Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Questionable Jones No. 7

Joe Camel has nothing on Indiana Jones when it comes to cool. Jones oozes cool, and so do his films.

Question: "What was the coolest moment in the series?"

Scott's Answer: You're probably thinking, "When Indy shoots the Cairo swordsman." But for me, the coolest moment in the series is in Doom when Indy, after breaking the spell that Mola Ram had on him, punches out one of the Thugee guys. We see the slave children working as the guy literally gets punched into the frame. Then we cut to Indy, backlit and looking all badass.

Andrew's Answer: The coolest moment is when the Nazis are talking in the camp and the plane explodes over the hill and they say one word: "Jones!" What bigger compliment can you give than knowing right away that anything that goes wrong is because of one man?

22 comments:

tryanmax said...

Two words: "No Ticket!"

AndrewPrice said...

tryanmax, That was pretty cool.

Dave Olson said...

When Indy survived a frickin' nuclear blast by hiding in a refrigerator. That was awesome.

Sorry, it's been a long day. The part of my consciousness which just wrote that has been punched in the face and thrown out the window of a zeppelin.

There are so many examples of cool, it's hard to pick just one. But the one moment that sums up all other moments is when Indy tells Sallah that he's going after The Truck. Sallah asks "How?", and Indy shrugs and growls "I don't know, I'm making this up as I go!"

shawn said...

I'm kind of partial to the shot of Marion having just won the drinking contest turning to see Indy enter her bar as his shadow is cast on the wall.

Anonymous said...

tryanmax got it in one.

But to pick my own I'd go for the "Don't call me Junior" scene when he uses the argument with his dad to distract and take out the Nazis, that was cool.

Scott.

Anonymous said...

tryanmax -

Great suggestion! (That line was also parodied to great effect by Kevin Smith in Dogma.)

Anonymous said...

Dave Olson -

In addition to that, I also like Indy's simple line: "What truck?!"

Anonymous said...

shawn -

A shot like that is total Spielberg. I've said it before but while he may not make films like he used to, he still has total command of the camera (shot planning, blocking characters, etc.).

Anonymous said...

Scott -

Good choice. Connery's shocked expression helps, too, and by movie's end, he's totally into Indy's adventures.

[pops his head out of the tank] "You call this archeology?" :-)

rlaWTX said...

the beginning of the first one where he's running away after getting the idol thingy and the door/wall is coming down and he squeaks through and reaches back for his hat... It just sets up the character.

Jason said...

There's also the beginning of Raiders. We never see Indy's face for the beginning credits sequence as he treks through the jungle. Then as we see one of the guides pull a gun - whap! Indy emerges from the shadows for the first time. Great shot, and great setup for a character many were meeting for the first time when they watched this movie.

Anonymous said...

rla -

It might be one of the best character intros in film history.

Anonymous said...

Jason -

See my comment above. :-)

(And it makes me wonder how many whip sound effects they went through before they found just the right one.)

AndrewPrice said...

Dave, That is an awesome moment which totally defines his character. I love that scene.

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, That was another great one. I love how he treats the bad guys as secondary, like they are just a distraction for the "important" issue of getting his father to call him the right now. LOL!

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, Very true. That shows his total grace under fire -- that nothing will phase him. That whole introduction is fantastic.

AndrewPrice said...

Jason, I agree. That whole intro is a heck of a way to introduce a character.

Kenn Christenson said...

Liked the moment in "Raiders," where Toht pulls out, what looks like an elaborate set of nunchucks and it turns out to be his coat hanger - BRILLIANT!

Anonymous said...

Kenn -

That was a Spielberg idea. He tried it in 1941 with Christopher Lee but no one laughed at it and Spielberg swore he'd use it in every movie till it got a laugh. Thankfully, it only took one movie. :-)

Kenn Christenson said...

Yeah, it would have been weird having a Dinosaur do that. :)

AndrewPrice said...

Kenn, It depends on what kind of dinosaur we are talking about? A Nazisaurous could have pulled it off. ;P

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, I had no idea that came from 1941! Thanks for the trivia. :)

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