Raiders is a masterpiece. Period! a movie that can be watched over and over again and loses absolutely nothing for it. Lucas and Spielberg were completely on the money with this movie
Absolutely correct Dan !! I didn't need to add the qualifier. Truth be known, I put this film up with some of the great works of art. {[]
{[] Well, just mke sure that you don't use that qualifier again. :v
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Yeah; it's just perfection. I'd say it's a better functioning film than Goldfinger, to be honest- Goldfinger does run out of steam a bit in the middle; plus Bond doesn't actually do anything! The only slight reservations I would have about Raiders would be plot-based; the 'don't look in the Ark' thing isn't set up, and I'm not 100% certain why he's being followed on the plane at the beginning. Other than that, not a foot out of place anywhere. Every scene is full of invention and wit, every action scene absolutely thrilling.
I think the others are clearly the work of a very talented director who has thought about how to get the most out of everything; I love Bond but they rarely reach those levels.
Watching Raiders Of The Lost Ark again recently and seeing Harrison Ford look great and very fit in a BBC interview last month I wondered if anyone knows whether Indy 4 is definitely going to happen or not? I know people have mixed feelings on this film but I would love to see Indy back on the screen of my local cinema one last time.We have Superman back so wouldn't it be great to have Indiana Jones back too?
I understand that in order to fit in with Ford's age this film would be set in the fifties rather than the thirties,so no nazis,but who exactly would be the villains? And what is Indy searching for? Atlantis? If they have a story in mind it has been very closely guarded.
I just noticed this post which kicked the thread off two years ago; as it turns out they hadn't been guarding it that well, a lot of elements were in the Saucer Men From Mars script from 1995, and that's been on the net for years!
Obviously not a patch on Raiders or Last Crusade, but I was totally expecting that. I liked the first part of the movie a lot more than I did say the second 2/3s.
If I have any critisisms, It'd just be that there was a lot of pointless running away/getting caught/escaping, running away/getting caught/escaping with Indy and the rest.
I got to see an Indiana Jones movie at the cinema though B-) which is something I never thought I'd get to do !
I just went to see this yesterday. It was good but very predicatable. I dont think Harrison Ford looked too old.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
It's a good thing that Lucas wasn't a farmer because some cow's udders would really be sore...
George Lucas on a Fifth Indiana Jones
Source: The Sunday July 28, 2008
With Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull having earned a massive $743.7 million worldwide (#27 on the all-time worldwide list), The Sunday Times asked George Lucas if he, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford would be up for a fifth film:
"We were hoping for box-office figures like that, which is, ultimately, with inflation, what the others have done, within 10%," Lucas explains. "So, we squeaked up there. Really, though, it was a challenge getting the story together and getting everybody to agree on it. Indiana Jones only becomes complicated when you have another two people saying 'I want it this way' and 'I want it that way', whereas, when I first did Jones, I just said, 'We'll do it this way' — and that was much easier. But now I have to accommodate everybody, because they are all big, successful guys, too, so it's a little hard on a practical level.
"If I can come up with another idea that they like, we'll do another. Really, with the last one, Steven wasn't that enthusiastic. I was trying to persuade him. But now Steve is more amenable to doing another one. Yet we still have the issues about the direction we'd like to take. I'm in the future; Steven's in the past. He's trying to drag it back to the way they were, I'm trying to push it to a whole different place. So, still we have a sort of tension. This recent one came out of that. It's kind of a hybrid of our own two ideas, so we'll see where we are able to take the next one."
I sort of had the impression that Spielberg was essentially phoning in this film. It was more Lucas's baby, and Ford was just happy to have a lucrative gig after awhile. I'd like to see another one, this time done Spielberg's way.
Interesting, and candid about the problems in creative differences.
It is indeed interesting, although I wonder whether Lucas really had absolute power on the first Indiana Jones film. I mean, by that stage, Spielberg had directed Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, so he was already successful. )
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Interesting, and candid about the problems in creative differences.
It is indeed interesting, although I wonder whether Lucas really had absolute power on the first Indiana Jones film. I mean, by that stage, Spielberg had directed Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, so he was already successful. )
Lucas had done a couple of fairly large films himself: 'Star..' something- I forget.
And no; he didn't have total control over Raiders- it was collaborative- they all bounced ideas around together. Have a read of the Making of book- it's a lovely thing.
