Here's my spin on it....

Posted by Michaelson from em12-686.utsi.edu on June 24, 1999 at 10:18:38:

In Reply to: An observation about Belloq...Input appreciated. posted by ROB T. on June 24, 1999 at 03:52:58:

: I need your opinions about this.
: The way I understand it, the events at the beginning of "Raiders" in South America happened very close to the events in the rest of the film (within a few days) so I'm confused about the continuity in the Belloq character. Here's what I'm getting at.
: Marcus comes into Indy's class to tell him that the Army guys want to talk to him. Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the first time Indy and Marcus have seen each other since Indy got back from S. America and Indy's attitude implies that he's only been back a couple of days at most.
: When we later see the Tannis development it clearly seems to have been around for months. When Belloq and Deitrich are talking about the communique they sent to Berlin (the one the Army guys read to Indy and Marcus) Deitrich says that they sent the telegram based on Belloq's assurances that they were close to finding the Ark. This implies that Belloq has been at the site for quite some time, maybe since they first started to dig. So how did he get time off to go chasing after the fertility God in South America?
: This is all based on assumption and we know what thats worth but think back to the conversation between Belloq and Deitrich on the morning that the Ark is found.
: Belloq... I told you not to be premature in your communique to Berlin.
: Archeology is not an exact science. It does not deal in time
: schedules.
: Deitrich. The Fuhrer is not a patient man. He demands constant reports
: You led me to believe...
: Belloq... Nothing. I made no promises.

: This is the part I'm talking about. If Belloq has been in Egypt for months (and it seems that he has) than how could he be in South America just a few days earlier?

: I'd really like some input on this. Am I missing something or is this an error nobodies noticed?

I guess where we live in the jet age of travel, time does indeed give us problems determining placement of characters in these type of stories. Considering the amount of work that had been accomplished at Tanis, I think that Belloq must have started the project, and with the site being developed then traveled to South America (possibily on a tip?) to intercept Indy and the idol through his own contacts there. We do indeed see Indy in his classroom talking about the idol, then to the army officials regarding finding the ark. Remember Belloq was not mentioned at all in this discussion, but Ravenwood was. Indy then must travel from the US to Napal to find Ravenwood and the headpiece. Considering the amount of time of propeller driven planes, this travel time must have taken him a week or more to reach Napel, then another couple of days to reach the bar in the mountains, then another few days to get back to the airport to travel to Cairo, etc, etc. Bottom line, before we come across Belloq again, several weeks must have passed before Indy arrived on the scene, and Belloq more than likely traveled straight back to Tanis after disposing of the idol on his way. He would have then had a lot of time to pick up on the development in Tanis and more forward with the search of the Ark. In my own mind, that's the way I see the progression of time from the start of the movie to the Tanis site. Does this hold up? Regards. Michaelson

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: : I need your opinions about this.
: : The way I understand it, the events at the beginning of "Raiders" in South America happened very close to the events in the rest of the film (within a few days) so I'm confused about the continuity in the Belloq character. Here's what I'm getting at.
: : Marcus comes into Indy's class to tell him that the Army guys want to talk to him. Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the first time Indy and Marcus have seen each other since Indy got back from S. America and Indy's attitude implies that he's only been back a couple of days at most.
: : When we later see the Tannis development it clearly seems to have been around for months. When Belloq and Deitrich are talking about the communique they sent to Berlin  (the one the Army guys read to Indy and Marcus) Deitrich says that they sent the telegram based on Belloq's assurances that they were close to finding the Ark. This implies that Belloq has been at the site for quite some time, maybe since they first started to dig. So how did he get time off to go chasing after the fertility God in South America?
: : This is all based on assumption and we know what thats worth but think back to the conversation between Belloq and Deitrich on the morning that the Ark is found.
: : Belloq... I told you not to be premature in your communique to Berlin. 
: :           Archeology is not an exact science. It does not deal in time
: :           schedules.
: : Deitrich. The Fuhrer is not a patient man. He demands constant reports
: :           You led me to believe...
: : Belloq... Nothing. I made no promises.

: : This is the part I'm talking about. If Belloq has been in Egypt for months (and it seems that he has) than how could he be in South America just a few days earlier?

: : I'd really like some input on this. Am I missing something or is this an error nobodies noticed?

: I guess where we live in the jet age of travel, time does indeed give us problems determining placement of characters in these type of stories. Considering the amount of work that had been accomplished at Tanis, I think that Belloq must have started the project, and with the site being developed then traveled to South America (possibily on a tip?) to intercept Indy and the idol through his own contacts there. We do indeed see Indy in his classroom talking about the idol, then to the army officials regarding finding the ark. Remember Belloq was not mentioned at all in this discussion, but Ravenwood was. Indy then must travel from the US to Napal to find Ravenwood and the headpiece. Considering the amount of time of propeller driven planes, this travel time must have taken him a week or more to reach Napel, then another couple of days to reach the bar in the mountains, then another few days to get back to the airport to travel to Cairo, etc, etc. Bottom line, before we come across Belloq again, several weeks must have passed before Indy arrived on the scene, and Belloq more than likely traveled straight back to Tanis after disposing of the idol on his way. He would have then had a lot of time to pick up on the development in Tanis and more forward with the search of the Ark. In my own mind, that's the way I see the progression of time from the start of the movie to the Tanis site. Does this hold up? Regards. Michaelson

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