Re: "What's with this Marion thing!?!" and other complaints

Posted by nitzsche from 1Cust112.tnt23.sfo3.da.uu.net on November 14, 1998 at 00:55:13:

In Reply to: Re: "What's with this Marion thing!?!" and other complaints posted by Laurie Jensen on November 13, 1998 at 20:15:06:

OK...here we go:

One of the things I liked so much about TOD was that Indy was completely ripped away from his personal agenda. In a sense, he WAS in a vacuum. A vacuum, meaning without the support of familiar people and environments. TOD was a side-track adventure, developed so we could marvel at the type of stuff Indy goes through "just getting there" (meaning on his way to his next scheduled field excursion. It showed us what the character is made of under unexpected duress. He had NO idea what he was getting into. It's kinda like getting into a car accident on the way to the grocery store. You have to stop and deal with it anyway, and maybe--just maybe, with a twist--it can come out to your advantage.

And that's what made the character of Willie so appealing to me. He was stuck with her. Heck, he was stuck with Shorty for that matter. He just picked him up in Shanghai, probably knowing Shorty could use some work as the getaway driver! He didn't even need Willy except for a hostage--and then that blew up in his face. Of course she annoyed him, and that's the very reason he probably went for some after-dinner nooky--just to make a point that he probably could, in fact, get some!

You see, these characters represent the type of ephemeral relationships Jones has along the way--the relationships we wouldn't normally see, but got the chance in TOD. And the movie worked without Sallah or Brody. So, why couldn't a fourth installment work the same with "strangers" like TOD did.

Remember, also, TOD took place before Raiders. We saw how Indy was before the miraculous events in Raiders. His experience with the Ark obviously changed him, even softened him in some areas of his life. Maybe even gave him insight into his Dad's obsession with the Grail. But before that, he was in it for himself. In TOD it was about him in the beginning--his profit from the diamond, his fortune and glory. Then came the children...and "It'd be just another rock collecting dust." WHAT? No, it belongs in a museum? Hmmmm...

So then Raiders, along with Marion's presence, was a pivotal moment for the character--a change in his life. It was a chance to bring closure to his problem with Abner and Marion, and confront God and Evil. But, we could never see that without TOD. Without TOD, no true character development.

So...NO MORE "TEMPLE WAS TOO OUT OF CHARACTER FOR INDY" because that was who he was before the events of Raiders and Crusade.

So, you can see TOD, IMHO, is the most important installment so far! :) Hope I didn't put you all to sleep!

--nitzsche

Follow Ups:

Re: Jeeze, you guys! ~The Raider~ 09:08:00 11/14/98 (3)
- Re: Jeeze, you guys! nitzsche 12:47:48 11/14/98 (2)
  - C'mon, you guys! ericao 01:06:34 11/15/98 (1)
    - Last Groo 08:27:24 11/15/98 (0)

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: OK...here we go:

: One of the things I liked so much about TOD was that Indy was completely ripped away from his personal agenda.  In a sense, he WAS in a vacuum. A vacuum, meaning without the support of familiar people and environments.  TOD was a side-track adventure, developed so we could marvel at the type of stuff Indy goes through "just getting there" (meaning on his way to his next scheduled field excursion.  It showed us what the character is made of under unexpected duress.  He had NO idea what he was getting into.  It's kinda like getting into a car accident on the way to the grocery store.  You have to stop and deal with it anyway, and maybe--just maybe, with a twist--it can come out to your advantage.

: And that's what made the character of Willie so appealing to me.  He was stuck with her.  Heck, he was stuck with Shorty for that matter.  He just picked him up in Shanghai, probably knowing Shorty could use some work as the getaway driver!  He didn't even need Willy except for a hostage--and then that blew up in his face.  Of course she annoyed him, and that's the very reason he probably went for some after-dinner nooky--just to make a point that he probably could, in fact, get some!

: You see, these characters represent the type of ephemeral relationships Jones has along the way--the relationships we wouldn't normally see, but got the chance in TOD.  And the movie worked without Sallah or Brody.  So, why couldn't a fourth installment work the same with "strangers" like TOD did.

: Remember, also, TOD took place before Raiders.  We saw how Indy was before the miraculous events in Raiders.  His experience with the Ark obviously changed him, even softened him in some areas of his life.  Maybe even gave him insight into his Dad's obsession with the Grail. But before that, he was in it for himself.  In TOD it was about him in the beginning--his profit from the diamond, his fortune and glory. Then came the children...and "It'd be just another rock collecting dust."  WHAT? No, it belongs in a museum? Hmmmm...

: So then Raiders, along with Marion's presence, was a pivotal moment for the character--a change in his life.  It was a chance to bring closure to his problem with Abner and Marion, and confront God and Evil. But, we could never see that without TOD.  Without TOD, no true character development.

: So...NO MORE "TEMPLE WAS TOO OUT OF CHARACTER FOR INDY"  because that was who he was before the events of Raiders and Crusade.

: So, you can see TOD, IMHO, is the most important installment so far!  :)  Hope I didn't put you all to sleep!

: --nitzsche

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