Why 'Crystal Skull' Isn't The Worst Indiana Jones Film That’s right, my first real full post on my new blog, originally planned to be photography based, is about films. Old films at that! The following argument is something I thought about after the release of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull in 2008. It is the reason why I don’t think Crystal Skull is the worst Indiana Jones film. Firstly I should clarify what I mean by ‘worst’. After Crystal Skull’s release it was bashed pretty hard by cinema-goers and the critics alike. Most of these people had a point. Harrison Ford is a little too old and Shia LaBeouf a little too much of a cock. All of these points, and more I agree with. The main survives a nuclear explosion in a fridge for Christ sake. How can this not be the worst film of the lot? Well the point that I don’t agree with, however, is that the extra terrestrial theme ruins this film. Why? Well let me tell you. The Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade where set in 1936 and 1938. During this time the world was sitting back, relaxing whilst watching Hitler and his Nazi party gaining power and clearly making moves to expand his influence. This was one of the biggest things on the mind of people in this era and led to events that will never be forgotten. Did Indy jump the shark in Skulls? Now before this post gets even more like a history lesson, and a boring one at that, I’ll just say that it’s now believed (if there was ever doubt) that Hitler was completely off his rocker and not only believed in the occult and the validity of Biblical artefacts, he actively sought them out. That is why, for Indiana Jones, the hunt for the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders and The Holy Grail in Crusade made perfect sense. It is along these lines where my reasoning for Crystal Skull not being as bad, plot wise, they everyone thinks. If the ’30s and ’40s where the time of fearing Fascism and Hitlers bid for occult artefacts, the 1950s, when Crystal Skulls was set, was all about aliens! In July 1947, in Roswell, New Mexico, reports began to filter around the world about a UFO being recovered after a supposed crash. Over the coming years the US, and the world, went alien crazy. In a way, aliens, and Soviets of course, became the Nazis of the ’50s. This is why, to me, aliens (and the Soviets) are the perfect ‘force’ for Indiana Jones to face when the franchise moved into a different era. Indiana Jones was always supposed to be a modern retelling of the classic ‘pulp’ action books of the past so it makes perfect sense for him to face off against the biggest threat and influence on popular culture at the time. This also, in a way, goes a little towards explaining the old ‘hide in a fridge to avoid nuclear explosion death’ thing. With this included we see our hero defeat the Soviets, aliens and nuclear weaponry, the big fears and fascinations of the time, in one fell swoop! I’ve missed one haven’t I? Ah of course, Temple of Doom … When did the world fear blood drinking, monkey brain eating Indian chaps? Oh yeah I know … NEVER! This is why, to cut a long story short (too late) while Temple of Doom is my favourite Indiana Jones film, it is also the ‘worst’. What do you think? Make sense or should I have left this argument back in 2008?
