Is Indiana Jones too Late?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36835112.post-66205655766826211482008-06-03T16:33:00.004-04:002008-06-03T17:49:01.613-04:00Is Indiana Jones too Late?I must admit, I've yet to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. For some of you, this may appear shocking. Of course I'm a <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_pWqS4CPPk1o/SEW4yHTGe8I/AAAAAAAAAQg/iMetpwN9MWY/s1600-h/Ijones_Skull.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 211px;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_pWqS4CPPk1o/SEW4yHTGe8I/AAAAAAAAAQg/iMetpwN9MWY/s320/Ijones_Skull.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207771715215981506" border="0" /></a>Indiana Jones fan - can't beat that last name. I love the genre, and I think the first film was quite spectacular, while the others were very entertaining. Nonetheless, I can watch all of them over and again. What I find interesting about the series of films is that the second was a prequel to the first, and the third was a mandatory quest for the Holy Grail with Indy aging all the way, and the love interests getting younger. Still, some folks like all of them, while others favor only the one or two. Occasionally, I hear the word "campy" tossed about. And so time passes, while fans wait for the rumored (rumored for many years) 4th film. Now that it has arrived, the best reason people are offering me as a cause to see it that it has my last name, and it is in the genre in which I sometimes write. A few people have offered "the music" ias another reason - all rather weak appeals. In fact, the merits of the film are seldom mentioned, and seem to vary more than the previous "questionable" films. Indiana Jones has become a cultural myth for many people, and that first memory grows over time rather than fades. This makes it all the more difficult for a new film to succeed - it must compete against a long history of fond memories, and the initial excitement. Oh, and Indy is starting to look his age. I also learned, to my surprise, which it shouldn't have been, that the film occurs in the 1950s - a Cold War era pulp. Not only did this disappoint many people in Russia who feel the former Soviet Union is portrayed unfairly (I won't venture into that area), but it also disappointed many people who wanted Indiana Jones to confront the Nazis a final time. Naturally, I see the reason why the film was moved into the '50s. It would be difficult to explain the protagonist's aging (did I mention the aging again?). But maybe this was always the scheme - to venture into the 1950s, and have a sidekick named Mutt (Mut?) to play off the family dog's name. Having not seen the film, I can't offer much of an opinion there. All of this leaves me wondering if the film added to the cultural myth, or if it will be ignored in the long run, raising the status of those other two films that many people disliked. Likewise, does this say something about the audience? Has culture and circumstances changed too much for a hero such as Indiana Jones?<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.williamjoneswriter.com www.williamsramblings.blogspot.com</div>William Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09779582298787431216noreply@blogger.com