2519 replies to this topic

[marktmurphy]

A prequel would be good. A sequel could work, too, provided Marion and Mutt were either written out of it, or had mere cameo appearances.

It would be rather bizarre to give him a family in one film and to do a prequel without them in the next. Cameos as you say would be better: write Marion out of it in much the same way they treated his Dad in City of the Gods and have Mutt appear towards the end to help Dad out.

[bond 16.05.72]

I think the dynamic works in Temple because both Short Round and Willie Scott are given plenty of characterization. We really get to know both characters in the first half of the film, and that's why when it turns into a nonstop action affair in the second half we care for them (at least that's true in my case).

Last Crusade does falter a bit in this regard because Marcus Brody and Sallah arent really given much to do in said film. Both are used primarily for comic relief, but fortanetely they never really get in the way of the father/son theme the film is playing for.

Back to Skull, I think Mutt get's some great characterization at the start of the film but as more and more character's are introduced he gets lost in the shuffle. Marion barely gets by thanks to her backstory from Raiders, and poor John Hurt and Ray Winstone get lost in the shuffle. What a waste.

As much as I enjoy Crusade I'll never forgive Lucas for taking Marcus Brody and turning him into a slap stick character, that element all ways leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I also wonder if Lucas has some real problem with Brody full stop, how else can you explain that even with his character dead in Skull he can't help but ridicule him even more in that ludicrous bike chase on the University Campus.

Crystal Skull remains a dire pile of trash and should be left at that, I'm grateful that so much time was left between this and the previous trilogy because it makes it so much easier to look at them as a separate entity due to Indy 4 not relating whatsoever to the previous 3 films it followed.

As to Connery coming back, I'm not going to dignify that with an answer.

[bondrules]

I think the dynamic works in Temple because both Short Round and Willie Scott are given plenty of characterization. We really get to know both characters in the first half of the film, and that's why when it turns into a nonstop action affair in the second half we care for them (at least that's true in my case).

Last Crusade does falter a bit in this regard because Marcus Brody and Sallah arent really given much to do in said film. Both are used primarily for comic relief, but fortanetely they never really get in the way of the father/son theme the film is playing for.

Back to Skull, I think Mutt get's some great characterization at the start of the film but as more and more character's are introduced he gets lost in the shuffle. Marion barely gets by thanks to her backstory from Raiders, and poor John Hurt and Ray Winstone get lost in the shuffle. What a waste.

As much as I enjoy Crusade I'll never forgive Lucas for taking Marcus Brody and turning him into a slap stick character, that element all ways leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I also wonder if Lucas has some real problem with Brody full stop, how else can you explain that even with his character dead in Skull he can't help but ridicule him even more in that ludicrous bike chase on the University Campus.

Crystal Skull remains a dire pile of trash and should be left at that, I'm grateful that so much time was left between this and the previous trilogy because it makes it so much easier to look at them as a separate entity due to Indy 4 not relating whatsoever to the previous 3 films it followed.

As to Connery coming back, I'm not going to dignify that with an answer.

I agree wholeheartedly with what I underlined.
Well said.

[Harmsway]

I also wonder if Lucas has some real problem with Brody full stop, how else can you explain that even with his character dead in Skull he can't help but ridicule him even more in that ludicrous bike chase on the University Campus.

Eh, that moment's not so bad. And the bike chase isn't really "ludicrous." Just boring.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

As much as I enjoy Crusade I'll never forgive Lucas for taking Marcus Brody and turning him into a slap stick character, that element all ways leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I also wonder if Lucas has some real problem with Brody full stop, how else can you explain that even with his character dead in Skull he can't help but ridicule him even more in that ludicrous bike chase on the University Campus.

Brody was barely a character at all in the first film, so I fail to see the big deal here. He became a much more memorable presence after The Last Crusade.

[Judo chop]

Brody’s character was perfect in RAIDERS, IMO. He was a perfectly marginal character. And was actually played for The Joke once there when he begins to offer his knowledge on the lost city of Tannis and Jones cuts him off.

That was wonderfully subtle comedy, as opposed to the in-your-face bafoonery he was the victim of in CRUSADE. He probably never should have had his role expanded in the first place.

But I say that as someone who loves RAIDERS with all his heart, and really wouldn't miss the rest of 'em if they were packed in a fridge and nuked into space.

