It's no "They Live"...
September 9, 2012 2:12 PM Subscribe
Also!
Do not forget that as a promotion for the Blu-Ray release, Raiders of the Lost Ark is back in theaters this week. I went last night and it was terrific, obviously, because, you know, INDIANA JONES.
posted by kbanas at 2:24 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Do not forget that as a promotion for the Blu-Ray release, Raiders of the Lost Ark is back in theaters this week. I went last night and it was terrific, obviously, because, you know, INDIANA JONES.
posted by kbanas at 2:24 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
Harrison Ford has been quoted as saying "I do all my own whipping."
posted by Egg Shen at 2:29 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Egg Shen at 2:29 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
In a previous Metafilter post, pmurray63 had a link to a site that provides a much more elaborate version of the story that in the end involved not having time to shoot the scene as originally planned because Steven Spielberg had a plane to catch.
posted by eye of newt at 2:42 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by eye of newt at 2:42 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
What this also shows is the great editing and pacing of the entire chase scene. The stop for the fight would've meant changing that pacing, but they adapted to *not* having the swordfight scene and ended up in a better place everywhere else, too.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:43 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:43 PM on September 9, 2012
Years of training, skill, ancient tradition.. Out of context the shooting just looks like ".. that poor guy.."
posted by bleep at 2:49 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by bleep at 2:49 PM on September 9, 2012
Ford got ill and was running back and forth between the set and the men's room.
...not having time to shoot the scene as originally planned because Steven Spielberg had a plane to catch.
Either way it was... bad dates.
posted by hal9k at 2:52 PM on September 9, 2012 [51 favorites]
...not having time to shoot the scene as originally planned because Steven Spielberg had a plane to catch.
Either way it was... bad dates.
posted by hal9k at 2:52 PM on September 9, 2012 [51 favorites]
$17.50 for one adult ticket to see this in the theatre. Are you fucking kidding me?
posted by Brocktoon at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Brocktoon at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
Hal9k wins the thread.
posted by Artw at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 2:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
$17.50 for one adult ticket to see this in the theatre. Are you fucking kidding me?Yeah.. I recently watched Final Destination 4, and the characters within the film buy two tickets to a 3D movie, they paid for both (total) with a $20 bill and got IIRC $12 change back. :/
posted by Brocktoon at 5:53 PM on September 9 [+] [!]
Now I'm contemplating what movies to see at TIFF where adult tickets start at $19.69. :/
But some movies are great so sometimes seem worth it.
posted by ecco at 3:05 PM on September 9, 2012
Indy shot first.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:07 PM on September 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:07 PM on September 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
It's not a matter of whether it's worth it or not. If I could take my family to see movies at prices like this, I'd be one of those guys with a theater in his house, and skip having to share a room with the unwashed.
posted by Brocktoon at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Brocktoon at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2012
Last time I watched Indy it was projected into a bed sheet stretched down the side of a house. Beer was drunk, mosquitos had an unexpected feast, and an awesome time was had by all.
Everyone should watch it at least once every couple of years.
posted by Artw at 3:21 PM on September 9, 2012
Everyone should watch it at least once every couple of years.
posted by Artw at 3:21 PM on September 9, 2012
(I'd probably be showing it to the kiddo already if it didn't have a tiny bit too much punching nazis through propellors and folks getting exploded by god etc..)
posted by Artw at 3:28 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Artw at 3:28 PM on September 9, 2012
I refuse to consider this a "cheap laugh." I saw Raiders, so long, long ago, during it's first run, and my reaction was, "Oh. Right. Bloke's got a gun. Funny that we all forgot that."
posted by SPrintF at 3:35 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 3:35 PM on September 9, 2012 [2 favorites]
How to waste time:
I found and posted the link that gives the more elaborate story of how they decided to have Harrison Ford just shoot the swordsman. It was an excerpt of a book by Vic Armstrong, Harrison Ford's stunt double and seemingly identical twin.
I got curious and did more searching around, and found out that there were three stunt doubles:
Vic, Martin Grace, and industry legend Terry Leonard.
Then more searching and I found this wonderful interview with Terry Leonard, who did the 'under the truck' scene.
Some fun quotes:
Blondes and hard ground have been my mortal enemies.
When your career is over, the only friend you’ve got is the money you’ve got in the bank.
He also mentioned that Vic Amrstrong, ended up marrying the stunt double of Indiana's girlfriend. (I wonder if their son looks like Shia LaBeouf?
More searching.
Omg, he does!
posted by eye of newt at 3:39 PM on September 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
I found and posted the link that gives the more elaborate story of how they decided to have Harrison Ford just shoot the swordsman. It was an excerpt of a book by Vic Armstrong, Harrison Ford's stunt double and seemingly identical twin.
I got curious and did more searching around, and found out that there were three stunt doubles:
Vic, Martin Grace, and industry legend Terry Leonard.
