The Indiana Jones Thread

[thecolorsblend]

I find it interesting that there are six different horror movie-related threads on page 1 of this forum but I can't find an Indiana Jones thread.

As background, I should say that I've never been a big Indy fan. I like Raiders and Last Crusade as much as the next guy, I guess. But I never hitched my fanboy wagon to Indiana Jones. That's just the truth.

As a result, Crystal Skull is far less bothersome to me than it was to (apparently) everyone else. It had Indiana Jones swinging around on things, cliffhangers, narrow escapes, everything you want in an Indy film. Crystal Skull didn't bother me back in 2008 and it doesn't bother me now.

SN derailed me with his Insidious recommendation. But originally, the four movie set went on sale and I snapped it right up and had been planning to do an Indiana Jones marathon over this four day weekend here in the US.

Then the Insidious series came along and... well, here we are.

Still, I did watch a few clips from Raiders. Lots of action and excitement and stuff catching on fire. What's not to like?

Yes, I'm aware of Peter David's critique of Raiders that the movie ends the same way whether Indy is in it or not (which The Big Bang Theory later cribbed for itself). But since my investment in the series is so minimal, fine details like that don't matter to me. I just want to enjoy the action sequences, frankly.

Also, I'd like to throw a theory out there.

Arguably even more than Star Wars, Indiana Jones is STRAIGHT from the movie serials of the Thirties and Forties. I think audiences back in the Eighties picked up on that and enjoyed Indy as an homage to those old serials. And Indy touches on a lot of different movie serial subgenres: jungle, western, war, spy, fantasy (somewhat) and maybe others.

But by the time you get into the 2000's, the generation that grew up watching movie serials was either dead or in a retirement home. So, I can't help but wonder if one reason why Crystal Skull faced a tougher reception from the critics is because they simply don't have the same familiarity with the source material that their predecessors did.

[The Joker]

I can certainly relate to not being a huge fan of Indiana Jones as a child, or teen for that matter. I liked the character well enough, but for whatever reason, the films were simply not on my radar during my adolescence. Honestly, it wasn't until I was in my 20's and 30's, that I appreciated the films more and became a fan of the series. Sometimes, that's how it goes, and it's a franchise that I basically rediscovered and appreciated more during the DVD boom than I honestly did during the VHS era. Though Indiana Jones isn't the sole example of this. Not by a long shot.

As far as the demo theory goes, yeah I would say that's pretty apt. The world of Indiana Jones certainly lends itself to that serial tone of things, and I've even heard the argument that Indiana Jones shouldn't incorporate so much CGI, because it simply goes against the old-timey feel that (especially) the original trilogy purposely emulated in it's presentation. From what I gather, "Dial" seems to be drawing more of the older crowd to the theater rather than the kids and teens demographics, so that goes along with what you are saying.

[The Dark Knight]

I've been an Indiana Jones fan since I was old enough to watch movies. I wore out my VHS copies and watched them as much as Star Wars. Raiders is the best, and Last Crusade is the most fun - in my opinion. But I totally admire TOD. If I made a movie this would be a fine template: a terrifying villain who rips out hearts and burns victims alive in lava - kids enslaved in hard labor - disgusting bugs galore - disgusting food galore - the hero transformed into an evil pawn...which makes the final victory all the more sweet. The mine cart chase and rope bridge scene are all timers.

When KOTCS came out I was disappointed. It took me a long time to come around to this viewpoint, but I'm now on board with it. Sure, the CGI is distracting, but at the heart this is a 50s B movie and it embraces that. The fridge scene is mocked, but the atmosphere and tension of that is first class, and the mushroom cloud imagery is great. It's in the tradition of 'how will he get out of this?!' It's absurd but I'm happy to roll with it now. Especially after DOD (which is more somber and has a real world/fantasy mix) you can appreciate the flair Spielberg still managed to bring to the table.

The ending with Indy getting married surprises me with how subtly cool and effective it is. In it's own way, I like it as much as Indy riding off into the sunset at the end of TLC. Indy picks up his hat from Mutt, smiles and walks away as his theme starts playing. Indiana Jones will always be Indiana Jones. There will never be a passing of the torch.

