Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

[Lord Blackbolt]

One of the things I don't like is the look of the film. Speilberg has been doing this for the last 10 years. All of his movies have a strange filter look to it. Going all the way back to Minority report. Indy 4 didn't have a crisp look like the other movies IMO.

 

[Ipodman]

I'm reading on Wikipedia that ILM created a "virtual jungle"

 

[JAK®]

I'm reading on Wikipedia that ILM created a "virtual jungle"

Maybe for other scenes, but not the jungle chase. They composited photographs of leaves and branches into the shot to make the jungle thicker, but there was no greenscreen and no virtual jungle.

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea if I recall a good portion of the film was shot with sets/location shooting and only certain things where cgi. As for any filters I thought it was fine. But filming standards/techniques from 80s to now are always going to be different and have different looks cause of how its filmed.

 

[ALP]

AI, Catch Me, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, Indy. All either have that strange hazy effect or large amounts of blue filters. Kaminski needs to try something different with the Berg.

 

[steintym]

It was lead lined. Yeah, most likely he wouldn't survive. But he's just as likely to die by falling from thousands of feet in the air with only a ****** raft that is able to not lose air right?

I'm with you on the raft scene and I have no good argument why I find that scene more believable than the fridge scene. I really can't explain it, but for some reason the raft scene seemed somewhat possible (in the Indy world).

 

[Spider-Who?]

The cars and people didnt look like it was part of the jungle...

watch the extra's if you ever get a chance. they show and talk about filming on location there.

 

[Secret Fawful]

I'm with you on the raft scene and I have no good argument why I find that scene more believable than the fridge scene. I really can't explain it, but for some reason the raft scene seemed somewhat possible (in the Indy world).

That's because the raft scene looked real and the fridge scene did not. I would have preferred it if they launched an actual fridge and animated the blast around it, but whatever.

 

[JAK®]

I still maintain that the campaign for making "Nuke the fridge" the new "Jump the Shark" is one of the most pathetic things internet nerds have done and anybody who was a part of it is a moron.

 

[DarkKnight88]

That's because the raft scene looked real and the fridge scene did not.

No, you're forgetting that bad rear projection screen shot of them sliding down the mountain. Pretty bad for even 1984 standards.

The fact is, people tend to forget the flaws of older films simply because nostalgia has made things kind over time. As much as there's bad CGI today, there was just as bad effects work going on in the 1980's.

Films haven't gotten any better or worse. They've stayed consistent. There has always been bad films and there's always been good films. People complain about the amount of sequels and remakes but forget the days when Tarzan 5, The Thin Man 3 and Frankenstein 6 were coming out in the 1930's.

 

[Secret Fawful]

Oh yeah, you're right. I do remember that now, because that scene also has the plane crash use that really cheesy explosion effect that I think was also used in the Star Wars films occasionally. At least it looked like it. That effect always bugged me a bit there because it doesn't even look possible.

 

[ALP]

I'm one of the few who loved the fridge scene! With the mushroom cloud and all, just such a cool Indy moment.

Of the few problems I have with this film, none pertain to the 'science' or logic of what happens. Also love the different stunts he pulls in the warehouse.

 

[PWN3R]

I watched this for the second time on USA last night. I didn't hate it as much as I remembered hating it.

Indy's still Indy more or less.

 

[Lord Blackbolt]

AI, Catch Me, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, Indy. All either have that strange hazy effect or large amounts of blue filters. Kaminski needs to try something different with the Berg.

Exactly. I really am starting to hate it. It makes everything feel like its a dream sequence or something.

 

[블라스]

I think I've just about had it with the hate this movie gets.
Next person that whines about the fridge or the vines or the aliens or anything, is getting a big loogie on their faces.

Seriously though (and I'm sure this has been mentioned before), if this movie had been released during a time where the internet didn't exist, there would be 90% less whining.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

Seriously though (and I'm sure this has been mentioned before), if this movie had been released during a time where the internet didn't exist, there would be 90% less whining.

That's for everything though.

If we didn't have the internet, you wouldn't see SO much hate about the SW Prequels, S-M3, IJ4, and whatever else is proclaimed to be "teh worst movies ever"

 

[블라스]

That's for everything though.

