The Indiana Jones films take great joy in having fun with action-adventure flicks at the same time they establish themselves as the foremost champions of such thrillers.
Assisting Indy this time out are Kate Capshaw as Willie Scott, an American nightclub singer who gets shanghaied into the adventure, and eleven-year-old Jonathan Ke Quan as Short Round, a young friend who is willingly pressed into duty. Ms. Capshaw was one of a multitude of women who auditioned for the part, by the way, and the film is where she first meet Spielberg; they married several years later. The villains, Mola Ram, leader of the Thuggee cult, and Chattar Lal, the shifty prime minister, are played by Indian actor Amrish Puri and TV and film actor Roshan Seth respectively. Also look for a bit part by Dan Aykroyd.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:
"The Temple of Doom" had been another smash success with the public, but so many critics assailed it for its dark tone that Lucas and Spielberg went back to their roots, so to speak, with the third installment, "The Last Crusade" (1989). In fact, almost everything about "The Last Crusade" harks back to "Raiders," from plot to characters. The result is more satisfying than "Temple of Doom," although throughout the film it seems as though we've been there before.
In this third episode, set in 1938, two years later than "Raiders," Indy is trying to find the legendary Holy Grail, the cup from which it is said Christ drank at the Last Supper and into which his blood poured on the cross. The Grail was the object of quests in the Arthur myths, and in the film it possesses the power of healing and rejuvenation. Naturally, Hitler and the Nazis are after it, too.
The film's structure is much the same as "Raiders," starting with a mini adventure about Indy as a Boy Scout (River Phoenix); it has little to do with the rest of the story except to set the pace and provide some historical data on how Indy became afraid of snakes, learned to use a bullwhip, received the scar on his chin, and got his famous hat. As usual, though, this prologue is one of the best parts of the picture.
The filmmakers opened up the movie to more exotic locales, this time Italy, Austria, Germany, and the Middle East (Petra, in Jordan). They also brought back a couple of old faces in expanded parts, John Rhys-Davies and the late Denholm Elliot, and introduced several new characters, Julian Glover as Walter Donovan, a wealthy industrialist, and Alison Doody as Dr. Elsa Schneider, a love interest in the form of a femme fatale. Most important, however, they brought in Sean Connery as Indy's dad, Professor Henry Jones, Sr., a high-minded father whose expectations his son was never able to meet. But as a twist, they made the usually intrepid Connery an ultraconservative academician, shocked by his son's constant adventures and wild heroics. Only once, when Connery clamps his hand on a Nazi thug, do we see the old, indomitable Bond showing through the professor's befuddled, mild-mannered exterior. Connery and Ford establish a remarkably likable on-screen relationship that helps sell the film.
As with the "Indy" films before it, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" relies on a succession of rousing escapades and hairbreadth escapes. Many younger people of my acquaintance who came to the Indiana Jones series late, with "The Last Crusade" as their first encounter, have commented that they like it better than "Raiders," which to them seems too derivative of the series' later work. Sorry, folks, other way around. Nevertheless, although I personally find "The Last Crusade" a little less energetic and inspired than "Raiders," there is much to enjoy in both pictures.
Video:
As I said earlier, you can purchase "Indy" sets in either wide or fullscreen. The widescreen presentations all measure an approximately 2.20:1 anamorphic ratio.
The movies have been digitally cleaned and restored frame-by-frame by the same outfit, Lowry Digital Images, that refurbished such classics as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "North By Northwest," and "Sunset Boulevard." The results are, needless to say, superb, especially as they are mastered to THX standards. The remastering company did not tamper with the color temperatures, but they did bring out all the luster of the original prints in transfers that probably surpass what many folks saw in theaters at the time of their release. The picture quality in all three films is remarkably similar: colors that are never too bright but remain quite natural, textures that are rich if sometimes slightly soft, and an image that displays virtually no grain.
Audio:
Like the video, the audio on all the films has been slightly altered and remastered, this time in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround (English). Although the surround effects may not always be pinpoint discrete from the rear channels, they do produce a satisfyingly comfortable, enveloping dimension, evident right from the start of "Raiders" with jungle sounds, birds, and music. Typical of movie sound, however, there is a noticeable rise in the frequency response between the upper midrange and lower treble, resulting in a biting sharpness on the one hand and a good theatrical presence on the other. This frequency rise is compensated in part by a deep, robust bass and a solid transient response. No one will be disappointed by the sound or picture of these transfers.
Extras:
The first three discs in this four-disc set contain the films themselves; thirty-one to thirty-six scene selections; THX Optimizer sets of audiovisual tests; and spoken languages and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. The fourth, bonus disc contains the extras. Sorry to say, there are no full-feature audio commentaries available, the set's only serious loss. It would have been nice to hear Spielberg and/or Lucas discussing the action for us, but we'll not quibble at this point.
