DiipuSurotu
Banned
Raiders had better villains. Belloq, Toht, Dietrich... Crusade had Donovan and a bunch of moustached secret society guys that disappeared as soon as they arrived. I will admit Crusade had the better Nazi music theme though.
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Gaf, In your opinion is The Last Crusade better than Raiders of the Lost Ark?
- Thread starter fluffydelusions
- Start date
DiipuSurotu
Banned
I wonder if it will be better than Indiana Jones 5.
Fancyarcher
Member
Raiders has held-up better then any of the Indiana Jones film. There's no nostalgia to it, it's just a fantastic film. Saying you know every scene is no way to watch a film, and falling asleep just makes you look like your part of the ADD generation, and need everything to be super-fast to enjoy it. Lol!
The "Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword" weren't really villains though.
there's no point bringing it up. and this is coming from somebody who didn't think it wasn't that bad
Nappuccino
Member
Raiders is much better than the Last Crusade.
I'd probably rank them something like Raiders >>>> Last >>Temple>Kingdom.
(I really like the first hour of Kingdom)
I'd probably rank them something like Raiders >>>> Last >>Temple>Kingdom.
(I really like the first hour of Kingdom)
Neff
Member
Shalashaska
Member
I personally prefer TLC more, but not sure if it's better than Raiders objectively. They're both great movies though.
George Oscar Bluth II
Banned
Actually insane lmao
AntraxSuicide
Banned
This is my order as well.
Bucket Mouse
Member
Of course not.
It's a cartoonish, family friendly remake of the first movie. Like BttF3 or RotJ.
Still good, though.
It's a cartoonish, family friendly remake of the first movie. Like BttF3 or RotJ.
Still good, though.
You don't understand fun
deadscreensky
Member
Raiders is the best film in the franchise by a fair margin.
BigWeather
Member
Ok, I'll preface this with I've seen all four fairly recently (Starz has been on an Indy binge and in May had an Indy 500 weekend) and the series is probably my favorite film series and the character absolutely one of my favorites. I also saw all four in the theater during their original theatrical release (yeah, I'm old). That said, all my opinion...
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a film classic. It is slower than the others, but it is from a time where films were slower in general. It feels every bit like it came from the Star Wars / ESB mould pacing-wise (though ESB was a bit quicker than SW) rather than movies of the mid- to-late 80s (including Temple of Doom and Last Crusade). Lucas and Spielberg played a large role in defining the modern (or at least 80s - 90s) blockbuster and Raiders was an important part of that evolution (while looking back to the pulp matinees of the past). Anyway, despite (or because of?) the pacing it is a classic. Beautifully shot (the gif of Indy in silhouette at the dig site a few posts up), thrilling stunts (boulder, truck, flying wing), emotional resonance (the relationship with Marion, the freighter bedroom scene, etc.), and of course the music -- all of those themes that are so iconic were new. The music in the map room still gives me chills every.damn.time.
Temple of Doom was my least favorite growing up. As I've gotten older, however, I've really grown to appreciate it. I think it had a major issue that damned it to my young (13yo) mind at the time. It was a movie about non-white folk losing a non-Christian artifact and being oppressed -- the stakes seemed very small compared to the first. As I've grown older and (I'd like to think) far more open to other races, people, and belief systems I've really grown to appreciate the stakes and sympathize with the victims in that movie. Also, now that I'm a parent the plot point of children being kidnapped and enslaved resonates in a way it did not for me in 1984. Not as big a fan of the music, the dinner scene goes on a bit long, Willie screams WAAAAY too much, and some of the practical effects didn't age well, but there's still a really good movie at the core. The villain is menacing, the setting is exotic (though it is Sri Lanka, not India -- India deemed the movie demeaning to Indian people and refused to let the crew film there). The end where Indy tells the village elder that he understands is magic. So, very watchable and I'll always appreciate it for challenging me.
Last Crusade was my favorite growing up as it was the most entertaining to me at the time and my first viewing was with my best friend on our post-HS graduation trip to DC in 1989 so there's nostalgia there too. My absolute favorite piece of music is from there, "Belly of the Steel Beast", and the fight scene that goes with it is awesome too. Well, "Map Room: Dawn" may beat it, but it is close. The leap of faith and the reveal of the optical illusion is still cool. However, there is no question that Brody and Sallah are wasted, the villain was eh (though he drives a mean AT-AT), and the stakes never felt very high (other than to save his father's life at the very very end). And some of the effects really, really don't hold up (I'm looking at you tunnel plane!). And I've got to add I hate the trap where "the penitent man kneels before God" and the circular blades slice victims up -- he kneels *and rolls*! There's nothing in the quote about kneeling and rolling before God!
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, yes, it exists! I don't hate it at all. It is my least favorite of the four, but not by any significant degree. I have no problem with the aliens, though I wish they had just made them aliens and not interdimensional whatevers. It is an Indiana Jones movie set in the 50s. It *had* to have Soviets and aliens and Greasers, and delivered those in spades. The intro is fine (yes, even with the CGI prairie dogs and the fridge -- though I do hate the selective magnetism), the college scenes work well (and there's a fine moment where Indy is looking at a photo of his dad and mentions that he's at the point in life where it stops giving and starts taking away), the Peru graveyard scene is pretty creepy. The movie falls apart at the end with the jungle chase and stupid Tarzan scene. Also the whole double-triple-backstabbing plot is just dumb. Still, it's not a terrible movie, it is firmly in the Indy space story-wise, and I'm glad we got at least one more spin with Harrison as Indy (still not convinced we'll get the fifth in time, or at least with him).
