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The first of the three films, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), is also the best, a certified classic loaded with non-stop action, grand spectacle, a hero for the ages (played by Harrison Ford), a beautiful love interest, humor, horror, and a potent storyline that brings together a profound religious-archaeological icon (the Ark of the Covenant, nothing less than "a radio for speaking to God") and the 20th centurys most infamous villains (the Nazis). Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), the second entry, is generally considered the weakest of the lot--certainly it is the most dark and disturbing--but its still very entertaining, while The Last Crusade (1989) is closer to Raiders in many respects, with fine acting contributions from River Phoenix (as the teenage Indy) and Sean Connery (as Indys father), a strong James Bond-type feel, and the return of the Nazis, who this time are competing for another antiquity of incalculable value and significance (the Holy Grail). Although the collection is missing the extra bonus disc (with a two-hour "making of" documentary) that accompanied the 2003 DVD issue of the films, all three discs include new and insightful introductions by Spielberg and Lucas; there are also storyboards from various scenes and photo galleries on each disc. Among the best of the other features are "The Creepy Crawlies" (about the thousands of snakes, bugs, rats and other scary critters that populate the trilogy), "Travels with Indy" (a look at some of the exotic locations where the movies were filmed), "Indys Women" (a candid discussion with leading ladies Karen Allen, Kate Capshaw, and Alison Doody), and a behind-the-scenes detailing of the "melting face" effect seen in Raiders' thrilling ark-opening scene. --Sam Graham
This collaborative effort from Steven Spielberg & George Lucas brought new life into the action genre. It is equally important to remember that the films also propelled Harrison Ford from Star Wars's loveable "scoundrel" to a silver screen staple. Here is my take on the series so far (barring Indiana Jones 4 which is on & off...hopefully off due to Ford's age and the closure in "Last Crusade.")
Raiders of the Lost Ark:
From the intro Paramount logo shifting into a real mountain, to the mishaps in recovering the golden idol from the temple, "Raiders" pretty much set a tone for what was to come -action. What it brought in after the opening sequence is something not often seen in action movies -story. Not just story, mind you, but intelligent story (dispelling the myth that audiences are stupid.) It is an awkward sight to see Jones transformed from the adventurer to the lecturer, until he is told of The Ark of the Covenant -supposedly holding The Ten Commandments and a source of ultimate power -and chases after it. The rest & former are long embedded in film history. The Nazi's are after it as well and Jones has the fight of his life.
Interesting points:
The beautiful Karen Allen (Starman) portrays Marion (who I personally would like to have seen resurface in later films) and the rolling boulder (reminiscent of the asteroid thundering through a starship in 1979's B-movie "The Black Hole.")
Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom:
For me, this was the oddball movie. Jones saves child-slaves from an evil cult.
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