The fourth disc is where the bonus stuff is found, and at least one of the items is extraordinary. The newly made, feature-length documentary "Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy," which was created exclusively for the DVD set under the supervision of Spielberg and Lucas, is well worth the price of the whole box. It's two hours and six minutes long, covers the making of all three pictures, can be viewed in three parts or all together, and contains footage never before seen outside the Lucas archives. Practically everyone who was involved with any part of the filmmaking, from cast members to crew, are interviewed; plus there are outtakes, screen tests, production drawings and photographs, the whole shebang. We even get to see Tom Selleck doing a screen test for the Indy part. Everything you ever wanted to know about the genealogy of the films and their making is here, with Lucas and Spielberg leading the way.
In addition, there are four featurettes that take us even deeper into the making of the film. "The Stunts of Indiana Jones," ten minutes, explores the movies' daring feats as each Indy film tried to top the previous one in the extent of its action. "The Sound of Indiana Jones," thirteen minutes, looks at the sound effects and sound editing in the films, the tour led by sound designer Ben Burtt. "The Music of Indiana Jones," twelve minutes, is examined, of course, by its composer, John Williams. And "The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones," twelve minutes, shows us how Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic department brought the movie's special effects to life before the age of digital computer graphics. The disc concludes with six theatrical trailers covering the three "Indiana Jones" films and a preview for the game "The Emperor's Tomb."
All four discs are contained in individual keep-cases with chapter-selection inserts, the four keep-cases housed in a handsomely embossed box.
Parting Thoughts:
Whoopi Goldberg once remarked, "Movies are supposed to be big. Because if they're not, they're television." Well, the Indiana Jones movies are big, and it's a shame we can't enjoy them in our homes in the sheer size they were shown in motion picture theaters. But these new Paramount transfers are probably as close as we're going to get, for the time being at least. They're bold and beautiful, and, depending on your television screen, big enough.
If you took a gun to my head or a bullwhip to my body and forced me to rate the films individually, I'd give "Raiders" a 10, "Doom" an 8, and "Last Crusade" a 9. Nothing before or since has quite matched the overall ingenuity and sheer sense of fun generated by "Raiders of the Lost Ark." While "Doom" is a bit gloomy, puts children in danger, and confines its action largely to one spot, it's still quite entertaining. And "Last Crusade" is definitely a rehash of "Raiders," albeit a very good and entertaining rehash.
In any case, all three movies are finally here, and each viewer can argue the merits of his or her own favorites. What's more, at the time of this writing Harrison Ford had announced that he will be starting production on "Indiana 4" in the summer of 2004, so it still "ain't over till it's over" as the old Yankee catcher would say. When I mentioned to the students in one of my film classes that Ford would be back, they said, "What, in a wheelchair?" "Be nice," I said, "he's my age." "You mean he's going to need a cane?" they replied. Sometimes you can't win.
Be that as it may, insofar as watching the first three installments of the "Indy" series outside a movie house, it doesn't get any better than this DVD set.
Enjoy.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:
"The Temple of Doom" had been another smash success with the public, but so many critics assailed it for its dark tone that Lucas and Spielberg went back to their roots, so to speak, with the third installment, "The Last Crusade" (1989). In fact, almost everything about "The Last Crusade" harks back to "Raiders," from plot to characters. The result is more satisfying than "Temple of Doom," although throughout the film it seems as though we've been there before.
In this third episode, set in 1938, two years later than "Raiders," Indy is trying to find the legendary Holy Grail, the cup from which it is said Christ drank at the Last Supper and into which his blood poured on the cross. The Grail was the object of quests in the Arthur myths, and in the film it possesses the power of healing and rejuvenation. Naturally, Hitler and the Nazis are after it, too.
The film's structure is much the same as "Raiders," starting with a mini adventure about Indy as a Boy Scout (River Phoenix); it has little to do with the rest of the story except to set the pace and provide some historical data on how Indy became afraid of snakes, learned to use a bullwhip, received the scar on his chin, and got his famous hat. As usual, though, this prologue is one of the best parts of the picture.
The filmmakers opened up the movie to more exotic locales, this time Italy, Austria, Germany, and the Middle East (Petra, in Jordan). They also brought back a couple of old faces in expanded parts, John Rhys-Davies and the late Denholm Elliot, and introduced several new characters, Julian Glover as Walter Donovan, a wealthy industrialist, and Alison Doody as Dr. Elsa Schneider, a love interest in the form of a femme fatale. Most important, however, they brought in Sean Connery as Indy's dad, Professor Henry Jones, Sr., a high-minded father whose expectations his son was never able to meet. But as a twist, they made the usually intrepid Connery an ultraconservative academician, shocked by his son's constant adventures and wild heroics. Only once, when Connery clamps his hand on a Nazi thug, do we see the old, indomitable Bond showing through the professor's befuddled, mild-mannered exterior. Connery and Ford establish a remarkably likable on-screen relationship that helps sell the film.
