Matthew on Indiana Jones
From enfascination
Indiana Jones
And why the fourth movie was so bad
Indy started in '77 on a beach. Spielberg and Lucas sweating it out while waiting for the Star Wars box office returns when Stevie brings up the idea of a gadgetless James Bond. And so is born the character (Indiana Smith): an alcoholic (later dropped) Manhattan playboy (ditto) fighting Nazis, based on the serials of the 1930s. Entire plot built over a sandcastle.
The character's cigarette habit was dropped too, unfortch.
- 19 years later
Fourth movie
Indiana Jones is a series, not a saga. Check it: Our man is an ageless, archetypal American hero. But, Lucas being Lucas (i.e., having a penchant for pummeling things into the ground), he created the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles in 1992. Here we see see Indy as a five-year old, as a teen, and as, god dammit, a 93-year old man.
These attempts subvert timelessness with details.
Umberto Eco distinguishes between Series and Saga. Saga has time over generations. By giving Indy a birth and death, parents, he becomes a saga.
As a franchise it shifted from cinematic to products, moving emphasis to images and the idea, the essence is diluted.
Lucas, after 19 years, a generation, is forced to accomodate two audiences in one movie. By this account, he failed.
By 2008, too burdened by backstory. moving to 1950 complicated things too much.
The romance
He was a smart guy. Indy doesn't do anything int he new movie, just wears fedora and leather jacket.