Lucas had done a couple of fairly large films himself: 'Star..' something- I forget.
And no; he didn't have total control over Raiders- it was collaborative- they all bounced ideas around together. Have a read of the Making of book- it's a lovely thing.
Oh, I'm perfectly aware of Star Wars. That wasn't my point. Lucas said "Indiana Jones only becomes complicated when you have another two people saying 'I want it this way' and 'I want it that way', whereas, when I first did Jones, I just said, 'We'll do it this way' — and that was much easier. But now I have to accommodate everybody, because they are all big, successful guys, too, so it's a little hard on a practical level." This therefore implies that Spielberg wasn't successful back in 1981. emtiem, I am only going by what Lucas said and it seems to me that he overstates his influence.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I'm a little conflicted about another Indiana Jones film. On the one hand, I'd love to see Harrison Ford in action again if they can come up with a good story and ramp up production quickly. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Crystal Skull and thought the ending was a good way to say goodbye to these characters. If there isn't another movie, I really won't mind Crystal Skull being their swan song.
And speaking of Indiana Jones, my brother and I bagged ourselves a few autograph cards from Topps (Karen Allen, Shia LeBouf, Ray Winstone, John Williams and David Koepp) and a signed Harrison Ford picure from OfficialPix (one of the few houses officially licensed by LucasArts).
Here's a couple of pics of the cards and photo framed and matted for presentation (sorry for the lousy PQ; my camera isn't cooperating today). Click the image for a larger photo:
There's a brief article over at CNN.com where George Lucas talks about the possibility of a fifth Indiana Jones movie. Lucas flat out says that if there is a fifth film it will focus on Indiana Jones - Harrison Ford - and not Mutt Williams as some had speculated.
As always, getting a fifth film off the ground will come down to coming up with a story that everyone likes and he currently has people trying to come up with an appropriate angle.
The article also touches briefly on Lucas' Star Wars projects and his thoughts on publicity and promotion.
I have grown to loathe KOTCS, after going out of my way to like it as to not tarnish the series. Just as the Cannes crowd were 'respectful' to the film. Imagine if they made TOD today, the rope bridge scene would have been totally CGI, taking away the charm of it all. No threat level or danger in the film whatsoever. To me excessive CGI is just plain slack. In the days before CGI, they had to be creative and think up these situations and scenarios. I rank KOTCS last in the Indiana Jones stakes. It is not even in the same league as the first three.
I don’t know how anyone can place it above any of the originals, which have the advantage of being made back in the day. This film is going through the motions. There is nothing standout about this film except what is wrong with it. It is going to be remembered for the wrong reasons.
I know Indiana Jones is just a bunch of fun, but this was totally implausible and silly. Stupid scenes involving fridges, driving off cliffs onto rubber trees, cheesy stereotypical aliens looking directly at the camera, flying saucers, vine swinging, multiple waterfalls, computer generated ants that pull men down holes, etc. For the aliens, I'm fine with them, but it is how they are used that is absolutely terrible.
The high box office was a given. People went in expecting something similar to the first three. Except all what was happening was a cash in off memories that can not be replicated. So why try? People could have been talking about the almost mythical 'what if' regarding Indiana Jones 4 if it was never made. Well, now it is here people know exactly what they received.
I wouldn’t have made it. This film has stained the product in people’s eyes, mine included. It may have been alright if they filmed a decent script, not this nonsense. I will chose to live in ignorance that this was even made. They should have remained back in 1989 with pride, reputation and quality intact, being a cherished memory. If this is the last, it is a very poor lasting impression to leave on the audience. Even if another is made, the series runs the risk of falling deeper into the mire. It is better to fade away gracefully than to burn out.
Dunno Sharpshooter, maybe Indy 5 could redeem the muddled mess of the last one; Spielberg might make it to apologise like he did with the Crusade after the woeful Temple of Doom.
Now everyone can nitpick the CGI monkeys, prairie dogs and aliens to death in the comfort of their own home.
Hated the CGI monkeys...loved the prairie dogs ( ) ) ) )...ambivalent about the (overused) alien angle...
Yeah. I'll own this one B-) It's not Raiders (nothing else is, or can be!)...but it was a good time.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Could've been worse...could've been better...could've been less...familiar (Disappointed by a fairly shopworn premise, but buoyed by the overall fun of the piece. Balance between the two = ambivalence )---but it's part four in a trilogy, so...
