After the dalliances of Temple of Doom, the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise very deliberately reintroduces elements which were not featured in the second film. In particular, the race for a Judeo-Christian artifact against Nazis, and the globe-trotting narrative (Temple of Doom takes place mostly in the same location). Additionally, important side characters including Marcus and Sallah are reintroduced.
The famous opening sequence, featuring a young Indy, establishes virtually all conventions of the films by writing them into the mythology of the franchise itself. In the span of ten minutes or so, Indiana Jones becomes afraid of snakes, learns to use a whip, and gains his trademark fedora - all while stealing back a precious artifact from a rival.
The opening sequence also further calcifies the Buster Keaton-esque nature of many of the franchises action sequences, even featuring a mailbag stunt right out of The General. This expanding slapstick style of action can be found throughout the franchise.
Another convention which seems inevitable is a scene featuring large numbers of creepy animals - snakes, bugs, and now rats. I'll have to create a structural formula for the Indiana Jones films, as they seem to follow a pretty consistent pattern (not unlike the James Bond films from which they take inspiration).
Crystal Skulls tonight.
June 11, 2008
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
