And yet another thought

Posted by Michaelson from leospace047.utsi.edu on June 15, 2001 at 10:36:06:

In Reply to: Call Me Ishmael. posted by James on June 14, 2001 at 21:55:48:

Not to interrupt your process, but I often wonder how Raiders would have fared if it had arrived on the scene, say, 10 years later than it did. Say, 1991. VHS and Beta were in the hands of only the hip, money loaded few in 1981, so the only way you could actually SEE Raiders was to go to the theater. People thought I was absolutely nuts when I saw the movie on the big screen 12 times that summer of '81. You didn't have the luxury of being able to wait for a few months or so for the title to arrive in your local Wal-Mart to pick up a VHS copy for your own. Heck, that 12 times seems like a piker number now, as some folks boast of sitting through the tape hundreds of time in their living rooms. But back then you HAD to go to the theater to get your dose of Indy. The title didn't arrive in our hands until many years later, and at around $30 plus dollars a pop. I was fortunate to have a friend in L.A. who got me a copy from a producer who dubbed a VHS copy off a 35mm film chain in his home, so I probably had the first VHS copy of Raiders east of the Mississippi in my possession. Where we had to go through such effort to see Indy, did it become this classic we love? Would it have still been as "large" if it had come out in a different time period. One can only wonder. More things to ponder. Regards. Michaelson

: I just realized something, to many of you Indy 4 is just a film- ripe to be cast with familiar actors or suspect to the same criticisms leveled at any summer offering.

: But it's not.

:
: It can't be.

:
: I admit it was that way in the beginning. In 1995 it would have been just another popcorn movie- albeit THE popcorn movie- and I would've vowed to see it again and again.

: But I wouldn't have, probably 2 or 3 times, then I would've moved on to other fare.

: But now.

: Now it has become more.

:
: My neurosis.

:
: Always before me...just out of reach.

: Do you really believe it's just another summer film?

:
: You can have your Star Wars films...all nine if you must.

: Bond 20, 30...

: Star Trek 10...a new crew...

: Matrix, Mummy, anything on a wire...

:
: Just give me my sequel.

: THE sequel.

: Do you still believe it just another film?

: It can't be.

: Nor can it be a Raiders throwback.

:
: There's no nazis.

: No Karen Allen.

: No riding the coattails of Raiders.

: I know why I became a fan of the series, I don't need reminding.

:
: No. It can't be formulaic.

:
: It must be more.

: Epic.

: Definitive.

: A worthy Equal to Raiders' bookend of the series.

: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to close the show.

: And one day it will make the list of 100 Most Thrilling as well.

: It has to. I pursue it. It tasks me.

:
: It tasks me.

:
: ...in some ways, I hope it never gets made...always there...just out of reach...I will name my child after it...it motivates me...where will I be in life when it is released?...it will be a consummation of things undreamed of...who will I go see it with, and when, where?...I won't let it leave the theatres once it arrives...

:
: Don't you understand?

:
: Don't any of you understand?

Follow Ups:

Re: And yet another thought James 12:09:12 6/15/2001 (2)
- Re: And yet another thought Indiana Banzai 12:29:22 6/15/2001 (1)
  - Re: And yet another thought James 13:36:39 6/15/2001 (0)

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: Not to interrupt your process, but I often wonder how Raiders would have fared if it had arrived on the scene, say, 10 years later than it did. Say, 1991. VHS and Beta were in the hands of only the hip, money loaded few in 1981, so the only way you could actually SEE Raiders was to go to the theater. People thought I was absolutely nuts when I saw the movie on the big screen 12 times that summer of '81. You didn't have the luxury of being able to wait for a few months or so for the title to arrive in your local Wal-Mart to pick up a VHS copy for your own. Heck, that 12 times seems like a piker number now, as some folks boast of sitting through the tape hundreds of time in their living rooms. But back then you HAD to go to the theater to get your dose of Indy. The title didn't arrive in our hands until many years later, and at around $30 plus dollars a pop. I was fortunate to have a friend in L.A. who got me a copy from a producer who dubbed a VHS copy off a 35mm film chain in his home, so I probably had the first VHS copy of Raiders east of the Mississippi in my possession. Where we had to go through such effort to see Indy, did it become this classic we love? Would it have still been as "large" if it had come out in a different time period. One can only wonder. More things to ponder. Regards. Michaelson

: : I just realized something, to many of you Indy 4 is just a film- ripe to be cast with familiar actors or suspect to the same criticisms leveled at any summer offering.

: : But it's not.

: : 
: : It can't be.

: : 
: : I admit it was that way in the beginning.  In 1995 it would have been just another popcorn movie- albeit THE popcorn movie- and I would've vowed to see it again and again.

: : But I wouldn't have, probably 2 or 3 times, then I would've moved on to other fare.

: 
: : But now.

: : Now it has become more.

: : 
: : My neurosis.

: : 
: : Always before me...just out of reach.

: 
: : Do you really believe it's just another summer film?

: : 
: : You can have your Star Wars films...all nine if you must.

: : Bond 20, 30...

: : Star Trek 10...a new crew...

: : Matrix, Mummy, anything on a wire...

: : 
: : Just give me my sequel.

: 
: : THE sequel.

: : Do you still believe it just another film?

: 
: : It can't be.

: : Nor can it be a Raiders throwback.

: : 
: : There's no nazis.

: : No Karen Allen.

: : No riding the coattails of Raiders.

: : I know why I became a fan of the series, I don't need reminding.

: : 
: : No.  It can't be formulaic.

: : 
: : It must be more.

: 
: : Epic.

: 
: : Definitive.

: 
: : A worthy Equal to Raiders' bookend of the series.

: 
: : The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to close the show.

: 
: : And one day it will make the list of 100 Most Thrilling as well.

: 
: : It has to.  I pursue it.  It tasks me.

: : 
: : It tasks me.

: : 
: : ...in some ways, I hope it never gets made...always there...just out of reach...I will name my child after it...it motivates me...where will I be in life when it is released?...it will be a consummation of things undreamed of...who will I go see it with, and when, where?...I won't let it leave the theatres once it arrives...

: 
: : 
: : Don't you understand?

: : 
: : Don't any of you understand?

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