Then more searching and I found this wonderful interview with Terry Leonard, who did the 'under the truck' scene.
Some fun quotes:
Blondes and hard ground have been my mortal enemies.
When your career is over, the only friend you’ve got is the money you’ve got in the bank.
He also mentioned that Vic Amrstrong, ended up marrying the stunt double of Indiana's girlfriend. (I wonder if their son looks like Shia LaBeouf?
More searching.
Omg, he does!
posted by eye of newt at 3:39 PM on September 9, 2012 [7 favorites]
It's rare that I say this, but not giving the villain a robot arm was probably a good choice too.
posted by Artw at 3:45 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 3:45 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
$17.50 for one adult ticket to see this in the theatre. Are you fucking kidding me?
Saw it last night with Mr. theBRKP. Was definitely worth the price of admission. I was surprised at how well the movie has held up.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:46 PM on September 9, 2012
Saw it last night with Mr. theBRKP. Was definitely worth the price of admission. I was surprised at how well the movie has held up.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 3:46 PM on September 9, 2012
It's rare that I say this, but not giving the villain a robot arm was probably a good choice too.
Oh wow, I had no idea; honestly, I think that would have been pretty great. Reminds me of Wernher von Braun in Hickman's Manhattan Projects.
posted by painquale at 3:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh wow, I had no idea; honestly, I think that would have been pretty great. Reminds me of Wernher von Braun in Hickman's Manhattan Projects.
posted by painquale at 3:53 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I was impressionable when I saw this movie, and I do think that I and all of my little friends were so in love with Ford that he could have had a harem of thirteen year old geek girls with glasses, acne, and braces.
posted by angrycat at 4:01 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by angrycat at 4:01 PM on September 9, 2012
I love the movie as it is, but Steampunk-arm Toht needs to be used somehow, somewhere.
What got me about the scene as it appears in the movie on rewatch (I haven't seen the whole film in years but I saw it many times when I was wee) is how quickly Indy turns away after he shoots the swordsman. I'd forgotten that part of it but this time around it really stood out because, Indy, what if you missed? He's a badass and very confident of his aime.
posted by immlass at 4:05 PM on September 9, 2012
What got me about the scene as it appears in the movie on rewatch (I haven't seen the whole film in years but I saw it many times when I was wee) is how quickly Indy turns away after he shoots the swordsman. I'd forgotten that part of it but this time around it really stood out because, Indy, what if you missed? He's a badass and very confident of his aime.
posted by immlass at 4:05 PM on September 9, 2012
The robot arm on its own would have been cool, but it would have established that Indy lives in a techy sci-fi universe, and the sequels probably would have had included some dumb hovertanks or laser zeppelins or something like that. The fantastical elements in the Indy universe should come from antiquities, not futuristic inventions.
posted by painquale at 4:16 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by painquale at 4:16 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Of course everyone take flying wings and anachronistic rocket launchers as a given.
posted by Artw at 4:20 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Artw at 4:20 PM on September 9, 2012
I take everything with liberal doses of popcorn.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:28 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:28 PM on September 9, 2012
Thanks for The Guns of Raiders of the Lost Ark , link Artw. To this day I never pack a suitcase without thinking of this scene where he throws the gun in the bag and says something like "..Besides, you know what a careful guy I am". Awesomness.
posted by Liquidwolf at 4:50 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Liquidwolf at 4:50 PM on September 9, 2012
Thanks for The Guns of Raiders of the Lost Ark , link Artw. To this day I never pack a suitcase without thinking of this scene where he throws the gun in the bag and says something like "..Besides, you know what a careful guy I am". Awesomness.
Or!
"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."
posted by kbanas at 5:09 PM on September 9, 2012
Or!
"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."
posted by kbanas at 5:09 PM on September 9, 2012
Raiders work really well in black and white. Next time you watch, turn the saturation all the way down and give it a try. When color is neutralized you tend to notice new things and appreciate the lighting more.
posted by starman at 5:29 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by starman at 5:29 PM on September 9, 2012
I refuse to consider this a "cheap laugh."
Oh, come now. It's the very best cheap laugh in all of cinema. Own that!
Of course everyone take flying wings and anachronistic rocket launchers as a given.
The basic technology for the bazooka was in place (early demonstration by Robert Goddard in 1918, but not perfected until 1940). And the flying wing concept was actually German -- see the Junkers G-38. Given the pulp influences on the story, I think that's quite a comfortable stretch. Robot arms ... those would certainly have created a different grounding for the series.
posted by dhartung at 5:41 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, come now. It's the very best cheap laugh in all of cinema. Own that!
Of course everyone take flying wings and anachronistic rocket launchers as a given.