KOTCS and DOD didn't need to be made and they're not a patch on the originals. Believe me, I get that. But I do appreciate the evolution they give Indy as a character. We see him as a young adventurer in his prime, to an older father in KOTCS with just enough juice in the tank to fight as he wants to, and with DOD a much older, haunted man who deals with past pain, retires his role as professor and enters one last adventure. An adventure where managing to survive is his victory, occasionally showing glints of the old magic. I respect that arc, and without the last two films that wouldn't have been present. So there's that.

As much as I enjoy superheroes, I love the excitement of characters like Indiana Jones. A gruff man who gets through with a mixture of luck and skill. No magic, just a revolver, whip and his fists. And none of it would have the same resonance if it lacked John Williams' theme. He captured it all with that march. I'll have more to say..but for now that's all.

[Gotham Knight]

I'm 35, and Indiana Jones has been with me almost as long as I remember. It's funny, but I've recently realized that my fickleness and pickiness towards action films is largely the result of Indy being my entry point and thus the standard. Too high a standard really as Indy is literally designed to be a distillation of everything that ever worked. Indy is a huge part of my cinematic experience. So was Star Wars, which similarly ended up as a genre standard when maybe it should not have. Once again you have a distillation of everything that had worked up until that point. Almost a crime that it was made. Did they ultimately begin the downfall of action and scifi cinema by raising the bar too high? A good question, though like anything else, this likely only part of the equation.

Indiana Jones and the KOTCS was not as good as the original, but its issues are but a few irritating bits. I've no problem with nuked fridges (best scene in the film actually) or aliens, rather the frustrating bits are Spielberg's increasingly saccharine approach (swinging Tarzan with monkeys) and commitment to being as safe as possible, when shaking things up had always benefited the films. Temple is the best one IMO, it is also the most different, but Steve scares easily when critics squawk. Anyway, I also have a special place in my heart for the film as it was the first Indy I saw in theaters and everyone in my immediate family went. It was one of the last times that would happen before fortunes changed and the world started growing smaller and darker.

Dial of Destiny is a nice surprise because, as with any movie now, Reactionary YouTube Culture Warriors were dedicated to destroying the film's reputation before it was ever released, choosing to wave anonymous Reddit posts around like a stuttering end-times prophet standing at a street corner. Everything is a 'woke' conspiracy and Kathleen Kennedy is under your bed waiting for you to close your eyes. So, of course DOD ends up exceeded expectations. It is imperfect, but those imperfections mostly boil down to a bit of distracting CGI and a slightly soggy middle that could have used Michael Kahn's tighter, more efficient editing. Harrison Ford gives one of his most committed performances, and how can one not fall in love with Phoebe Waller-Bridge?

Anyway, those are my thoughts for now.

[Silver Nemesis]

I love the classic Indiana Jones trilogy. My relatives were always watching them when I was little, and consequently I ended up seeing them at a very young age. In fact I saw them before I saw the Star Wars movies. Raiders and Crusade rank among my favourite films of all time. I'd rate them both 10/10. Temple of Doom isn't quite as good, but it's still a solid 8/10 and a classic in its own right. I haven't seen Crystal Skull for a few years now, but I'm not a fan of it. I remember enjoying the movie when it first came out, but I don't care to revisit it. Still, at least Indy 4 was a proper Spielberg-Lucas collaboration, unlike the latest movie.

My favourite action scene in the classic trilogy is the fight on the tank in Crusade. The following stunt encapsulates what's so great about that sequence.

Indy isn't leaping fifty feet through the air in bullet time as he might in a modern movie. Instead it's a straightforward stunt. It looks real, it looks dangerous and it looks painful. Those qualities are absent from most modern action movies.

Choosing between Raiders and Crusade is extremely difficult. I think they're both masterpieces, and I reject the criticism that Crusade is just a retread of the first movie. That's a lazy and superficial evaluation that overlooks the unique qualities that distinguish Crusade as a great piece of filmmaking. In fact if I had to choose, I admit I do have a slight preference for Crusade. Not because of any defect in Raiders, which is as close to perfect as an adventure film can get, but because Crusade addresses some things the earlier films overlooked.

