A reply back to you

Posted by Michaelson from em12-686.utsi.edu on January 17, 2000 at 09:57:31:

In Reply to: A reply to both of you posted by Ultraman Tiga on January 15, 2000 at 03:43:14:

: : Also a wonderful compilation list, Ultraman Tiga, though not everything you mentioned was Indy-inspired. Some of these films were mentioned mainly because the setting is in the 30s. Ghost in the Darkness, as our friend "the Fiddler" pointed out was based on a true story and any Indy similarity (though small) was purely coincidental. Just my 2 cents.

: : : ...we really don't want to paint all projects as being Indy inspired or, using the term, "wannabe"s. There are and have been many projects, both on the big screen as well as TV, that were blatant Indy inspired projects that either plainly stated themselves as such (the Richard Chamberlin "Quartermain" movies to be exact)or were just to obvious to be otherwise, as well as the TV shows "Bring 'em back alive" or "Tales of the Gold Monkey" that kept the spirit of the Indy type "adventurer" going. The "Alive" show was actually based on a real life character. There are a lot on your list that make one wonder exactly WHAT their motive was. But as our friend "007" points out, the James Bond features had nothing to do with Indy. They pre-date the entire franchise, and needed no such inspiration. Many programs do indeed seem to appear to need to use the Indy projects as spring boards to make a buck or two, let's not brand every new project to come off the line as a "wannabe" or a rip off just because the time period is set in the 30's or 40's, the hero is an adventurer who wear khaki's, a gun belt, and a fedora. He may also be involved with archaeology or a like science. Film libraries are full of these same type ideas and plots from the actual 1930's on. Lucas himself states that the Indiana Jones stories are a tribute to all the B-movie serials made where everyone wore the same gear, and were being chased by rolling rocks and villians by the score. If you really want to get down to it, the Indy franchise is itself a copy of past performances, all the successes they enjoyed, and none of the down falls, such as thin plots lines. Let's be sure to keep an open mind for any new ideas and characters that come down the pipeline. I'll always be an Indyfan....but I will also keep the door open for the next great story to come too, and I know there will be one....there always is. As an example, "The Mummy" took several hits here, and probably using the Indy series as the bench mark, deserved them. That being said, I thought it held it's own very well as a story and a well spent entertaining 2 hours of entertainment. I said before, I too am looking forward to the sequal, not because it will "give me an Indy fix until the real thing comes along", it's because I think they did a good job at obtaining the result they wanted, to entertain, and tell a good story. I have been able to keep the two story lines completely separate in my own mind, and have been able to enjoy the Indy series and the Mummy as two completely separate creations. I hope you follow my drift. I think there's room for a lot more adventure on the movie screen, and it doesn't have to be a considered a copy of another character we all know and enjoy. Once again, will someone PLEASE help me down off my soap box? (grins) Regards. Michaelson

: Michaelson, where you smokin' good weed when you wrote that? Cool your engines man! Firstly, my list is a list of Indy-Jones-a-likes, which makes it inclusive of anything that's an Indy Jones-a-like. It does not have to be inspired by Indy, or a rip off of it, to be on the list. Rocketeer, Shadow, and Phantom were an inspiration to Indy - remember? All three of those characters owed nothing to Indiana Jones. Same goes for "The Spiders" or apparently you weren't paying attention much to what I was writing?

: I didn't say "Ghost and the Darkness" fit into ANY of those categories, either. similarities are not so much coincidental as they are INEVITBALE. Just about any adventure film set in an exotic location from that period is going to have resemblances (see my "Heat of the Sun" entry) and that's a GOOD thing!

