Michael Rogers

Indiana Jones: Golden Idol
May 13, 2008

The legend goes that in May of 1977 Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were hiding out in Hawaii on the eve of Star Wars’debut waiting for the first weekend’s returns to tell if it would sink or swim (seems silly now), when talk, of course, turned to movies and what projects they wanted to do. Spielberg expressed his lifelong desire to make a James Bondesque film, to which Lucas responded, “I’ve got something even better,” and unfolded a story he’d been developing. A cliff hanger straight from the Saturday afternoon action serials they’d loved as kids, it followed Indiana Smith, a nail-tough archeologist struggling to prevent the Nazis from attaining a sacred artifact that would render them invincible. Though still only a rough idea, Lucas already had a working title—Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg smiled…so did the gods.
Three movies and two decades later, the prayers of fans worldwide are being answered as Indy swings back into theaters May 22 with the release of the series’ long-awaited fourth outing, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which reunites the production team of Lucas and Spielberg with original stars Harrison Ford as the intrepid adventurer and Karen Allen returning as his lady love, Marion Ravenwood. For Indy fans it’s the reunion of The Beatles.
There have been numerous top-shelf Star Wars books over the years, but little for the good doctor. Publishers are finally catching on and remedying that situation, and a plethora of Crystal Skull/Indy-related titles ranging from kids sticker books to an in-depth look at the series making will hit shelves in time for the film’s much-anticipated debut. There also are several DVD sets following him from childhood and teen years through his great adventures. This is the summer of Indy, so get your Jones on!

Books
.Rinzler, J.W. The Complete Making of Indiana Jones.
Del Rey. May 2008. c.300p. illus. ISBN 978-0-345-50129-5. pap. $35. FILM
Anticipation has been high since rumors of this book began surfacing in chat rooms months ago sending pulses racing. I’m pleased to say that Rinzler doesn’t disappoint. Following an identical layout as his fab Star Wars Making of, the author takes readers on a detailed journey through the IJ saga, from initial story concepts to finished releases. Each film’s history is enhanced through hundreds of photos and illustrations—many never before seen—that will rock Indy fans’ worlds, as well as quotes from all the principals—Lucas, Spielberg, Ford, costars, and production crews, offering wonderful personal anecdotes. Literally shot all over the globe, the films’ productions often were as adventurous as their stories. “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage,” says Indy, and there’s plenty of mileage in these pages. Fun and informative, Rinzler’s Complete Making of Indiana Jones is a treasure worthy of the name and the must-have Indy title.

.Luceno, James. Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide. DK. May 2008. 144p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7566-3500-8. $24.95. FILM
Arranged chronologically, the book follows Indy from his Young adventures as a child and teen (see below) to his late 50s in Crystal Skull. There also are separate sections on the character’s family background, his famous gear (the Herbert Johnson hat, Wested jacket, David Morgan whip, etc.), as well as info on the series production such as its design, FX, sets, and, of course, merchandising. There are a ton of stills and screen grabs along with some wonderful original painted dioramas of the Raiders Chachapoyan Temple and lost city of Tanis, Temple of Doom’s Pankot Palace and Temple itself, and The Last Crusade’s Grail Temple. There also are profiles of each adventure’s leading co-star characters. DK’s Ultimate Guide series has proven to be a solid fan favorite, and this one certainly won’t be an exception. Along with Rinzler, DK’s Indy Ultimate Guide is essential. [Note that DK also is releasing the IJ: Heroes and Villains Sticker Book (ISBN 978-0-7566-3499-5, $6.99) featuring more than 60 reusable stickers. Fun for the kids.]

Kiernan, Denise and Joseph D’Agnese. The Indiana Jones Handbook: The Complete Adventurer’s Guide. Quirk. May 2008. 176p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59474-221-7. $18.95. FILM
True to its name, Kiernan and D’Agnese present an illustrated guide for the would-be adventurer. The book is played completely for laughs, pulling events from the Indy saga and offering advice on dealing with each dire situation. Tips run the gamut from planning your expedition and what to pack (besides a whip and a gun) to landing a plane when you don’t know how to fly (accompanied by jumping from said plane without getting squished if the henchmen pilots have jettisoned the fuel before bailing out), to deciphering hieroglyphics, and—my favorite—how to escape the wrath of god. There is some practical information on whip handling; dealing with tarantula, rat, and snake bites; and freeing oneself from quicksand (hey, could come in handy). Tongue planted firmly in cheek, The Indy Handbook is the most entertaining of the tie-in titles. Purposely silly and a complete blast.

Beahm, George. Indiana Jones: Off the Beaten Path—An Unofficial Expedition. May 2008. 175p. illus. ISBN 978-1-57174-558-3. pap. $15.95. FILM
Unofficial is right and thoroughly no frills, this volume takes all its pix from the Indy Stunt Spectacular show at Disney World as well as replica prop pix supplied by a fan (damn nice replicas though). Beahm wastes a good portion of the text rehashing the plots and characters of the Indy trilogy and each episode of TV’s The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (see below). Any fan worth their Wested knows all this cold or could easily find it on the web. There is some good background on where the films were shot, and the original manufacturers of Indy’s gear if you want to outfit yourself, but that info also is readily available online (see below). The writing also is very academic and not much fun. Skip this one.

Gresh, Lois H. and Robert Weinberg. Why Did It Have To Be Snakes: From Science to the Supernatural, the Many Mysteries of Indiana Jones. Wiley. 2008. 264p. index. ISBN 978-0-470-22556-1. pap. $15.95. SCI
As the title clearly states. Gresh and Weinberg explore the history, culture, and science behind Indy, delving into everything from the ark to zombies and the fact or fiction (emphasis on the latter) behind them. The authors cover some of the same ground as Beahm above, but do so with more humor and panache. If you want a technical Indy book, make it this one.