For example, Indy is more humanised in the third film. In Raiders he comes across as something of an archetype, which is fine – that works with the story they're telling. But in Crusade we get to learn more about him and why he's the way he is. We learn how he lost his mother at a young age, which might explain why he has difficulty committing to women. We learn that his workaholic father was emotionally distant, which is why Indy grew up to be so tough and independent. These biographical details don't alter his characterisation, but they add depth to it and help the audience relate to him more. I especially like the prologue taking place when he's a teenager. River Phoenix nails Harrison Ford's mannerisms, and the set piece on the circus train is creative and well staged. That whole sequence offers a revealing glimpse into Indy's early life. As a character he's more fleshed out and vulnerable in the third film, while still retaining all of his tough heroic qualities from Raiders and Temple. It's a good example of how to develop an established character without ruining him.

In Raiders and Temple Indy's primary objective is to recover an ancient artefact, and in both films he succeeds in getting it. But in Crusade his primary goal is to find and rescue his father. He comes within arm's reach of the Grail but chooses to relinquish his pursuit of it in favour of going home with his dad. He doesn't need the Grail; he knows what it represents, and that's more important to him, and his relationship with his father takes precedence over "fortune and glory". It's the only film in the original trilogy where Indy doesn't recover the artefact he's hunting. He gets hold of it briefly, but quickly loses it again.

Crusade is also the only movie in which he doesn't get the girl at the end. It's more of a story about male friendship than romance (I like how Sallah and Marcus are incorporated into the final act), and the heart of the narrative is the father-son relationship. Is there some Spielberg schmaltz in Crusade? Yeah, maybe a little. But it works and it isn't overdone, so I'm ok with it.

I also think Crusade is the funniest film in the trilogy. It's full of great lines like "No ticket" and "Son, I'm sorry – they got us". I love Connery's performance as Henry Jones Sr., the action scenes and stunts are great (particularly the aforementioned tank fight), and it contains some of the most heartfelt dramatic moments in the series without becoming overly sentimental. I love Raiders too, and I can totally see why many prefer it to Crusade, but the third film is my personal favourite.

Arguably even more than Star Wars, Indiana Jones is STRAIGHT from the movie serials of the Thirties and Forties. I think audiences back in the Eighties picked up on that and enjoyed Indy as an homage to those old serials. And Indy touches on a lot of different movie serial subgenres: jungle, western, war, spy, fantasy (somewhat) and maybe others.

But by the time you get into the 2000's, the generation that grew up watching movie serials was either dead or in a retirement home. So, I can't help but wonder if one reason why Crystal Skull faced a tougher reception from the critics is because they simply don't have the same familiarity with the source material that their predecessors did.

Your point about modern critics being too young to appreciate the films' lineage reminds me of something Paul Chato said in a recent YouTube video. He pointed out how the Hollywood New Wave were influenced by classic films made prior to the 1970s, whereas today's younger filmmakers are influenced by the Hollywood New Wave. One of the reasons those younger filmmakers fail so badly when they try to imitate the New Hollywood generation is that they've never seen the older classic films that inspired them. I think there's a lot of truth in that.

Film serials were a major influence on Indiana Jones, and that ties in with the original films taking place in the 1930s. Lucas and Spielberg wanted to reflect the pulp adventure fiction of the era in which the movies were set, which for the 1930s was largely crime and adventure stories. Since Crystal Skull is set in the 1950s Lucas wanted it to reflect the pulp fiction of that decade, which meant science fiction.

There was an earlier script for Indy 4 titled Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars which leant even harder into the sci-fi themes. I read a leaked version of that script before Crystal Skull came out. I might be remembering it wrong, but there were a few things that ended up carrying over into Crystal Skull, such as the aliens, the scene with the flesh-eating ants and Indy's wedding.