[bondrules]

The thing about Raiders is that every character was perfect. I do agree that in Crusade they turned Brody into a bit of a clown. They should have kept the same character from Raiders. It's one of the many reasons why Raiders is what it is. Even so, Crusade was/is a great movie.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Crusade is one of the funniest films I know about. It never fails to make me giggle, which is more than you can say about most "real" comedies.

[marktmurphy]

More positive noises from Harrison here:
http://www.mtv.com/m...378/story.jhtml

A more indepth discussion of the the future of Indy than we've had before, I'd say.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

That was mostly Harrison just going along with where the interviewer took him, but it's still great to hear everyone it still keen and they have an idea they are working on.

[Safari Suit]

I looked up this guy and realised who this LaBeouf is.

It was a more innocent time...

[Dr.Fell]

Harrison Ford dosen't talk about much to whet our appitites but I am really not interested in seeing Mutt return or Karen Allen. I just wish the series would stop doing this family romp crap and get back to it's roots of the first two films.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

I looked up this guy and realised who this LaBeouf is.

It was a more innocent time...

To be honest I've only seen the kid in one film (Indy) I think he did a pretty good job.

Dr.Fell, I couldn't agree more. I really don't want The Last Crusade 3, I want a new take on Indy staying true to his roots, like TEMPLE OF DOOM was.

[elizabeth]

shia wasn't TOO bad in indy 4. i liked him better in Holes.

[JimmyBond]

shia wasn't TOO bad in indy 4. i liked him better in Holes.

Shia wasnt the problem with Indy 4. In fact his scenes with Ford before all the other character's join the party are actually pretty good. If the film was just Indy and Mutt going against the Russian's it might have played better. Instead they decided to saddle Indy with way too many sidekicks.

[SecretAgentFan]

It will surely be difficult to do a fifth Indiana Jones. Although I did enjoy Number 4 (sue me) I thought Indy marrying Marion at the end was a clear ending.

Number 5 does only have two choices: getting Marion along with Indy to a new adventure - or leaving out Marion again.

I don´t think it would work to have Marion tag along again - together with Mutt it would be a family adventure. And that´s not what Indy is about, is he?

So, they would have to explain why Marion is staying at home while Indy is going out to a new expedition. That´s okay. But it also means: a new love interest could not be a real threat to the marriage (although one could have Indy tempted, of course, and get some comedic elements out of that).

But the films do need a good and working love interest - so this time it would be Mutt´s love interest. And Indy behaving in a way like his own father did in Number 3. That could be fun, too...

BUT.

The Indiana Jones series is about INDIANA JONES. Having him assume the role of grandpa Jones just does not ring true to me.

Of course, that´s possibly the way this series is heading. And with all the youngsters in the audience (I know some who weren´t so keen on Indy and actually preferred Mutt in Number 4...) it would probably be a (business-)wise decision.

Another problem for Number 5: What kind of McGuffin will it be this time?

Number 4 brought in Russians, the Cold War paranoia and UFOs - perfectly in tune with that era.

What can Number 5 offer? The Beginning of the Kennedy administration? The Cuban Missile Crisis? Even JFK´s assassination?

This is getting very tricky - suddenly history will not just be a springboard for mystery and fun; it becomes very serious. Granted, to use Nazi-Germany was much more dangerous but they really only used the soldiers as cardboard villains everybody can hate.

So... I´m very curious what the "crazy idea" for Number 5 is. It can´t be UFOs again. To have any kind of continuity it can´t jump ahead too much in time. Will it be Indy going against the Russians again? That would fit. The Nazis had been the villains in two films also.

I just hope Indy will clearly be the central character. And that he will have many adventures in different places on the earth (number 4 had, for my taste, not enough travel in it).

Hey, maybe it´s the Fountain of Youth-thing? Technically, Lucas and Spielberg could make this work: have Indy become younger again, just as he secretly wanted, as agile looking as his son which could make Mutt, of course, very jealous and provoke problems with Marion who, maybe, just does not want to live forever or become younger again (today´s "no Botox!"-attitude).

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

I did enjoy Number 4 (sue me)

Glad I'm not the only one! There's very little wrong with it, although others would tell us different.

[SecretAgentFan]

I do understand why one could dislike Number 4. Yet, all the hatred poured on it is quite unnecessary and mean-spirited IMO

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

I do understand why one could dislike Number 4.