Black, Campbell, James Kahn, Rob Macgregor. The Adventures of Indiana Jones. Del Rey. 2008. 608p. ISBN 978-0-3455-0127-1. pap. $18. F
This book combines the original novelizations of Raiders, Temple of Doom, and Last Crusade.

Graphic Novels
Indiana Jones Omnibus, Vol. 1 350p. ISBN 978-1-59307-887-4.
Indiana Jones Omnibus, Vol. 2. 352p. ISBN 978-1-59307-953-6.
ea. vol. Dark Horse. 2008. illus. pap. $24.95.
Indy’s adventures have continued in graphic novels, and these collections gather IJ and the Fate of Atlantis, Thunder in the Orient, and IJ and the Arms of Gold and several other lost tales. Younger readers not into the behind-the-scenes stuff might go for this, and graphic novels’ general allure makes this a wise choice.

DVDs
The movie experience is far from over when the lights come up. Like pizza and Chinese, you can get it to go and OD on it endlessly at home, and there’s Indy aplenty on DVD.

.Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection. color. 5 hrs. 59 min. 2008. ISBN 1-4157-4065-8. $59.98.
To ride the tsunami of Crystal Skull hype as far as possible (i.e., rake in as much fanboy cash as possible), Paramount is re-releasing the original IJ saga in a new Special Edition DVD wide-screen package featuring new extras galore that didn’t appear in the initial DVD releases from just two years ago (oy!). Each disc features a new intro by Spielberg and Lucas, as well as galleries of illustrations and props (woohoo!), production photos and portraits, FX, and marketing.
Individually, the Raiders disc also has the featurettes “Indiana Jones: An Appreciation,” in which Lucas/Speilberg as well as Ford, Allen, and others discuss making the film and its lasting significance; “The Melting Face,” a recreation of the amazing effect of Nazi henchman Toht’s (the Peter Lorre-esque creep in the black leather trench coat who does the hanger gag) face melting when the angels come from the ark.
The Temple of Doom extras offer a “Creepy Crawlies” featurette on the bugs and snakes used, and another on the locations. The Last Crusade sports extras “The Women: The American Film Institute Tribute” in which female leads Allen, Kate Capshaw, and Alison Doody reunite, and “Friends and Enemies” in which Spielberg, Lucas, and the films’ writers discuss the characters they created.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Volume One. 10 hrs. 49 min. ISBN 1-4157-3460-7.
In 1992, Indy’s adventures jumped to on the small screen in the underrated and unfortunately short-lived television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which lasted roughly three seasons (1992–’94) with a few individual shows airing through 2006. The “If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones” film slogan backfired on TV, and viewers expected an action outing every week, when the series’ concept was to explore a historical event/character through Indy as a child and a teen (although there was plenty of action). Each episode was introduced by a nasty, one-eyed, old Indy (he seemed at least 300) who was like Grandpa Simpson in a fedora. For the DVD releases, the geezer Indy segments mercifully have been axed.
The 12-disc set includes seven feature-length episodes along with 38 companion documentaries with scholars and historians as well as Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, Gloria Steinem, Martin Scorsese, and Deepak Chopra, a historical overview, and an interactive game and timeline (all three sets have the interactive game and timeline). Starring Corey Carrier as nine-year-old Indy and Sean Patrick Flannery as the teen incarnation, Chronicles featured many top actors including Christopher Lee, Vanessa Redgrave, Max von Sydow, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Daniel Craig. Though unlikely that one person would meet everyone from T.E Lawrence to Pancho Villa to Sigmund Freud, etc., etc., etc., the show is great fun and educational.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Volume Two: The War Years. 12 hrs. 6 min. ISBN 1-4157-3462-3.
This nine-disc set offers eight feature-length episodes plus 26 historical documentaries. Most of the installments follow Indy fighting in the Belgian Army in World War I and his adventures as a spy. This show sported Lucasfilm’s early digital effects, and some of the combat scenes are scary as all hell and very effective. Flannery is especially good in these shows. Historical figures include Charles DeGaulle, Mata Hari, Albert Schweitzer, the Red Baron, Picasso, Kafka, and more.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Volume Three: The Years of Change. 11hrs. ISBN 1-4157-3464-X.

ea. vol: color. dist. by Paramount Home Entertainment, www.paramount.com/homeentertainment, 2008. DVD, $129.99.
The third and final compilation offers ten discs with seven feature-length episodes and 31 documentaries. The war is winding down and Indy returns to America, but not before challenging Lt. Ernie Hemingway for an Italian beauty’s affection and falling for Edith Wharton after transferring to North Africa. Back in the States, he interacts with the likes of Al Capone, Eliot Ness, Louie Armstrong, the Algonquin Roundtable, and John Ford to name a few. Harrison Ford has a cameo as Indy in the Mystery of the Blues episode.

Web
Indy, of course, is a diety in the online geekosphere, and there are top-shelf fan sites where disciples congregate to swap the latest film/product news and jaw endlessly in the forums. These three are probably the top English-language sites.
TheRaider.net
IndyGear.com
Throw me the idol

Indy forever!
Though nearly 20 years since have passed Indy rode off into the sunset, generations of fans are ever eager to follow their old friend on another great adventure, for as creator Lucas best observed, “It’s always a thrill to see Harrison in that outfit”—you got that right! 

I’ll update this list as new materials become available.

Posted by Michael Rogers on May 13, 2008 | Comments (1)