Raiders was clearly influenced by old adventure serials and films like The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and The Secret of the Incas (1954). Meanwhile The Temple of Doom was heavily influenced by Gunga Din (1939). I watched Gunga Din on TV about five years ago, and certain scenes from Temple were clearly lifted from it. Particularly the sequence where Indy sneaks into the temple and witnesses a Thuggee ceremony (Cary Grant's character spies on a similar albeit less gory ceremony in Gunga Din), and the action scene on the rope bridge.

The following video highlights some other cinematic influences.

One movie that's not included in that video is the 1959 version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, which includes a couple of scenes that were referenced in Raiders: one where the heroes wait for the sun to shine through a gap in some rocks to reveal an important location, and another scene where they have to run from a giant boulder.

There are also some comic influences at work in the Indy movies. I've never read the Uncle Scrooge comics, but the opening scene of Raiders with the boulder is thought to have been inspired by a Carl Barks story titled 'The Seven Cities of Cibola' (Uncle Scrooge #7, September 1954). In the comic Scrooge McDuck and his nephews find an emerald idol in an ancient temple. When the idol is removed from its plinth it triggers a booby trap that releases a boulder and seals the temple entrance.

George Lucas has admitted to being a fan of Carl Barks, so this could be a deliberate reference.

Meanwhile Kingdom of the Crystal Skull borrows from the Tintin story Prisoners of the Sun (September 1946 – April 1948) by Belgian writer and artist Hergé. In both stories, the heroes discover the entrance to some caves hidden behind a waterfall in Peru.

They venture through the caves and discover a lost civilisation on the other side. In both stories the native South Americans greet them with hostility.

Spielberg is a fan of the Tintin comics and later directed The Adventures of Tintin (2011), so this could be another intentional reference.

We know George Lucas is a fan of Hammer Horror from certain casting choices he made in the Star Wars films, and there are also some notable Hammer references in the Indy movies too. The finale of Raiders is very similar to the ending of The Devil Rides Out (1968). In both films the heroes are held captive and forced to witness a ritual performed by the evil villains, and in both stories the wrath of God manifests in the form of supernatural fire and lightning that eradicates the villains while leaving the heroes unharmed.

And how about Donovan's death at the end of The Last Crusade? The way he rapidly turns to dust is reminiscent of how Christopher Lee's Dracula disintegrates at the end of the first Hammer Dracula film. You might think it's a coincidence, but compare the following shots that take place immediately after the villains die.

That looks to me like a deliberate homage on Spielberg's part.

[thecolorsblend]

Choosing between Raiders and Crusade is extremely difficult. I think they're both masterpieces, and I reject the criticism that Crusade is just a retread of the first movie. That's a lazy and superficial evaluation that overlooks the unique qualities that distinguish Crusade as a great piece of filmmaking. In fact if I had to choose, I admit I do have a slight preference for Crusade. Not because of any defect in Raiders, which is as close to perfect as an adventure film can get, but because Crusade addresses some things the earlier films overlooked.

My way of processing that stuff is to say that Raiders is brimming with imagination while Crusade is brimming with heart.

It does seem to be true that Crusade was intended to be a course correction following TOD. I won't dispute that.

But like you, I do see considerable value with Crusade. In many ways, it's Indy at his best. He's focused, determined and (largely) selfless.

The love interest aspect doesn't bother me. Because when you get down to brass tacks, I was never over the moon for Marion Ravenwood and Kate Capshaw is one of the most annoying love interests in any major Hollywood film that I've ever seen. So, all Allison Doody had to do was show up and not aggravate me. And in that purpose, she was a smashing success.

So, right there, Crusade has a major leg up on Raiders.

Also, Crusade is a sentimental favorite of mine in no small part because it came out in 1989. I was glued to the TV at the time, hoping to catch ANYTHING related to B89. So, other 1989 films were on my radar. Probably no more so than Crusade.

I was a wee ol' laddie. So, Crusade was my introduction to Sean Connery. I had no idea about his pre-1989 career. To me, at the time, he was the quirky old guy who was Indy's father.

I understand the criticism people have of the flashback sequence. Basically, every single one of Indy's defining characteristics came about from one incident on one day? That... seems a little unlikely.

But (1) it's a movie, let it go and (2) if you want to bend spoons a little bit, you could see the flashback as a truncated summary of many different events spread out across several years. I just don't see this as a hill to die on.