As with the "Indy" films before it, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" relies on a succession of rousing escapades and hairbreadth escapes. Many younger people of my acquaintance who came to the Indiana Jones series late, with "The Last Crusade" as their first encounter, have commented that they like it better than "Raiders," which to them seems too derivative of the series' later work. Sorry, folks, other way around. Nevertheless, although I personally find "The Last Crusade" a little less energetic and inspired than "Raiders," there is much to enjoy in both pictures.
Video:
As I said earlier, you can purchase "Indy" sets in either wide or fullscreen. The widescreen presentations all measure an approximately 2.20:1 anamorphic ratio.
The movies have been digitally cleaned and restored frame-by-frame by the same outfit, Lowry Digital Images, that refurbished such classics as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "North By Northwest," and "Sunset Boulevard." The results are, needless to say, superb, especially as they are mastered to THX standards. The remastering company did not tamper with the color temperatures, but they did bring out all the luster of the original prints in transfers that probably surpass what many folks saw in theaters at the time of their release. The picture quality in all three films is remarkably similar: colors that are never too bright but remain quite natural, textures that are rich if sometimes slightly soft, and an image that displays virtually no grain.
Audio:
Like the video, the audio on all the films has been slightly altered and remastered, this time in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround (English). Although the surround effects may not always be pinpoint discrete from the rear channels, they do produce a satisfyingly comfortable, enveloping dimension, evident right from the start of "Raiders" with jungle sounds, birds, and music. Typical of movie sound, however, there is a noticeable rise in the frequency response between the upper midrange and lower treble, resulting in a biting sharpness on the one hand and a good theatrical presence on the other. This frequency rise is compensated in part by a deep, robust bass and a solid transient response. No one will be disappointed by the sound or picture of these transfers.
Extras:
The first three discs in this four-disc set contain the films themselves; thirty-one to thirty-six scene selections; THX Optimizer sets of audiovisual tests; and spoken languages and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. The fourth, bonus disc contains the extras. Sorry to say, there are no full-feature audio commentaries available, the set's only serious loss. It would have been nice to hear Spielberg and/or Lucas discussing the action for us, but we'll not quibble at this point.
The fourth disc is where the bonus stuff is found, and at least one of the items is extraordinary. The newly made, feature-length documentary "Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy," which was created exclusively for the DVD set under the supervision of Spielberg and Lucas, is well worth the price of the whole box. It's two hours and six minutes long, covers the making of all three pictures, can be viewed in three parts or all together, and contains footage never before seen outside the Lucas archives. Practically everyone who was involved with any part of the filmmaking, from cast members to crew, are interviewed; plus there are outtakes, screen tests, production drawings and photographs, the whole shebang. We even get to see Tom Selleck doing a screen test for the Indy part. Everything you ever wanted to know about the genealogy of the films and their making is here, with Lucas and Spielberg leading the way.
In addition, there are four featurettes that take us even deeper into the making of the film. "The Stunts of Indiana Jones," ten minutes, explores the movies' daring feats as each Indy film tried to top the previous one in the extent of its action. "The Sound of Indiana Jones," thirteen minutes, looks at the sound effects and sound editing in the films, the tour led by sound designer Ben Burtt. "The Music of Indiana Jones," twelve minutes, is examined, of course, by its composer, John Williams. And "The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones," twelve minutes, shows us how Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic department brought the movie's special effects to life before the age of digital computer graphics. The disc concludes with six theatrical trailers covering the three "Indiana Jones" films and a preview for the game "The Emperor's Tomb."
All four discs are contained in individual keep-cases with chapter-selection inserts, the four keep-cases housed in a handsomely embossed box.
Parting Thoughts:
Whoopi Goldberg once remarked, "Movies are supposed to be big. Because if they're not, they're television." Well, the Indiana Jones movies are big, and it's a shame we can't enjoy them in our homes in the sheer size they were shown in motion picture theaters. But these new Paramount transfers are probably as close as we're going to get, for the time being at least. They're bold and beautiful, and, depending on your television screen, big enough.
If you took a gun to my head or a bullwhip to my body and forced me to rate the films individually, I'd give "Raiders" a 10, "Doom" an 8, and "Last Crusade" a 9. Nothing before or since has quite matched the overall ingenuity and sheer sense of fun generated by "Raiders of the Lost Ark." While "Doom" is a bit gloomy, puts children in danger, and confines its action largely to one spot, it's still quite entertaining. And "Last Crusade" is definitely a rehash of "Raiders," albeit a very good and entertaining rehash.
In any case, all three movies are finally here, and each viewer can argue the merits of his or her own favorites. What's more, at the time of this writing Harrison Ford had announced that he will be starting production on "Indiana 4" in the summer of 2004, so it still "ain't over till it's over" as the old Yankee catcher would say. When I mentioned to the students in one of my film classes that Ford would be back, they said, "What, in a wheelchair?" "Be nice," I said, "he's my age." "You mean he's going to need a cane?" they replied. Sometimes you can't win.
Be that as it may, insofar as watching the first three installments of the "Indy" series outside a movie house, it doesn't get any better than this DVD set.
Enjoy.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]10910[/release]