The basic technology for the bazooka was in place (early demonstration by Robert Goddard in 1918, but not perfected until 1940). And the flying wing concept was actually German -- see the Junkers G-38. Given the pulp influences on the story, I think that's quite a comfortable stretch. Robot arms ... those would certainly have created a different grounding for the series.
posted by dhartung at 5:41 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Truck? What truck?"
Indiana as awesome tenacious terrier..
posted by Mojojojo at 5:45 PM on September 9, 2012
Indiana as awesome tenacious terrier..
posted by Mojojojo at 5:45 PM on September 9, 2012
Thanks, I knew the story behind the gunshot, but hadn't ever seen the alternative scene rehersal link...thanks...
"The guns of Raiders of the LOst Ark"And, Wow... that link put me into flashback mode, and for a minute I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized it was those sharp, well defined photographs of weapons. I once had a book (50 years ago?) that had similar photos of every firearm ever made. I loved that book, would sit and thumb through it for hours. You could look at those photos and feel the weight of the revolver in your hand and smell the gunsmoke.
posted by HuronBob at 5:47 PM on September 9, 2012
"The guns of Raiders of the LOst Ark"And, Wow... that link put me into flashback mode, and for a minute I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized it was those sharp, well defined photographs of weapons. I once had a book (50 years ago?) that had similar photos of every firearm ever made. I loved that book, would sit and thumb through it for hours. You could look at those photos and feel the weight of the revolver in your hand and smell the gunsmoke.
posted by HuronBob at 5:47 PM on September 9, 2012
The problem for me is all these goddamn Wilhelms everywhere. The sound clip is so ubiquitous it really turns any film into a big stupid "wink wink" joke.
posted by Existential Dread at 6:43 PM on September 9, 2012
posted by Existential Dread at 6:43 PM on September 9, 2012
Yeah, there was enough strangeness in WWII era Germany that Indiana Jones was only slightly
There's probably a good post in the history of the flying wing - a design type that was actually as popular if not more so in America as it was in German in the 30s, and then you have your crazy Amerikabomber stuff.
posted by Artw at 7:21 PM on September 9, 2012
There's probably a good post in the history of the flying wing - a design type that was actually as popular if not more so in America as it was in German in the 30s, and then you have your crazy Amerikabomber stuff.
posted by Artw at 7:21 PM on September 9, 2012
The last time I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, it was a few days after I read an essay on Lucas's vision for the character of Han Solo, how he unintentionally came off as an anti-hero badass in the first cut, and how Lucas spent a lot of time in future cuts trying to tone him down into a regular ol' hero, for some reason. But one of the main reasons that Star Wars was so popular is that Americans love anti-heros - just look at Indiana Jones, who did indeed shoot first. But I wonder how much of that was in the shooting script, and how much was added during production (there's a big character difference between a protracted bullwhip-on-sword fight and just shooting the baddie).
posted by muddgirl at 8:01 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by muddgirl at 8:01 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
I was watching Casablanca the other day and came to the probably not terribly original conclusion that Han Solo is basically Space Bogart, heavy on the Casablanca and African Queen.
posted by Artw at 8:19 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 8:19 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh boy, I haven't seen this in ages. When I first saw it as a kid was just hilarious. After a decade of tone-deaf foreign policy and drone attacks and accusations of imperialism it gets a whole new layer of meaning. And it's still hilarious.
posted by deo rei at 8:32 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by deo rei at 8:32 PM on September 9, 2012 [1 favorite]
Everyone should watch it at least once every couple of years.
BBC3 agrees with you, to the point where it has been repeating the three Indy films over and over and over again in the past month so that every three days you're caught up on the trilogy.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:53 AM on September 10, 2012
BBC3 agrees with you, to the point where it has been repeating the three Indy films over and over and over again in the past month so that every three days you're caught up on the trilogy.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:53 AM on September 10, 2012
Of course everyone take flying wings and anachronistic rocket launchers as a given.
Panzerfaust
posted by Thorzdad at 4:07 AM on September 10, 2012
Panzerfaust
posted by Thorzdad at 4:07 AM on September 10, 2012
The way I remember it, Ford said his exact quote to Spielberg was, "why don't I just shoot the fucker".
posted by Ber at 6:32 AM on September 10, 2012
posted by Ber at 6:32 AM on September 10, 2012
That think ain't a panzerfaust. Probably what they were going for though. I used to think it was an RPG 7, the worlds favorite rocket propelled grenade launcher, though according to the firearms database it's a RPG 2, around as early as 1949.
posted by Artw at 6:46 AM on September 10, 2012
posted by Artw at 6:46 AM on September 10, 2012
Everyone should watch it at least once every couple of years.
Maybe Ark and Crusade have aged better, but some friends and I made the painful mistake of revisiting Temple with an Indian friend who had never seen an Indy film before. So of course we decided Temple was the one she absolutely had to see (why we didn't go for Ark, I will never be able to explain).
