Monday, May 19, 2008

Nice try, Lao Che


I had partially composed a post in my head last week but never got around to actually writing it. The gist of it was something like this: With all the movie-related information available on the web these days--constant updates about the cast, crew, and, sometimes, the plot; photos from the set; advance commentary of (how shall we put this?) uneven quality--much of the fun and surprise has oozed out of the process of going to the movies. (If you are not a reader of movie blogs, check out Cinematical and I think you'll see what I mean.) Case in point: How many of you were really, genuinely surprised that Speed Racer sucks as bad as it does? We saw that one coming from a mile off, no? In the case of an abomination like Speed Racer, I'm sure most of us are glad to save the ten bucks. However, I'm a little worried that all this information (of, again, uneven quality) will end up causing many people to decide whether a movie is worth seeing or not before it even hits the theaters and not really give it a chance.

Anyway, I was beginning to think that something like this was happening with IJATKOTCS. There has been tons of stuff floating about on the web for months now, much of it pretty negative. I was therefore somewhat surprised, and excited, to hear that the audience at Cannes gave it a standing ovation when it was over. (Magnolia Darkness says that the applause over the opening credits was much louder, but that's about what I would expect from her.) Now that some of the details have floated out, the verdict seems much more mixed. But I should say that I am much more optimistic that it will be a satisfying experience than I was a few days ago.

In preparation for IJATKOTCS, yesterday afternoon we watched (for the umpteenth time) Temple of Doom (TOD) and Last Crusade. I do not think this is a particularly controversial idea, but TOD is easily--it's not even close--the worst of the movies. It does not have any--as in none--of the features that I think are fundamental to a successful Indiana Jones movie: a slightly cartoonish image of mid-century academia (tweed suit, gothic, ivy-covered buildings, cute co-eds in cardigans, etc.); Nazis (if memory serves, there wasn't a single--as in not one--Nazi in TOD), a little--but not too much--slapstick (there was entirely too much slapstick in TOD), and a slightly plausible historical mystery at the center of the plot (Raiders? Check. Last Crusade? Check. TOD? Not so much.). (That's all I could come up with of the top of my head. Have I missed anything?) Also, I'd be remiss in not mentioning that Last Crusade is a really entertaining movie, much better than I remembered--and manages to include all of the essential elements.

Now back to IJATKOTCS. I don't care whether the kids like it or whether it makes a lot of money at the box office. I'll be contented if the story is remotely interesting and makes at least a passing nod toward all four of the above elements. That is, I think, not too much to ask for.

BTW, did you see that show on the SciFi Channel last night about the crystal skulls? Wow! Those people are batshit insane. Really, genuinely, should-be-in-a-straightjacket crazy.

Posted by jwb at 8:00 AM   

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

EW ran a decent defense of TOD recently, arguing that the dark tone and violence of the movie is actually pretty consistent with the tone of many of the serials that serve as "source material" for all the Indy movies.

Although flawed, it does have some nice moments.
at 1:49 PM     

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