On a more general note, something a lot of casual fans tend to forget is just how deep Indy lore goes. Aside from movies, he's starred in TV shows, novels, toy lines, video games, comic books, RPGs, theme park attractions, you name it. The Indiana Jones expanded universe doesn't rival Star Wars. But it's still highly impressive that such a relatively simple concept inspired such a plethora of dense expanded universe media.

[The Joker]

There was an earlier script for Indy 4 titled Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars which leant even harder into the sci-fi themes. I read a leaked version of that script before Crystal Skull came out. I might be remembering it wrong, but there were a few things that ended up carrying over into Crystal Skull, such as the aliens, the scene with the flesh-eating ants and Indy's wedding.

I remember reading some info on that script back when Indy 4 was about to come out (Actually I really like the "Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars" title ... I can understand the controversy of setting Indy in the 1950's, and adding aliens to the mix, but if you're going to go there, then you may as well go full tilt boogie with it, and a title like "Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars" is VERY reflective of a 1950's science fiction title.). Is that the script where Indy gets married at the conclusion, just as he does in Crystal Skull, but it's actually not Marion? Though she (Marion) was to be present at the wedding along with Willie Scott from TOD, and Short Round was going to make a surprise cameo as Indy and his bride's chauffeur. Or am I thinking of another unproduced script?

Speaking of Short Round, I honestly find it a bit aggravating (maybe a little more than just 'a bit'), that he's never acknowledged to any degree since TOD. I understand the expanded lore gave information on what happened with him, but it's unfortunately never addressed in the post-TOD films. I think a reunion between the two, if played right and worked into the script where it made sense, could have easily been a heartwarming, and highlight moment for either "Crystal Skull", or "Dial of Destiny". A missed opportunity.

[Silver Nemesis]

On a more general note, something a lot of casual fans tend to forget is just how deep Indy lore goes. Aside from movies, he's starred in TV shows, novels, toy lines, video games, comic books, RPGs, theme park attractions, you name it. The Indiana Jones expanded universe doesn't rival Star Wars. But it's still highly impressive that such a relatively simple concept inspired such a plethora of dense expanded universe media.

One of the standout stories from the Indy EU is The Fate of Atlantis, which is also one of the greatest point-and-click adventure games ever made. It's got a terrific storyline and a wonderful soundtrack, and it perfectly captures the atmosphere of the classic trilogy. Many fans felt this should have been the basis for Indiana Jones 4, and it's hard to argue with that. If you can get hold of a copy, it's worth playing through.

I've always liked The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as well. I watched it as a kid when it first aired, and while some episodes are admittedly a bit dull there are others that hold up rather well. Here are a few I'd recommend.

SPRING BREAK ADVENTURE

As far as I remember, this is the only episode in which Sean Patrick Flanery's Indy uses a whip, though he only wields it briefly in one scene towards the end. The events of this story are directly referenced by Harrison Ford's Indy in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

TRENCHES OF HELL

This is one of the grittiest and darkest episodes focusing on Indy's horrific experiences at the Battle of the Somme. The second half of the episode is a POW escape story.

OGANGA, THE GIVER AND TAKER OF LIFE

This is another one that highlights the horrors of WW1, but this time the horror is tempered by gentler and more spiritual scenes when Indy meets Albert Schweitzer. I've still got the junior novelisation of this episode. The first half is intense and contains plenty of action.

PHANTOM TRAIN OF DOOM

This is one of the most action-packed episodes and was included with the 1999 VHS release of the movie trilogy. The plot depicts Indy joining a commando mission to destroy a German secret weapon in Africa during WW1. One of the guest stars is Paul Freeman, who portrayed Belloq in Raiders, only here he plays a good guy.

MASKS OF EVIL

This one's basically Indiana Jones versus Dracula. It's a creepy gothic horror story containing explicitly supernatural elements. The first half is a spy story that has little connection to the second half, so I recommend watching from the 49-minute mark. That's when the Dracula/Vlad storyline begins. Music from this episode was later used in the Lego Indiana Jones videogame.