I don't know if your memories glossed over Temple's incredibly-offensive-portrayal-of-Indians thing like my brain had, but I quickly learned that watching glibly portrayed racist caricatures when an actual person from the depicted group is sitting next to you is not a comfortable experience for anyone.
posted by Panjandrum at 7:49 AM on September 10, 2012
Maybe Ark and Crusade have aged better, but some friends and I made the painful mistake of revisiting Temple with an Indian friend who had never seen an Indy film before. So of course we decided Temple was the one she absolutely had to see (why we didn't go for Ark, I will never be able to explain).
I don't know if your memories glossed over Temple's incredibly-offensive-portrayal-of-Indians thing like my brain had, but I quickly learned that watching glibly portrayed racist caricatures when an actual person from the depicted group is sitting next to you is not a comfortable experience for anyone.
posted by Panjandrum at 7:49 AM on September 10, 2012
Amrish Puri chews scenery like a motherfucker as Mola Ram, but yes, all in all a cringe-makingly racist movie by modern standards. Also it ushered in the era of movie-as-rollercoaster-ride with a literal roller coaster ride.
posted by Artw at 8:10 AM on September 10, 2012
posted by Artw at 8:10 AM on September 10, 2012
True, but it was awesome that they Doctor Who'd1 into that whole adventure.
1. That is: going one place, fell out of the sky into another, found some people who needed help...
posted by grubi at 8:15 AM on September 10, 2012
1. That is: going one place, fell out of the sky into another, found some people who needed help...
posted by grubi at 8:15 AM on September 10, 2012
My friends and I refer to Temple of Doom as "Indiana Jones and the Scary Brown People." It's not only offensive towards Indians, the entire opening of the movie is a caricature of Asian cultures. It really is a surprisingly bad movie in almost every way.
posted by muddgirl at 8:19 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by muddgirl at 8:19 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
(I pretend that movie doesn't exist.)
posted by muddgirl at 8:23 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by muddgirl at 8:23 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
What movie? There are three Indy films. Three.
This is the correct view. Also, there were only two Godfather films, two Alien movies, three Star Wars, two X-Men...
posted by Ber at 9:41 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is the correct view. Also, there were only two Godfather films, two Alien movies, three Star Wars, two X-Men...
posted by Ber at 9:41 AM on September 10, 2012 [1 favorite]
(I'd probably be showing it to the kiddo already if it didn't have a tiny bit too much punching nazis through propellors and folks getting exploded by god etc..)
posted by Artw at 3:28 PM on September 9 [+] [!]
Was watching it with my 5 year old a month or so ago, and at the point in the truck chase scene where the car load of Nazis flies off a cliff he says, bursting with excitement, "Dad, did you see that! They should have worn parachutes. They aren't very good at army!"
I was going to go into how the German Wehrmacht was actually a very effective fighting force, but instead settled on "No kidding!"
posted by history_denier at 10:02 AM on September 10, 2012
posted by Artw at 3:28 PM on September 9 [+] [!]
Was watching it with my 5 year old a month or so ago, and at the point in the truck chase scene where the car load of Nazis flies off a cliff he says, bursting with excitement, "Dad, did you see that! They should have worn parachutes. They aren't very good at army!"
I was going to go into how the German Wehrmacht was actually a very effective fighting force, but instead settled on "No kidding!"
posted by history_denier at 10:02 AM on September 10, 2012
> Of course everyone take flying wings and anachronistic rocket launchers as a given.
Nazi superscience: for when plain old superscience just isn't evil enough.
posted by jfuller at 10:38 AM on September 10, 2012
Nazi superscience: for when plain old superscience just isn't evil enough.
posted by jfuller at 10:38 AM on September 10, 2012
So I assume Spielberg kept Lucas's greasy, CGI-laden mitts off the blu-rays, right?
Also, I wonder if the brainstorming sessions AKA Exhibit A in the George-Lucas-Needs-To-Be-Committed trial will be on the blu-ray?
posted by entropicamericana at 11:30 AM on September 10, 2012
Also, I wonder if the brainstorming sessions AKA Exhibit A in the George-Lucas-Needs-To-Be-Committed trial will be on the blu-ray?
posted by entropicamericana at 11:30 AM on September 10, 2012
This is the correct view. Also, there were only two Godfather films, two Alien movies, three Star Wars, two X-Men...
And there can be only one Highlander.
posted by Quonab at 11:42 AM on September 10, 2012 [2 favorites]
And there can be only one Highlander.
posted by Quonab at 11:42 AM on September 10, 2012 [2 favorites]
...Highlander.
Great movie. You wonder why they never made a sequel.
posted by gauche at 2:07 PM on September 10, 2012
Great movie. You wonder why they never made a sequel.
posted by gauche at 2:07 PM on September 10, 2012
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posted by Dr. Zira at 2:17 PM on September 9, 2012 [3 favorites]