Which Was The Best Indiana Jones Film?
stumac7
ScotlandPosts: 295MI6 Agent
With the new Indiana Jones film out soon, I was wondering which of the original films do you think was the best?
was it
1. Raiders of the lost ark
2. Temple of doom
3. Last crusade
For me it had to be Last Crusade , Sean Connery is great in it!
was it
1. Raiders of the lost ark
2. Temple of doom
3. Last crusade
For me it had to be Last Crusade , Sean Connery is great in it!
Comments
It was the first one that I saw. The thing that I enjoyed most was the aeroplane scenes, especially when Sean Connery shoots up the tale of their plane and then explains to Indy, "They got us"!
It's also pretty hard to fault Raiders. I've always had mixed feeling about Temple of Doom though.
To be fair, it's River Phoenix's impression of Harrison Ford's portrayal of Indiana Jones, and I think he does a pretty convincing job
If I had to pick just one, it would be the first. I enjoyed them all---Connery was great in Crusade---but it seemed (to me) that by the third film, the formula had run its course.
Hopefully this long pause between 3 and 4 will have reenergized everyone, and they can finish up on a high note.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Yeah- I'm not expecting that at all (I genuinely think Raiders is a very strong candidate for Best Film Ever Made), but I'm sure Crystal will be a lot of fun.
The first bit of Temple of Doom I loved, but even then it seemed Spielberg was doing his suspected trick of keeping the dialogue low in the mix so as to keep the audience leaning forward in their seats. I saw it again on telly (the first scene) and it was the same.
The third? Great, like a Bond film. Connery in one of his best performances, in the second wind of his career. Ford more animated. A bit too funny at times, sure, but it puts out.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I still remember my Mum & Dad taking my brother & I to the local cinemas to see it. I think that Connery & Ford worked well together, and it's something I felt was lacking in the Raiders and Temple. That being said, Channel 7 are playing all three films tonight, and over the next 2 weeks, in the lead up to Kingdom, so I will be watching them all to relive the adventure!
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
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While Raiders has better action and stuntwork, the characterizations and location work in Crusade are more fun to watch.
I find Temple of Doom to be practically unwatchable. The kid is annoying, the plot much too dark, the action scenes far too long and improbable (even for an Indy movie) and the thing just has too many creepy-crawlies all over the place.
Granted, I saw it in the theater when I was ten and it blew me away. Grabbed up the movelization as well. Mega Dittoes to Temple Of Doom and it's Giant Sized Marvel adaption. Too dark? Creepy Crawlies? What is wrong with that?? I long for those pre-code adult movies that us kids were being shown. Much better then that sappy and gag inducing pre credit sequence from The Last Crusade. (which I loathe) (Now we know who dressed Indy!) 8-)
Last Crusade is the weakest for me. Despite Connery! Going for the Holy Grail, since we've already grabbed the Ark Of The Covenant? Gimme a break! Not the mention that ludicrous immortal Knight and Indy's instant find under a museum floor by moving a few velvet ropes!
Give me open hearts, human sacrifices, damsels in distress, melting skulls, and rotting cadavers anytime!
Ah! A kindred spirit!
It did seem to owe a fair amount to Superman at first; Indy is a hero in his costume, sans glasses, then is in bookish Clark Kent mode back at the university, all nervous and bashful with the women. And then of course the woman is just like Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, there the same dynamic, not that I'm knocking it, I quite enjoyed it but it never struck me before.
Didn't realise that was Doc Oc in the opening scene...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Ack! And you were going so well!
Not a bad observation. I fancy both of 'em!
Me neither, until you mentioned it.
Raiders is IMO a brilliant film and among Spielberg's best (I much prefer it to the overrated E.T.) but I don't think it's perfect. I think it drags a bit during the car chase, which IMO was rather confusingly shot. I'm also annoyed that Marion cut her hair at the end
And I would describe it as a masterpiece. Ford IMO is superb (sorry NP
Temple of Doom is my least favourite of the three films, and it is the only one which I wouldn't tape if it was on television and I wasn't at home (speaking of which, it's on Australian TV tomorrow night at 8:30 on Channel Seven.) Its flaws are substantial; the female lead is unmemorable (she is no match for Marion) and is often extremely annoying, the film is too dark, the screenplay lacks the creativity of Raiders and the film is unnecessarilly offensive. There's also Short Round, but to be honest, I didn't mind him.
Anyway, the film does present some moments of pleasure. The scene in which Indy uses his whip to defeat the villain in his room is one I always look forward to. Ford does his usual fine job as Indy and many of the action scenes are well staged. I don't love Temple of Doom, however nor do I hate it.
I find Last Crusade to be an interesting film in that it is a film of two halves. The first half (up to the point Indy reaches the house where his father is being held hostage) is fun, but not overly so. I enjoyed the investigating, but the boat chase went on far too long. I like chases, but only if they are done well, and IMO this wasn't the case in Last Crusade.
Also, the 'young Indy' scenes were all very well done, but I would have preferred that Indy not be demystified, and certainly not in that way. (I can understand why he adopted the whip, since it's so darn cool, and how he got his fear of snakes, but why adopt a hat simply because some robber he met only once gave it to him? ?:)) I would have prefered not to have the demystification and instead for the film to imply, like in Raiders, that Indy adopts his identity and particular outfit because it is practical and because he is simply leading a 'double life.'
All in all, the first half went on far too long for my liking. Raiders felt like it dragged a bit towards the end; The Last Crusade feels like it drags during much of the first half. (I often skip over the first half if it's on TV or if I taped it.)
The second half is brilliant. The interaction between Ford and the superb Connery is truly wonderful, the action scenes are great, the ending (including passing the obstacles) is terrific, I love the humour and, the second half goes by in no time. My only complaint would be the reference to Hitler (which Spielberg himself regrets), but really, the second half is fantastic and almost as good as the best of Raiders.
I'm a huge Indy fan and I enjoyed all three Indy films, to varying degrees. Hopefully the new one will be better than its trailer suggests and will remind me why I love Indy so much;
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
I don't understand. ?:) Why does Indy's father being religious make finding the ark less easy?
Exactly. The producers wanted to refer back to Raiders, except TOD is set before Raiders!
True, but I think having an actual reference to Hitler, and especially like that one, was extremely inappropiate. It's not a big deal, but it is something that I don't like. As it is, Spielberg himself regrets that particular reference.
Cynjin, I want to make it clear; I loved the second half of Last Crusade, but I do consider Raiders to be the best, flaws and all.
After a long hard think my favourite 'Indiana Jones films in order are:
1. The Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. The Last Crusade
3. The Temple of Doom
What I ment about his dad being religous is that he dad studied religous artifacts like the grail. Again in Radiers Indy makes a statement about them having the wrong Jones.
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
Indy never makes that statement in 'Raiders' - only in 'Crusade'. Remember that the main plot point for getting Jones involved in the first film was his knowledge of Abner Ravenwood, not the ark.
Fiona: But of course, I forgot your ego, Mr. Bond. James Bond, who only has to make love to a woman and she starts to hear heavenly choirs singing.
I'm a bit puzzled by that; I think it's one of the best action sequences ever. How is it confusing to you?
Oh and speaking of Raiders' intro, it's not so much the emergence of Indy from black silhouette but his head cocking when the gun does. Brilliant stuff, imo.
http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Probot_Productions_Raiders_Of_The_Toy_Box_Video_114613.asp
(Must admit I gave in and bought myself a little Indy yesterday. I've always wanted one, okay?