TREASURE OF THE PEACOCK'S EYE

Remember the diamond Indy was hunting in the Shanghai sequence at the beginning of Temple of Doom? Well this episode is a prequel to that storyline, depicting how Indy first embarked on the quest for that particular treasure. The second half of the episode is quieter and more reflective, but the first half is action packed and contains some entertaining martial arts scenes involving pirates.

WINDS OF CHANGE

No action in this one, but the first half offers a compelling dramatisation of the Paris Peace Conference. History buffs should enjoy it.

MYSTERY OF THE BLUES

This story takes place during Indy's college years in Chicago. It's not the most thrilling episode, but it's bookended by scenes featuring Harrison Ford as the middle-aged Indy.

There are other good episodes, but these are just a few for newcomers to the series to get started with.

Has anyone read any of the old Indiana Jones comics, and if so are they any good? I keep meaning to track down the omnibus editions. Are they worth getting?

Is that the script where Indy gets married at the conclusion, just as he does in Crystal Skull, but it's actually not Marion? Though she (Marion) was to be present at the wedding along with Willie Scott from TOD, and Short Round was going to make a surprise cameo as Indy and his bride's chauffeur. Or am I thinking of another unproduced script?

Yeah, that sounds like the one. I can't remember who he married, but it wasn't Marion. It was a new love interest.

Speaking of Short Round, I honestly find it a bit aggravating (maybe a little more than just 'a bit'), that he's never acknowledged to any degree since TOD. I understand the expanded lore gave information on what happened with him, but it's unfortunately never addressed in the post-TOD films. I think a reunion between the two, if played right and worked into the script where it made sense, could have easily been a heartwarming, and highlight moment for either "Crystal Skull", or "Dial of Destiny". A missed opportunity.

It sure was. I always thought they should've used Short Round instead of Mutt in Crystal Skull. In light of Ke Huy Quan's Oscar win, Lucasfilm must be kicking themselves that they didn't use him in Dial of Destiny. If he'd been the co-star instead of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, I might have gone to see it. Maybe.

I've got The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones that was published when Crystal Skull came out, and there's a letter in it written by an adult Short Round to Indy in 1957. In it, Short Round reveals that he's tracked down the Eye of the Peacock, the diamond Indy had been seeking since 1918, and is on the cusp of recovering it. It's nice to know that Short Round grew up to become an adventurer. If Indy was going to pass the torch/whip to anyone, it should be him.

[thecolorsblend]

One of the standout stories from the Indy EU is The Fate of Atlantis, which is also one of the greatest point-and-click adventure games ever made. It's got a terrific storyline and a wonderful soundtrack, and it perfectly captures the atmosphere of the classic trilogy. Many fans felt this should have been the basis for Indiana Jones 4, and it's hard to argue with that. If you can get hold of a copy, it's worth playing through.

I'm in no position to comment on the game, sadly. Which is probably just as well since I'm not a game guy anyway.

But the name rang a bell so I checked through my archive. Sure nuff, I've got the four issue Fate Of Atlantis comic book adaptation on my hard drive. I have no idea how the comic book version relates to the game (although I get the idea some nips and tucks were made to the story to make it work better as a comic).

But as a comic book, it does have the same flavor as the movies. Car chases, fist fights, mysteries, narrow escapes and so forth. Somebody involved in the creation of this story (both video game and comic book) clearly has a tremendous affection for the source material and they bent over backwards to make something worthy of the films.

My only real quibble about the story is that you pretty much would've needed to adapt it into a film by 1995 at the latest. Because after that, Ford aged out of playing the character at this stage in his life. But otherwise, it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to see this succeeding as a film.

Has anyone read any of the old Indiana Jones comics, and if so are they any good? I keep meaning to track down the omnibus editions. Are they worth getting?

The Fate Of Atlantis comic book adaptation is obviously worth checking out. No doubts there.

My experience with Marvel's Further Adventures Of Indiana Jones is fairly limited. John Byrne wrote and drew the first two issues. He recounts his experience working on the book over on Byrne Robotics. But basically, the Lucasfilm liaison/marketing wonk basically made working on the book an incredible pain in the neck because she had no understanding of comic books whatsoever. But as the license-holder, her word was law. She wasn't going anywhere so Byrne quit.

