Mystery of the Blues and YIJC

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Posted by Adam from 12.29.96.50 on December 16, 1999 at 17:31:02:

After several weeks I finally got around to buying the MYSTERY OF THE BLUES video, having only seen it before when it aired on television way back in 1993 for the first time.

Of course, my interest in this was that this was the last time Ford has played the character to date. This episode (which premiered as a two hour special) is also the only one to appear on video in its original form. (All the other episodes had the "Elder Indy" bookends which were strangely eliminated from the video series.) And it is the only episode to feature the famous RAIDERS MARCH -- as Harrison Ford exits the screen in the finale.

I remember this episode doing pretty well by the ratings -- ABC highly touted the "special appearance by Harrison Ford" in many commercials -- even though the series has quickly dwindled by that time.

I think Ford agreed to do this as a personal favor to Lucas, and it was a nice effort on his part.

Even though YIJC was an extremely well made show, and Flanery is an exceptional actor (I favored his take on young Indy far more than that of River Phoenix in LC), the series never grabbed a place in my heart. Why? Probably because Harrison Ford is so ingrained in my mind as the one and only Indiana Jones that to see another actor fill his shoes made me lose interest. Also, it's hard for me to envision Indy AS a young man -- or an old one, to boot. I never saw INDIANA JONES in the series...just a young adventurer named "Indiana Jones". Granted, for a TV serial it was high above par, with excellent production values and the like, but the magic, the thrill, was missing.

And that, my friends, is why I think only Harrison Ford can wear the fedora.


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