In 1981, when “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was released, I was 12 years old. Fast-forward 27 years, and I'm 12 all over again while watching the “Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection” – the trilogy of movies on DVD.
Before you check out “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – it opens in theaters Thursday – revisit the movies that made “Indy,” his Fedora and whip all part of the American lexicon.
“Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” all come with a newly filmed introduction as part of the extras by executive producer George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg.
One tidbit: Lucas insisted that Spielberg sign on for three films and that the films follow in tone another project he worked on – the “Star Wars” trilogy. As a result, like the transition from “Star Wars” to “The Empire Strikes Back,” “The Temple of Doom” was much more violent and darker than “Raiders.” While both Lucas and Spielberg were pleased with “Temple,” audiences and critics weren't so pleased. The film grossed $30 million less than “Raiders,” and some of the reviews were scathing.
Another cool feature in the DVD collection is a short documentary about the infamous “face-melting” scene from “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” While this may not be a big deal with today's technology, it was ground-breaking at the time. (By the way, it takes a face cast, gelatin, yarn and two propane tanks to create the gory effect.)
For the jet-setter in you, a short discusses the locations used in all three films. While the cast and crew did travel to some exotic locations, a few scenes were shot at a studio in London.
If you're squeamish, you might want to avoid the section called “Creepy Crawlies,” which focuses on the snakes, rats and bugs used in the films. This portion comes with a pop-up selection: If you want trivia or other behind-the-scenes stuff, you can select it and it'll appear on a translucent background.
One of the fun facts revealed: While Indy is afraid of snakes, Harrison Ford isn't.
The women in the “Indy” films offer their takes on what it was like to be in such an iconic series. Turns out it was a conscious decision to have different women in each film represent the changing stages in Indy's life.
Jampacked with extras though the DVDs are, there are some things that should have been improved. For example, while we do get to hear Harrison Ford's take on his character, it might have been nice to have included an entire featurette with him.
Another suggestion: a game of trivia about how well fans know the movies and characters. One question might have been, “Who was the original person cast as Indiana Jones?” Answer: Tom Selleck, who had to drop out because of his duties on “Magnum, P.I.”
These quibbles may be minor, but we expect more from a boxed set of this stature.
The coolest thing about these movies, however, is that they prove you don't need to be bitten by a radioactive spider or hail from an alien planet to be super. The greatest power humans have is their minds and an adventuresome spirit, so let this set unleash the 12-year-old in you.
Arts critic-at-large Lee Grant reviews “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in Thursday's Night&Day.