Yeah, I suppose the aliens thing got to many people, but I suppose aetheists/agnostics could counter that by saying that the religious elements of the other movies were just as farfetched.

[bondrules]

I can easily see Indy going to the Moon in Indy 5, to find Hanz Kammler and the rest of the Third Reich escapees. No Lucas, go on. Make it happen. Keep probing my childhood.

[zencat]

I can easily see Indy going to the Moon in Indy 5, to find Hanz Kammler and the rest of the Third Reich escapees. No Lucas, go on. Make it happen. Keep probing my childhood.

Indy encountering Third Reich escapees. Not a bad idea. Argentina? I could see that.

[bondrules]

I can easily see Indy going to the Moon in Indy 5, to find Hanz Kammler and the rest of the Third Reich escapees. No Lucas, go on. Make it happen. Keep probing my childhood.

Indy encountering Third Reich escapees. Not a bad idea. Argentina? I could see that.

hahaha, really ? I was just kidding

[zencat]

I can easily see Indy going to the Moon in Indy 5, to find Hanz Kammler and the rest of the Third Reich escapees. No Lucas, go on. Make it happen. Keep probing my childhood.

Indy encountering Third Reich escapees. Not a bad idea. Argentina? I could see that.

hahaha, really ? I was just kidding

Really. I think it could work. "Nazis. I hate these guys."

[bondrules]

I can easily see Indy going to the Moon in Indy 5, to find Hanz Kammler and the rest of the Third Reich escapees. No Lucas, go on. Make it happen. Keep probing my childhood.

Indy encountering Third Reich escapees. Not a bad idea. Argentina? I could see that.

hahaha, really ? I was just kidding

Really. I think it could work. "Nazis. I hate these guys."

Come to think of it, it might. There is so much fringe science attributed to the Nazis, that if they look into it, there are tons of books out there with incredible stories. I've read some of those books. The Peter Moon Montauk series for instance.

[SecretAgentFan]

Love that idea... could give Number 5 that vibe we all are missing from the last movie. And it would give Indy the chance to come full circle.

After all, they wouldn´t do a sixth film, would they?

[Harmsway]

Indy encountering Third Reich escapees. Not a bad idea. Argentina? I could see that.

They toyed with it in Darabont's draft of INDIANA JONES AND THE CITY OF THE GODS. While that draft has three or four villains, one of them is an ex-Nazi hiding out in South America whose dream is to see the Third Reich restored.

[marktmurphy]

Yeah; I can't see Spielberg going for it though. I don't think there's any need for Indy to face the same bad guys over and over anyway. I'd rather it wasn't another bunch of soldiers.

[Harmsway]

Cannes 2010: Shia LaBeouf: We botched the last Indiana Jones

"I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished," LaBeouf said, explaining that this upped the ante for him before he began shooting the "Wall Street" sequel. "If I was going to do it twice, my career was over. So this was fight-or-flight for me."

[. . .]

LaBeouf went on to say he wasn't the only star on the film who felt that way. "We [Harrison Ford and LaBeouf] had major discussions. He wasn't happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn't universally accepted."

[. . .]

Asked whether this was difficult to say, given his deep relationship with Spielberg, LaBeouf continued with the directness.

"I'll probably get a call. But he needs to hear this. I love him. I love Steven. I have a relationship with Steven that supersedes our business work. And believe me, I talk to him often enough to know that I'm not out of line. And I would never disrespect the man. I think he's a genius, and he's given me my whole life. He's done so much great work that there's no need for him to feel vulnerable about one film. But when you drop the ball you drop the ball."

[Safari Suit]

This is the second time in about a month Mr. LaBeouf has suddenly claimed he was "always" aware a much derided sequel he appeared in was sub-par.

Don't be too surprised if you read this in about a year; "Wall Steet 2? Oh I knew it would never work. I remember saying to Mike, and he agreed, that..."

[Loomis]

I'm pleased to see some of the people who committed INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL skull owning up to what a pitiful piece of work it is, but LaBeouf actually has nothing to apologise for. He wasn't the worst thing about the film (even though a lot of fanboys feared he would be), or even among the worst things about it. He probably wouldn't even make a list of the top hundred ways in which INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL drops the ball.