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Yeah, I just mean that when you say something is overused it doesn't sound like you neither love it nor hate it- I was just making a little joke on the fact that 'overused' is a negative statement.
Never mind.
Yeah, I just mean that when you say something is overused it doesn't sound like you neither love it nor hate it.
?:) Good grief.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Blimey; it was just a little joke; if you didn't get it don't worry about it.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited August 2008
8-) , but no worries!
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Interesting article. I wonder what Lucas is thinking of as the inevitable McGuffin: The lost city of Atlantis? The Spear of Destiny? The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? Or maybe in keeping with the sci-fi angle, Dr. Jones will go to Africa and come across this relic...
...now that would be something. ) Regardless, I guess I wouldn't mind another adventure, as long as they can make it within the next 3-4 years. After that, I think even an action star like Ford would be a little too long in the tooth to be taken seriously.
Anyhow, DVD and BluRay come out next week. Really looking forward to checking it out again.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
The Spear of Destiny? Or maybe in keeping with the sci-fi angle
I'll admit that I'm a hardcore sci-fi nut but I've always been interested in the more biblical artifacts, one of the things that I love the Indy films for.
IMO, if they dabble anymore with the alien angle, then the hero becomes nothing more than Captain Kirk in a fedora. Next thing you know he'll have a phaser instead of his signature whip. 8-)
One is enough for me.
I love reading up on the history behind The Spear Of Longinus; I hope that they go with that or Noah's Ark.
I don't think that any future installments will top LAST CRUSADE anyway.
I too am buying the DVD next week but I assure you that I'm skipping over the stupid monkies part.
And kill off Shia's character! X-(
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Comments
Absolutely correct Dan !! I didn't need to add the qualifier. Truth be known, I put this film up with some of the great works of art. {[]
I think the others are clearly the work of a very talented director who has thought about how to get the most out of everything; I love Bond but they rarely reach those levels.
I just noticed this post which kicked the thread off two years ago; as it turns out they hadn't been guarding it that well, a lot of elements were in the Saucer Men From Mars script from 1995, and that's been on the net for years!
I quite liked it !
Obviously not a patch on Raiders or Last Crusade, but I was totally expecting that. I liked the first part of the movie a lot more than I did say the second 2/3s.
If I have any critisisms, It'd just be that there was a lot of pointless running away/getting caught/escaping, running away/getting caught/escaping with Indy and the rest.
I got to see an Indiana Jones movie at the cinema though B-) which is something I never thought I'd get to do !
Roll on IJ5.
George Lucas on a Fifth Indiana Jones
Source: The Sunday July 28, 2008
With Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull having earned a massive $743.7 million worldwide (#27 on the all-time worldwide list), The Sunday Times asked George Lucas if he, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford would be up for a fifth film:
"We were hoping for box-office figures like that, which is, ultimately, with inflation, what the others have done, within 10%," Lucas explains. "So, we squeaked up there. Really, though, it was a challenge getting the story together and getting everybody to agree on it. Indiana Jones only becomes complicated when you have another two people saying 'I want it this way' and 'I want it that way', whereas, when I first did Jones, I just said, 'We'll do it this way' — and that was much easier. But now I have to accommodate everybody, because they are all big, successful guys, too, so it's a little hard on a practical level.
"If I can come up with another idea that they like, we'll do another. Really, with the last one, Steven wasn't that enthusiastic. I was trying to persuade him. But now Steve is more amenable to doing another one. Yet we still have the issues about the direction we'd like to take. I'm in the future; Steven's in the past. He's trying to drag it back to the way they were, I'm trying to push it to a whole different place. So, still we have a sort of tension. This recent one came out of that. It's kind of a hybrid of our own two ideas, so we'll see where we are able to take the next one."
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=47357
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Lucas had done a couple of fairly large films himself: 'Star..' something- I forget.
And no; he didn't have total control over Raiders- it was collaborative- they all bounced ideas around together. Have a read of the Making of book- it's a lovely thing.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
And speaking of Indiana Jones, my brother and I bagged ourselves a few autograph cards from Topps (Karen Allen, Shia LeBouf, Ray Winstone, John Williams and David Koepp) and a signed Harrison Ford picure from OfficialPix (one of the few houses officially licensed by LucasArts).
