of screens running this pic. The Staten Island Regal Cinema started Crystal Skull on four screens; this week it's down to one. It will probably be gone from theaters by July 4.
Adam- we had a bargain $6.50 for 2, $13.(no drinks no popcorn).
lol.11 sawbucks? you might as well get the dvd!
If I recall correctly, both Indy & his dad took a drink from the Grail near the end of Last Crusade. According to legend, one can live forever if one keeps drinking from the Grail. I should think that a sip would help one live longer. Yet the dad has been gone awhile in this film. Granted, he could have been killed. Also, Indy shows his age. But I think that was part of the charm of this movie. (By the way, I heard one reviewer say something like 'I guess the Last Crusade really wasn't last after all.' The title was a reference to the crusade that knights took to find the Grail, not to the adventures of Indy.)
I really didn't understand the point of getting the alien from Area 51. What happened to it? Also didn't understand the gift of knowledge. What's the point of the gift if you're dead? Perhaps when the chick got the knowledge, then the aliens also got her knowledge and knew she was bad and killed her.
As I understand it you have to keep drinking from the grail to live forever, at least according to "Last Crusade". In "Last Crusade" Indy says that of the three knights who found the grail the one who made it back to Venice (after having been with the grail for some 100 years) died of "extreme old age." When they find the grail and the Knight tells him that the grail can never pass the great seal and that the temple is the "boundary and the price of eternal life."
“If there are 13 aliens in that commune, and one of them was taken by that conquistador, then why did the KGB need to get the one from Area 51? What did they learn from that one? That other doctor, Ox something, said they were inter-dimensional beings, and knew a portal when he saw one, how did he know these things?” - inblackestnight
I think they wanted the alien to learn more about them, perhaps in hopes that they could help with the Oxley issue, since he was indecipherable. In other words, acquiring the alien was more of a 'learn more about what our ultimate prize will be like' strategy. As far as the interdimensional being/portal knowledge, presumably that was info he received when he looked into the skull's eyes too long- this was just the first time he was lucid enough to share it.
“The waterfall stuff is funny but having it three times is overkill and one gets no tension from it. ”-MikeC
I don't think it was supposed to be tense, just funny- Indy does yell at Marion to put the car in reverse while it's a boat, after all- it's supposed to see funny to see our heroes going from “Oh no, it's a waterfall, get away!!!” to “Oh... another one... great.” :-)
“I think there was a missing scene in that escape, Indy opens the flick knife and there's a strange sound like he's ripped his jacket or something, followed by Mutt saying something like "Ooops", but that doesn't get expanded on anywhere.” -Chris Marks
Yeah... no one I've spoken to has gotten that- hope it's explained on the DVD!
“Did she actually have any or did she simply believe she did? Like Indy, I didn’t get the impression that she was genuine with her claim.
Well, I thought she probably didn't have it either, but I noticed the scene when trying to break into the warehouse, the electrical box near the door just sparked off, and I didn't see anyone do anything except Spalko shout something and wave her hand. So maybe she has something, unless I'm wrong.” -Slinkyj
I didn't see it at first, but on my second viewing last night, there is a Russian soldier with a box wired up to the door controls that blows the lock- near the center of the screen as the sparks fly on the right, I believe.
The DVD comes out November 11, 2008.
That's rather quick, maybe it won't have as much behind the scenes stuff in it as other DVD's...
I don't see why it won't. The DVD's of the 2001 remake of Planet Of The Apes were released about three months after the film's release. And they were chock full of extras. The theory being that the DVD release was being planned as the film was made.
On the other hand, even though the DVD of 2006's Casino Royale was a two-disc set, released four months after the film's, the extras were rather spartan. And, there was no commentary track.
So, I'll just wait and see. Being that I'll buy it regardless, I'll take what's there.
That's rather quick...
Actually, it's even quicker. The DVD release was moved up four weeks, to October 14.
In an incredible bit of hype, the ads that ran last night proclaimed the DVD of Crystal Skull as the "#1 DVD in the country!" On the first day of release? Well, maybe (probably) they broke the record for DVD's shipped. I'll be on my way to get mine real soon, regardless.
