1981 action movieRating: 18/20 (Dylan: 18/20; Abbey: 18/20. "I'll give it an 18 because it had a girl in it.")
Plot: Professor and archeologist Indiana Jones is recruited by the government to find the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo before the Nazis can get it and hand it over to Adolf.
This was my favorite movie as a kid, and I can still overlook its faults to consider it one of the best action movies ever made. I've seen it dozens of times, and certain scenes (the iconic boulder scene, the scene with the truck, the fight in the streets of Cairo) are still capable of giving me goosebumps. Spectacular stunts and a well-written script. Best action character ever created, in my opinion. His intelligence and fragility continue to make him appealing, and yes, I'm really excited about seeing the upcoming fourth movie even though it'll likely be more on par with the sequels than the original.
Note: Klaus Kinski claims that Spielberg offered him the role as the German guy with the glasses, but that he turned it down because the script was "moronically shitty." Kinski, however, lied a lot according to Werner Herzog.
I had an Indiana Jones hat as a kid. If I still had it, I'd be wearing it in this picture:
I remember seeing the marquee for "Raiders" for like 9 months and assuming it was some shitty movie about Noah. I didn't hear a thing about it and then my parents saw it and took me immediately the next weekend.
ReplyDeleteSoon I had the hat and the whip and I remember playing alone in my basement making imaginary traps and shit. The whole intro is godlike.
I love Temple of Doom SOOOO much when it came out. Now I can hardly take it with the whining woman and kid. at the time i just loved the gore I guess.
Marian was such a cool female protagonist. Yay Indy!
Short Round? You couldn't handle Short Round?
ReplyDeleteWhen I look back (perhaps with some falsification), I remember thinking Short Round was pretty annoying even when I saw Temple for the first time. He just seemed so unnecessary. And yeah, the love interest in that one was the worst! I did like 'Temple' as much as 'Raiders' back then though. I just found out (or maybe I had forgotten) that 'Temple' is actually a prequel. I always just assumed those movies were chronological. I haven't seen 'Temple' in a while, but Dylan and I are going to watch it next weekend.
Good news: Marian is in Indy 4. Bad news: There's a new kid--Shooby Laboof. So we'll see how that goes.
With everything you said in your review, I'm surprised it is just an 18. This is number 20 on my all-time list, and along with 'Jaws' it is my favorite theatre experience. From the dramatic opening to the end, it is a cinematic roller coaster that has never been topped. I was in a balcony and when he shoots the dude with the scimitar, it was pure pandemonium. Popcorn flew, people cheered, mothers wept. A 20 for me.
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