Here's a couple of pics of the cards and photo framed and matted for presentation (sorry for the lousy PQ; my camera isn't cooperating today). Click the image for a larger photo:
As always, getting a fifth film off the ground will come down to coming up with a story that everyone likes and he currently has people trying to come up with an appropriate angle.
The article also touches briefly on Lucas' Star Wars projects and his thoughts on publicity and promotion.
Here's a link to the full article:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/07/film.george.lucas.ap/index.html
I have grown to loathe KOTCS, after going out of my way to like it as to not tarnish the series. Just as the Cannes crowd were 'respectful' to the film. Imagine if they made TOD today, the rope bridge scene would have been totally CGI, taking away the charm of it all. No threat level or danger in the film whatsoever. To me excessive CGI is just plain slack. In the days before CGI, they had to be creative and think up these situations and scenarios. I rank KOTCS last in the Indiana Jones stakes. It is not even in the same league as the first three.
I don’t know how anyone can place it above any of the originals, which have the advantage of being made back in the day. This film is going through the motions. There is nothing standout about this film except what is wrong with it. It is going to be remembered for the wrong reasons.
I know Indiana Jones is just a bunch of fun, but this was totally implausible and silly. Stupid scenes involving fridges, driving off cliffs onto rubber trees, cheesy stereotypical aliens looking directly at the camera, flying saucers, vine swinging, multiple waterfalls, computer generated ants that pull men down holes, etc. For the aliens, I'm fine with them, but it is how they are used that is absolutely terrible.
The high box office was a given. People went in expecting something similar to the first three. Except all what was happening was a cash in off memories that can not be replicated. So why try? People could have been talking about the almost mythical 'what if' regarding Indiana Jones 4 if it was never made. Well, now it is here people know exactly what they received.
I wouldn’t have made it. This film has stained the product in people’s eyes, mine included. It may have been alright if they filmed a decent script, not this nonsense. I will chose to live in ignorance that this was even made. They should have remained back in 1989 with pride, reputation and quality intact, being a cherished memory. If this is the last, it is a very poor lasting impression to leave on the audience. Even if another is made, the series runs the risk of falling deeper into the mire. It is better to fade away gracefully than to burn out.
Dunno Sharpshooter, maybe Indy 5 could redeem the muddled mess of the last one; Spielberg might make it to apologise like he did with the Crusade after the woeful Temple of Doom.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The BluRay edition will have some exclusive content including an interactive Indiana Jones Timeline.
Now everyone can nitpick the CGI monkeys, prairie dogs and aliens to death in the comfort of their own home.
Here's a link including a pic of the BluRay case:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Paramount/Disc_Announcements/Indiana_Jones_Coming_to_Blu-ray_this_October/1992
Hated the CGI monkeys...loved the prairie dogs (
Yeah. I'll own this one B-) It's not Raiders (nothing else is, or can be!)...but it was a good time.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
You don't sound very ambivalent!
I'll be buying it- it sits alongside the other Indys well enough. Whereas I have only three Star Wars films in my collection
Well, I am...
Could've been worse...could've been better...could've been less...familiar (Disappointed by a fairly shopworn premise, but buoyed by the overall fun of the piece. Balance between the two = ambivalence
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Never mind.
?:) Good grief.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Here's a link to the article:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/10/harrison-ford-s.html
Interesting article. I wonder what Lucas is thinking of as the inevitable McGuffin: The lost city of Atlantis? The Spear of Destiny? The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? Or maybe in keeping with the sci-fi angle, Dr. Jones will go to Africa and come across this relic...
...now that would be something.
Anyhow, DVD and BluRay come out next week. Really looking forward to checking it out again.
I'll admit that I'm a hardcore sci-fi nut but I've always been interested in the more biblical artifacts, one of the things that I love the Indy films for.
IMO, if they dabble anymore with the alien angle, then the hero becomes nothing more than Captain Kirk in a fedora. Next thing you know he'll have a phaser instead of his signature whip. 8-)
One is enough for me.
I love reading up on the history behind The Spear Of Longinus; I hope that they go with that or Noah's Ark.
I don't think that any future installments will top LAST CRUSADE anyway.
I too am buying the DVD next week but I assure you that I'm skipping over the stupid monkies part.
And kill off Shia's character! X-(
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -