<
https://letterboxd.com/journal/indiana-jones-raiders-of-the-lost-ark-retrospective-anniversary/>
"Hollywood’s ability to make a new cinematic hero rather than diving into IP
may as well be buried in an anonymous warehouse among nondescript crates. Even
the great Indiana Jones almost never happened. The character, stepping onto the
screen 45 years ago fully formed and instantly iconic in
Raiders of the Lost
Ark, would have been snuffed out before he was even conceived if producer
George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg had found their way to their beloved
characters, Flash Gordon and James Bond, respectively. And Harrison Ford wasn’t
the first choice to play the role that cemented his legacy beyond
Star Wars.
Indiana Jones became a legend not because he was sure to be beloved, but
because the alchemy of brilliant artists made him come alive.
Today, these three players may look like a slam dunk for any movie. But at the
time, Hollywood was still skittish, particularly with the terms Lucas demanded:
full creative control, Spielberg at the helm and a cut of the profits. Most
studios balked, but Michael Eisner at Paramount fashioned a deal that gave
Lucas most of what he wanted, but with the caveat of steep penalties should
Spielberg run over-budget or over-scheduled, which he had for his previous
movies.
For Spielberg, the challenge of delivering the film with these restrictions was
deepened by coming off his first flop, the comedy
1941. The wunderkind who
had come to Hollywood glory thanks to
Jaws and
Close Encounters of the Third
Kind now needed to bounce back, and he would have to do it with an original
character, albeit one clearly inspired by the serial heroes of Lucas’s youth
with a dash of 007’s globetrotting for good measure.
And yet the fact that Indiana Jones isn’t James Bond is one of his greatest
virtues—as is his distinct modernity from the serial heroes of the ’30s and
’40s. The film’s prologue is a perfect encapsulation of everything that makes
Indiana Jones an incredible character, and a necessary foundation to get the
audience on board. Moreover, Spielberg and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan do this
not through reams of exposition, but through careful pacing and knowing when to
upend expectations. Spielberg builds our anticipation of the character, showing
off his competency and confidence before he even steps out of the shadows to
reveal Ford’s handsome visage.
Keep in mind that the audience had no conception of who this character should
be or what he should look like. This was not a matter of aligning to a previous
book or movie. Instead, it’s Spielberg using Ford’s star power and careful
editing to announce a hero. Until Indiana reaches for the idol, the scene
continues to craft the character as unimpeachable. He knows where the traps
are. Where a former archeologist failed (his impaled corpse popping out of the
wall), Indy succeeds. Where his guide Satipo (Alfred Molina, in his film debut)
would misstep, Indiana knows what to do. It all culminates in what appears to
be a successful treasure hunt until it all comes crashing down, and that’s the
brilliant flipside to Indiana Jones—he fails a lot."
Via Susan ****
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