BUYING LIKE INDY....
Yesterday I left work REAL LATE...8:35 PM.
I drove from work to McHenry to went to BEST BUY which closes at 9 PM.
I made it by FIVE MINUTES and was able to buy the DVD
Only Indiana Jones could've done better!
[SOUTHPARK]
Can we have Lucas and Spielberg arrested now?
[/SOUTHPARK]
NANJAO:
This movie marks the third time the villian is disolved by supernatural forces.
Raiders of the Lost Ark:
Nazis disolved by the power of the Ark
Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade:
Nazis disolved by choosing the wrong Grail
Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:
Russian Lady disolved by intra-dimensional beings
PARAMOUNT LOGO TRANSFORMATIONS:
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Paramount Logo transforms into a mountain in Peru.
INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
The Paramount logo transforms to a mountain etched on the gong
INDIANA JONES & THE LAST CRUSADE
The Paramount logo transforms into a mountain that young Indy & his Boy Scout troop is climbing
INDIANA JONES & THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
The Paramount logo transforms into a gopher tunnel exit.
I saw this movie a couple of days ago and I liked it. I had to admit though while watching it I kept having Stargate flashbacks.
quote:INDIANA JONES & THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
The Paramount logo transforms into a gopher tunnel exit.
I wanted to buy the bootleg dvd in China but the salelady says dont touch it.(my wife translated).
I am so glad I didn't buy this DVD sight unseen (I rarely see movies in the theater any more.) Just watched it from Netflix. I tend to agree with the South Park take on it, watching with horrified fascination but unable to turn away or do anything to stop the travesty.
Missed Opportunity I: I would have liked to see a better reunion scene than what was presented. (My original idea is detailed above.) Here it was rather bizarre and rushed.
Did Indy just tell the conductor to stop the train and get his baggage off when Mutt first flagged him?
I know the joke is implied, but they could have said he took his name from his dog, the same way Indy did.
I must have zoned out during one of the talking scenes but I couldn't determine what Mutt's relationship to OX was, as it was apparently supposed to be very strong.
They really shipped Mutt's motocycle on a plane all the way to South America? They couldn't just rent one there? It didn't even play a significant part once they got there.
I yelled at Indy when he said "nucular bomb", and half expected Russian lady to correct him, saying something like "Stupid Americans -- can not ewen pronounce vun of ze most important vords being said nowadays."
Who can look at a gopher and not think Caddyshack? Using them 3 times was also overkill. There was a very bad edit when they showed the three looking at the rocket sled - crossing the viewing axis. That shot should have been flopped.
The jeep swordfighting scene made me think that Spielberg was in full "Hey, let's have..." mode, like for Hook or 1941. Sure, pirates and swashbuckling is popular now, but no one told him it might be a bad idea for an Indy movie.
Missed Opportunity II: Standing in front of the final temple door, Indy says "So how do we open it?" Mutt should have said "Say 'friend' and enter?" It would have been a great line, and it was established that he was a reader so it was totally plausible that he would have read the Tolkein stories.
Oh, and I was immediately put off upon seeing the "icon" of the film - the Crystal Skull. It was painfully obvious that it was made of lightweight plastic, and stuffed with Saran Wrap, of all things!
got a question...
in the beginning of the movie, Spalko introduced her self to Indy. Then after his little atomic ride he asks "who was she?" Uh, did something happen during the atomic blast or is Henry Jones Jr. getting alzheimers?
This movie ran on the USA Network three times in recent days, paired up with the three earlier "Indy" films. It was run twice last night, at 9 p.m. and again at 10:58 p.m. The first of the two runs was without commercials. A nice touch from the channel whose stock in trade is commercial-laden reruns of Law & Order - SVU.
Mr. Plinkett of Red Letter Media has reviewed this flick. You can check it out here.
John Rhys-Davies was asked to make an appearance in this flick, but declined. IMHO, he made the right move. More here.