So, anyway, I appreciate all four for various reasons. I think Raiders is clearly the most classic, well-made, and iconic of the four, though. I wish we lived in a universe where we had 10 Indiana Jones movies and multiple TV shows like Star Wars got. And man what I wouldn't do for FFG to produce an Indiana Jones RPG using the same system that their Star Wars ones do and their production quality. Hoping beyond hope that happens with the fifth movie (hopefully) reinvigorating the series.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a film classic. It is slower than the others, but it is from a time where films were slower in general. It feels every bit like it came from the Star Wars / ESB mould pacing-wise (though ESB was a bit quicker than SW) rather than movies of the mid- to-late 80s (including Temple of Doom and Last Crusade). Lucas and Spielberg played a large role in defining the modern (or at least 80s - 90s) blockbuster and Raiders was an important part of that evolution (while looking back to the pulp matinees of the past). Anyway, despite (or because of?) the pacing it is a classic. Beautifully shot (the gif of Indy in silhouette at the dig site a few posts up), thrilling stunts (boulder, truck, flying wing), emotional resonance (the relationship with Marion, the freighter bedroom scene, etc.), and of course the music -- all of those themes that are so iconic were new. The music in the map room still gives me chills every.damn.time.
Temple of Doom was my least favorite growing up. As I've gotten older, however, I've really grown to appreciate it. I think it had a major issue that damned it to my young (13yo) mind at the time. It was a movie about non-white folk losing a non-Christian artifact and being oppressed -- the stakes seemed very small compared to the first. As I've grown older and (I'd like to think) far more open to other races, people, and belief systems I've really grown to appreciate the stakes and sympathize with the victims in that movie. Also, now that I'm a parent the plot point of children being kidnapped and enslaved resonates in a way it did not for me in 1984. Not as big a fan of the music, the dinner scene goes on a bit long, Willie screams WAAAAY too much, and some of the practical effects didn't age well, but there's still a really good movie at the core. The villain is menacing, the setting is exotic (though it is Sri Lanka, not India -- India deemed the movie demeaning to Indian people and refused to let the crew film there). The end where Indy tells the village elder that he understands is magic. So, very watchable and I'll always appreciate it for challenging me.
Last Crusade was my favorite growing up as it was the most entertaining to me at the time and my first viewing was with my best friend on our post-HS graduation trip to DC in 1989 so there's nostalgia there too. My absolute favorite piece of music is from there, "Belly of the Steel Beast", and the fight scene that goes with it is awesome too. Well, "Map Room: Dawn" may beat it, but it is close. The leap of faith and the reveal of the optical illusion is still cool. However, there is no question that Brody and Sallah are wasted, the villain was eh (though he drives a mean AT-AT), and the stakes never felt very high (other than to save his father's life at the very very end). And some of the effects really, really don't hold up (I'm looking at you tunnel plane!). And I've got to add I hate the trap where "the penitent man kneels before God" and the circular blades slice victims up -- he kneels *and rolls*! There's nothing in the quote about kneeling and rolling before God!
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, yes, it exists! I don't hate it at all. It is my least favorite of the four, but not by any significant degree. I have no problem with the aliens, though I wish they had just made them aliens and not interdimensional whatevers. It is an Indiana Jones movie set in the 50s. It *had* to have Soviets and aliens and Greasers, and delivered those in spades. The intro is fine (yes, even with the CGI prairie dogs and the fridge -- though I do hate the selective magnetism), the college scenes work well (and there's a fine moment where Indy is looking at a photo of his dad and mentions that he's at the point in life where it stops giving and starts taking away), the Peru graveyard scene is pretty creepy. The movie falls apart at the end with the jungle chase and stupid Tarzan scene. Also the whole double-triple-backstabbing plot is just dumb. Still, it's not a terrible movie, it is firmly in the Indy space story-wise, and I'm glad we got at least one more spin with Harrison as Indy (still not convinced we'll get the fifth in time, or at least with him).
So, anyway, I appreciate all four for various reasons. I think Raiders is clearly the most classic, well-made, and iconic of the four, though. I wish we lived in a universe where we had 10 Indiana Jones movies and multiple TV shows like Star Wars got. And man what I wouldn't do for FFG to produce an Indiana Jones RPG using the same system that their Star Wars ones do and their production quality. Hoping beyond hope that happens with the fifth movie (hopefully) reinvigorating the series.
DontBeThatGuy
Member
I preferred it when I was a kid, but not anymore. It's still very good.
thewaffles
Member
It's my favorite and the one I have the most fun with, but I still consider Raiders the better film.
You have chosen.. wisely.
Rockandrollclown
lookwhatyou'vedone
Yes. Raiders is amazing, but Crusade beats it for me. The comedy lands for me. I like the trials at the end better than the opening of the ark. Young Indy is fun in the beginning. "No ticket" is my favorite Indy line. Also, I can't separate the pleasant memory of my grandpa taking me to see Crusade on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Spielberg is just bitter because it reminds him of a dark period in his life. And George "ESB is my least favourite SW film" Lucas' opinion is irrelevant.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Indy 5 is being worked on as we speak and hopefully it redeems the state of the franchise.