13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Young Indys adventures in Chicago, November 2, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Chapter 20 - Mystery of the Blues [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The more I see of this underrated series, the more I can appreciate and admire Lucas's original vision. While each episode is complete in itself, each part also adds to a larger mosaic, moreso now that the Old Indy bookends have gone. This movie is also notable for the return of Harrison Ford as an older Indy in a comical, if inconsequential, bookend. In this movie, Indy finally begins college after having been away in europe fighting in the war. Whilst working as a waiter to pay for his tuition Indy crosses paths with the likes of Sidney Bechet and even Al Capone. He also meets his old war buddy Ernie Hemingway whom he'd met in Italy (see Tales of Innocence). Its fair to say that there is little action in this episode (or the whole series for that matter) however the point, of this series, wasn't simply to see how much action Indiana could confront. If it's simply action that you want then this whole series really doesn't compare to the movies, but then again what does?! The point of the series is more cerebral. Having seen Indy at high school in Spring Break Adventure, it's interesting to reflect how different his approach to education has become following his war exploits, a point he comments on in this movie. In my view this is definitely one of the best movies of this thoughfully created series. It has a SUPERB soundtrack too!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Music, November 1, 1999
This review is from: Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Chapter 20 - Mystery of the Blues [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A previous reviewer commented that there is not a lot of action in this particular episode. This is true, but as someone who enjoys music, and jass in particular, this was one of the most enjoyable two hours I've ever spent watching televion. I've been waiting for this to come to video since it first aired some 5 or 6 years ago.
As with the rest of the YIJ series, the period sets are amazing, and the historical detail wonderful. The insight into music of the period was facinating. This is not an episode that will pull you through, but it's a luxurious hour and a half with incredibly well-done score (you can buy the soundtrack seperately). And there's a bit of action too, to give the episode as a whole some motion. Bottom line, though, is that it's about the music, and if you find that at all interesting you'll love the show.
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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Blues Traveller Makes One Too Many Historical Stops, December 16, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, Chapter 20 - Mystery of the Blues [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The first hour of this film is in every way a full realization of the promise of the series. The historical situation is particularly plausible. Indiana Jones meets Sidney Bechet while working in a club to pay for his college expenses, befriends him, and gets to meet other jazz greats who were actually Bechet's friends. Along the way, we get a glimpse into the deep racial divide present in early 20th century America. And as the relationship between Bechet and Indy deepens, we get a primer about the mechanics and soul of jazz and the blues. The actor playing Sidney Bechet is a particularly fine guide into this world, and sorely missed in the second half of the film.
Indeed, much that was great in the film's first hour is missing in the second. This part, probably the newer of the two segments, suffers from the excesses of the series. Too many historical figures dropped too coincidentally into Indy's life. Elliot Ness as his roommate? Possible, because Ness DID attend the University of Chicago at roughly the time depicted here. But hardly plausible or necessary. Through the war years, we had a very effective, entirely fictional "sidekick" in Remy, and we could've used such a character here. The Ness that comes into view here is modeled far too much on Ness' own, largely fictional, view of himself presented in "The Untouchables". Yes, he was by all accounts a scrupulously honest man, but he was far from the square he's pictured as here. Indeed, Ness was a voracious party-goer--and frequent drinker--much to the detriment of his own career and relationships. Thus, while portraying him as straight-laced makes him an interesting dramatic foil for Jones' "hipper" character, it's not good history.
Nor is Hemingway's reappearance to the series. Hemingway WAS a freelance journalist around this time in history, but in Toronto, not Chicago. Chicago was probably the last place Hemingway wanted to be, as it was far too close to his parents in Oak Park, with whom he had a strained relationship. He's clearly drummed up here in the story just for the "cool" factor. If Lucasfilm really wanted Hemingway back in the series, they could've portrayed him accurately: surely there was a Canadian connection with the mob that Indy could've followed across the border.
As if these meetings weren't enough, how cute is it that Al Capone happened to be a barman at the same club where Indy worked? Too cute, for my tastes.
Indeed, the second hour labors HARD under the weight of its historical coincidences, and the fact that the historical figures were significantly misdrawn is entirely distracting--especially after such a fine first hour.
Historical fiction is tricky stuff. On the one hand, you do have to get enough drama into the past to make it interesting to a modern audience. On the other, you can't just have historical figures doing or being something they didn't or weren't. This episode sadly does both, and ruins what could've been one of the strongest episodes of the series.
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