: Cheerio!
: TIGA

No, Tiga, I was replying to your original statement, "Indy Jones-a-like". Your list was written as if they were copied or inspired by the Indy trilogy, which they were not. Apparently I'm not the only one who read your list in that light, considering the other responses. I'm sorry if you think that I have to use drugs to state an opinion regarding your forum postings. I assure you, I don't need any such crutch to write an opinion, no matter what it is, or who wrote it. That being said, my posting addresses several past postings where this topic has been been brought up. Michaelson

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: : : Also a wonderful compilation list, Ultraman Tiga, though not everything you mentioned was Indy-inspired.  Some of these films were mentioned mainly because the setting is in the 30s. Ghost in the Darkness, as our friend "the Fiddler" pointed out was based on a true story and any Indy similarity (though small) was purely coincidental.  Just my 2 cents.

: : : : ...we really don't want to paint all projects as being Indy inspired or, using the term, "wannabe"s. There are and have been many projects, both on the big screen as well as TV, that were blatant Indy inspired projects that either plainly stated themselves as such (the Richard Chamberlin "Quartermain" movies to be exact)or were just to obvious to be otherwise, as well as the TV shows "Bring 'em back alive" or "Tales of the Gold Monkey" that kept the spirit of the Indy type "adventurer" going. The "Alive" show was actually based on a real life character. There are a lot on your list that make one wonder exactly WHAT their motive was. But as our friend "007" points out, the James Bond features had nothing to do with Indy. They pre-date the entire franchise, and needed no such inspiration. Many programs do indeed seem to appear to need to use the Indy projects as spring boards to make a buck or two, let's not brand every new project to come off the line as a "wannabe" or a rip off just because the time period is set in the 30's or 40's, the hero is an adventurer who wear khaki's, a gun belt, and a fedora. He may also be involved with archaeology or a like science. Film libraries are full of these same type ideas and plots from the actual 1930's on. Lucas himself states that the Indiana Jones stories are a tribute to all the B-movie serials made where everyone wore the same gear, and were being chased by rolling rocks and villians by the score. If you really want to get down to it, the Indy franchise is itself a copy of past performances, all the successes they enjoyed, and none of the down falls, such as thin plots lines.  Let's be sure to keep an open mind for any new ideas and characters that come down the pipeline. I'll always be an Indyfan....but I will also keep the door open for the next great story to come too, and I know there will be one....there always is. As an example, "The Mummy" took several hits here, and probably using the Indy series as the bench mark, deserved them. That being said, I thought it held it's own very well as a story and a well spent entertaining 2 hours of entertainment. I said before, I too am looking forward to the sequal, not because it will "give me an Indy fix until the real thing comes along", it's because I think they did a good job at obtaining the result they wanted, to entertain, and tell a good story.  I have been able to keep the two story lines completely separate in my own mind, and have been able to enjoy the Indy series and the Mummy as two completely separate creations. I hope you follow my drift. I think there's room for a lot more adventure on the movie screen, and it doesn't have to be a considered a copy of another character we all know and enjoy. Once again, will someone PLEASE help me down off my soap box? (grins) Regards. Michaelson

: : Michaelson, where you smokin' good weed when you wrote that?  Cool your engines man!  Firstly, my list is a list of Indy-Jones-a-likes, which makes it inclusive of anything that's an Indy Jones-a-like.  It does not have to be inspired by Indy, or a rip off of it, to be on the list.  Rocketeer, Shadow, and Phantom were an inspiration to Indy - remember?  All three of those characters owed nothing to Indiana Jones.  Same goes for "The Spiders" or apparently you weren't paying attention much to what I was writing?

: : I didn't say "Ghost and the Darkness" fit into ANY of those categories, either.  similarities are not so much coincidental as they are INEVITBALE.  Just about any adventure film set in an exotic location from that period is going to have resemblances (see my "Heat of the Sun" entry) and that's a GOOD thing!

: : Cheerio!
: : TIGA

: No, Tiga, I was replying to your original statement, "Indy Jones-a-like". Your list was written as if they were copied or inspired by the Indy trilogy, which they were not. Apparently I'm not the only one who read your list in that light, considering the other responses. I'm sorry if you think that I have to use drugs to state an opinion regarding your forum postings. I assure you, I don't need any such crutch to write an opinion, no matter what it is, or who wrote it. That being said, my posting addresses several past postings where this topic has been been brought up.  Michaelson

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