Re: Interview with Indy fans...

[ Reply ] [ Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by schwammy from AC8F1DCF.ipt.aol.com (172.143.29.207) on Friday, November 16, 2001 at 2:50pm :

In Reply to: Interview with Indy fans... posted by Micah from cc85701-a.hwrd1.md.home.com (65.1.219.151) on Wednesday, November 14, 2001 at 8:26pm :

1) Why does everyone dislike the Temple of Doom?
Some fan on the Indyfan site once characterized both Temple of Doom and Last Crusade as 'claustrophobic little hells.' I personally think Last Crusade was worst of the three, but of course I was older and suppsedly more discerning when it came out. But if I had to describe in one word why I don't like Temple of Doom as much as Raiders, I'd say 'ugliness.' Temple of Doom is so full of ugly images, it's hard to single out the worst, but I'll try. A Chinese gangster with a spit of flaming game hen sticking out of his chest. The wizened old Indian man at the ruined village. A necklace of bloody human fingers. Eyeball soup and chilled monkey brains. A Thugee assassin hanging from a ceiling fan. Mola Ram reaching into a human being's chest and ripping out his heart, for God's sake! This movie had so many tasteless, disturbing images in it, they had to invent a new rating for it-- PG-13! And don't forget Willie Scott's big '80s hair and makeup in a movie supposedly set in the mid-1930s. Or a black holster with a brown hat -- not a good look, Indy. And the missing sleeve just made Indy look dorky, though I'm sure it was supposed to be Rambo-esque. Everything that was right about Raiders, was wrong about Temple of Doom. Even the treasure was ugly in Temple. With Raiders, after all that digging, you are rewarded with the beautiful golden ark of the covenant. What do you get for all the turmoil of Temple? That's right, three frickin' gray rocks that look pretty much like the ones I've got in my driveway!

2) Why do people follow Indiana Jones? He was a hero at a time in cinema history when anti-heroes were all the rage. And while anti-heroes were a bracing tonic after years and years of John Wayne cardboard heroes, we were after a while so inundated with anti-heroes, it was nice to see a real live HERO again. The great thing about Indy, too, is that he just never gives up. He's a real lesson in American ingenuity and tenacity, and how we all like to think we'd behave in trying circumstances.

3) Are there different levels of fan-dom? (I know for The Simpsons there is.) If so, what are they? Sure, there are plenty out there who went into archaeology because of Indy's influence. There are those of us who really get into it and some who just dabble. I personally am a 'gear-head,' which means simply that my favorite thing about Indy was his cool outfit. There's a big rivalry between gear heads and non-gear heads. They think we're silly. We think they're missin' out.

4) What makes you part of the fan club? (you know, more than just an admirer of the films) I read and re-read Campbell Black's novelization of Raiders after I first saw the movie at age 11. I immediately began trying to put together an Indy outfit, laughable today, but it suited me well enough. Nowadays I check in at the Indyfan website periodically, just to make sure I'm not missing any developments, like the continuing saga of how the hat and jacket were developed. I convinced my wife to let me spend $400 on a leather Indy jacket for me too, which is not the act of any rational man I know.

5) Why do these movies steeped in the past still have such a following? The first half of this century was a much more stylish time. People had class, music had verve, cars had personality. People enjoyed being adults back then, too, and the trappings of adulthood; sophisticated conversation, cocktails, dressing for dinner; smoking, with all its rituals and accoutrements. The baby boomers ended all that with their rejection of every aspect of their parents' culture and their insistence on wanting to look and act like teenagers their entire lives.

6) What is your favorite Indiana Jones [film]and why?
Raiders is without question my favorite. It's such a fun and compelling little juggernaut of a film. It just hurtles along like a cannonball. I love how eager Indy is to go find the ark. Most movie (anti-)heroes have to be cajoled or bribed out of retirement or inertia or indifference. Not Indy. He starts packing the minute he gets the go-ahead. Plus in Raiders, you've got sweeping, exotic locales; a set that rivals '60s James Bond for extravagance and sheer numbers of extras; an endless array of amazing stunts; a rugged hero who bleeds and a gutsy heroine with a past, worthy of Howard Hawks; a loveable, loyal, intelligent local sidekick; a treacherous little monkey; a suave, almost likeable villain... what else could you want in an adventure movie?

7) Do you collect stuff (like the action figures, whip and the jacket)? You bet, though like someone else said, I use the stuff more than collect it. I'm not interested much in props. I have the hat, shirt, boots, jacket, bag, my own version of the pants, belts, and holster, and if I were rich I'd have a whip and a Toys McCoy Indy figure (or the better one by Shawnkara), too.

Why? Hard to explain. Raiders just came along at a moment in my development when I was looking for a role model, and Indy imprinted into me so hard that twenty years later, I still want to dress like him. It used to bother me, but now I say the hell with it. Like someone else said, I haven't found anything better.



Follow Ups:



Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail: ( default )
Subject:
Message:
Optional Link ( default )
URL:
Title:
Optional Image Link ( default )
URL:


This board is powered by the Mr. Fong Device from Cyberarmy.com