Still, the two issues he managed to crank out are pretty solid as I recall. The title itself lasted for a few years but I can't recall too much after Byrne hit the road.

While acknowledging that Fate Of Atlantis is a particularly high watermark, my sense is that Indy has overall better comics than Star Wars. It's a quantity vs. quality thing. Fewer Indy comics exist. But the overall quality level is fairly high. Whereas probably the majority of Star Wars comics are... well, not very good.

To tangent a bit, at one point M. Night Shyamalan developed an idea for a fourth Indiana Jones movie. I suppose this would've been between 1999 to 2001. Night has always been a little cagey about the specifics of his idea.

I've always wondered how a Night Indy movie would've played out. Because by 1999/2000, he seemed to be firmly into his auteur career and out of the script-for-hire business. But Spielberg would have directed the film, nobody disputes that. So, I've always had a lot of questions about this.

In the end, whatever happened happened and the movie obviously never got made. But more than most other Indy 4 concepts, I've always been curious about Night's.

[The Joker]

I've always liked The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as well. I watched it as a kid when it first aired, and while some episodes are admittedly a bit dull there are others that hold up rather well.

You know, I might just have to make a project for myself and download these. From what I gather, the "Young Indy Restored" Youtube channel is about the only way to watch these episodes adequately restored. As the DVD set that was put out in 2008, feature edited versions per George Lucas.

Admittedly, I wasn't a persistent viewer of the "Young Indiana Jones" series, but I would check it out from time to time. I do recall being very surprised seeing Harrison Ford appear for a segment, since I wasn't expecting it, as a older and bearded Indiana Jones. I later read that he was filming "The Fugitive" at the time. Explaining the BTS reason for the beard. A pretty cool moment, and memory for sure.

Has anyone read any of the old Indiana Jones comics, and if so are they any good? I keep meaning to track down the omnibus editions. Are they worth getting?

Never read the comics. It would be nice if they can ever be reprinted, cause the collections are very pricey last I checked....

It sure was. I always thought they should've used Short Round instead of Mutt in Crystal Skull. In light of Ke Huy Quan's Oscar win, Lucasfilm must be kicking themselves that they didn't use him in Dial of Destiny. If he'd been the co-star instead of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, I might have gone to see it. Maybe.

I have no idea how true this is, but supposedly Karen Allen being brought back as Marion Ravenwood for Indy 5 was very last minute during reshoots. Given the Quan's Oscar win, it seems like it would have made all the sense in the world to get a cameo Short Round squeezed in there. Even for perhaps the sakes of implying Short Round is now taking on the role of something of a surrogate son for Indy considering the fate of Mutt's death in Vietnam.

I've got The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones that was published when Crystal Skull came out, and there's a letter in it written by an adult Short Round to Indy in 1957. In it, Short Round reveals that he's tracked down the Eye of the Peacock, the diamond Indy had been seeking since 1918, and is on the cusp of recovering it. It's nice to know that Short Round grew up to become an adventurer. If Indy was going to pass the torch/whip to anyone, it should be him.

Thanks for elaborating on that, and that's pretty cool Short Round became a successful adventurer like Indy. Seemed like it was always in his trajectory. He clearly idolized Jones in TOD, and even to the point where he was shadowing his body language. With TOD being (I think) the first film I saw in the franchise, his absence and being essentially omitted from TLC, KOCS, and now Dial, just leaves me unfulfilled as opposed to what 'could have been'. Even something like a simple line of dialogue in "The Last Crusade" where Jones mentions that he sent an 'associate' to boarding school or something to that effect would have sufficed. Though I agree that seeing an adult Short Round in either KOCS or Dial would have been great (in the grand scheme, perhaps being sent to boarding school caused some friction between Short Round and Indy, but when the chips are down, they know they have each other's backs). Recently, any time you see Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan together, they genuinely seem very comradely around one another. Just a shame they never had a reunion in a film. If even just briefly.