2008 Woodie Awards
Indiana Jones revitalized with new flick
Matt Lee
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Intermission
Movie Review
With the soon to be released, highly anticipated new film about the coolest college professor ever (no offense to anyone here on campus), it's a good time to recap where Dr. Jones left off.
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was released over Memorial Day weekend in 1989. It was the third in a series that includes "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." The film was also followed by a collection of "Young Indiana Jones" adventures.
As the title implies, the story is about our hero, played by Harrison Ford, and his expedition across the globe in search of the Holy Grail. He is joined on his quest by his father, played by Sean Connery, who has spent his whole life researching the Cup of Christ, its history and the mystery of its location.
The action scenes for this film, as well as the two previous ones, were inspired by the popular Action Serials that were on television decades ago. These were collections of short films about men like Indiana Jones, who would perform death-defying stunts and leave the audience with a thrilling cliff-hanger at the end of each episode. George Lucas' love of these shows led him to create Jones in the mid-80s after he wrapped up "Star Wars: Episode VI."
Steven Spielberg has said in many interviews that he got involved with the Indiana Jones projects because he had always wanted to direct a James Bond film but was never given the chance. With Lucas' help, Spielberg made a parallel series of films with a grittier and much more American leading man.
Like Bond, Jones is a virtually invincible hero who makes constant use of his wry sense of humor as he travels to exotic locales, saving the world (and getting the girl) before the end of the film. In fact, the decision to cast Connery (the original Bond) as Jones Senior was made by Spielberg because of his feeling that Bond is, in essence, the father of Indiana Jones.
The Jones films are also connected to another popular series of films: the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Lucas, who co-wrote the story for "The Last Crusade," has a very apparent theme he puts forth in his work.
In "Star Wars," the story revolves around a less-than-perfect father-son relationship, ending in the death of the father at the hands of his son. This sacrifice does, however, lead to the salvation of the galaxy, as well as a sort of "cleansing" of the father's spirit. In the latest "Indy" film, a similar storyline develops, but with a much more pleasant conclusion, where the son puts his life at stake and succeeds in rescuing his dying father. Perhaps Lucas wanted to make up for killing off the "Star Wars" father by saving the "Indiana Jones" one.
Unfortunately, even though Connery did survive "The Last Crusade," he has retired and will not be appearing in the next installment of the series.
For those readers whose adventure-craving appetites have just been whet, the bullwhip-cracking, Nazi-beating, snake-fearing archaeologist can be seen in theaters this summer in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
With the soon to be released, highly anticipated new film about the coolest college professor ever (no offense to anyone here on campus), it's a good time to recap where Dr. Jones left off.
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was released over Memorial Day weekend in 1989. It was the third in a series that includes "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." The film was also followed by a collection of "Young Indiana Jones" adventures.
As the title implies, the story is about our hero, played by Harrison Ford, and his expedition across the globe in search of the Holy Grail. He is joined on his quest by his father, played by Sean Connery, who has spent his whole life researching the Cup of Christ, its history and the mystery of its location.
The action scenes for this film, as well as the two previous ones, were inspired by the popular Action Serials that were on television decades ago. These were collections of short films about men like Indiana Jones, who would perform death-defying stunts and leave the audience with a thrilling cliff-hanger at the end of each episode. George Lucas' love of these shows led him to create Jones in the mid-80s after he wrapped up "Star Wars: Episode VI."
Steven Spielberg has said in many interviews that he got involved with the Indiana Jones projects because he had always wanted to direct a James Bond film but was never given the chance. With Lucas' help, Spielberg made a parallel series of films with a grittier and much more American leading man.
Like Bond, Jones is a virtually invincible hero who makes constant use of his wry sense of humor as he travels to exotic locales, saving the world (and getting the girl) before the end of the film. In fact, the decision to cast Connery (the original Bond) as Jones Senior was made by Spielberg because of his feeling that Bond is, in essence, the father of Indiana Jones.
The Jones films are also connected to another popular series of films: the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Lucas, who co-wrote the story for "The Last Crusade," has a very apparent theme he puts forth in his work.
In "Star Wars," the story revolves around a less-than-perfect father-son relationship, ending in the death of the father at the hands of his son. This sacrifice does, however, lead to the salvation of the galaxy, as well as a sort of "cleansing" of the father's spirit. In the latest "Indy" film, a similar storyline develops, but with a much more pleasant conclusion, where the son puts his life at stake and succeeds in rescuing his dying father. Perhaps Lucas wanted to make up for killing off the "Star Wars" father by saving the "Indiana Jones" one.
Unfortunately, even though Connery did survive "The Last Crusade," he has retired and will not be appearing in the next installment of the series.
For those readers whose adventure-craving appetites have just been whet, the bullwhip-cracking, Nazi-beating, snake-fearing archaeologist can be seen in theaters this summer in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."