If we didn't have the internet, you wouldn't see SO much hate about the SW Prequels, S-M3, IJ4, and whatever else is proclaimed to be "teh worst movies ever"

The phrase "The movie was meh/overrated" would not exist either

 

[marvelman2006]

The phrase "The movie was meh/overrated" would not exist either

or "epic".

I didnt like IJ4 though, just because the whole movie felt forced. The main glaring problem was the villians and the story. The villians were weak along with his buddy constantly switching sides. The story was lazy and didnt have the indiana jones mojo. The whole alien deal too was kinda dumb because nothing made sense, why did indiana have to be the one who put the skull back? why did that old man have to be the most annoying character in the franchise, Why did the woman have to come back? why did we have to revisit the whole dad/son angle again?

I dont know who to blame for the mess that was this movie..

 

[GhostPoet]

The only thing I didn't like about IJ4 (as I watched it last night on tv) I didn't like how over-the-top it was. The old Indy films were a bit over-the-top...but not so much so that CGI was required in order to perform the stunts. When CGI is required, then it's over-the-top. (unless it's a superhero movie)

 

[KenK]

or "epic".

I didnt like IJ4 though, just because the whole movie felt forced. The main glaring problem was the villians and the story. The villians were weak along with his buddy constantly switching sides.

No, he was just lying about being a double agent. t:

The story was lazy and didnt have the indiana jones mojo. The whole alien deal too was kinda dumb because nothing made sense, why did indiana have to be the one who put the skull back?

Because why not?! It's not really a point worth over-analyzing. It's Indiana Jones! He's already had to be the keeper/returner of all manner of sacred/supernatural,occult objects, why should this be so different?

why did that old man have to be the most annoying character in the franchise,

What?! John Hurt was hilarious! He was just so cute and insane! And his ramblings did clue them in to where they needed to go.

Why did the woman have to come back why did we have to revisit the whole dad/son angle again?

Of the few women Indy's encountered through the past films, Marion's the only one that rivals Indy's in terms of both knowledge and spirit of adventure. As for the father/son angle, it was hardly the same dynamic as Last Crusade. And coupled with the fact that his female students weren't exactly "ooo and ahhh" about him anymore, his students in general still didn't really give a rat's ass about what he was trying to touch him. It was ultimately a comfort to him to know that one, he had a family he could build on, and the fact that his son, despite not wanting to stay in school, was still informed in things Indy would have taught him had he been in his life from day one.

And I agree with the person who said that people need to stop complaining about the Aliens. Why is it so far off from everything else the movies wanted us to believe in? Furthermore, Indiana Jones was heavily influenced on the pulp heroes of the 30s' and 40s, but if you having him in the 50s, aliens make sense 'cause of the influx of sci-fi comics and novels in those day.

 

[JAK®]

The only thing I didn't like about IJ4 (as I watched it last night on tv) I didn't like how over-the-top it was. The old Indy films were a bit over-the-top...but not so much so that CGI was required in order to perform the stunts. When CGI is required, then it's over-the-top. (unless it's a superhero movie)

No, just rear-projection, stop-motion, miniatures and matte-paintings.

You are aware that if CGI was available back then they would have used it?

 

[marvelman2006]

No, he was just lying about being a double agent. t:

Because why not?! It's not really a point worth over-analyzing. It's Indiana Jones! He's already had to be the keeper/returner of all manner of sacred/supernatural,occult objects, why should this be so different?

yeah I dont know it just didnt sound right I guess, plus if he had to be the one to return it then why did they all still follow him?

What?! John Hurt was hilarious! He was just so cute and insane! And his ramblings did clue them in to where they needed to go.

I beg to differ, he was an anoyying character who kept saying "jones Jr" every 5 minutes.

Of the few women Indy's encountered through the past films, Marion's the only one that rivals Indy's in terms of both knowledge and spirit of adventure. As for the father/son angle, it was hardly the same dynamic as Last Crusade. And coupled with the fact that his female students weren't exactly "ooo and ahhh" about him anymore, his students in general still didn't really give a rat's ass about what he was trying to touch him. It was ultimately a comfort to him to know that one, he had a family he could build on, and the fact that his son, despite not wanting to stay in school, was still informed in things Indy would have taught him had he been in his life from day one.

I can agree with that but then why not bring her back sooner like maybe crusade? or was it because she hasnt got work in real life in quite some time?

And I agree with the person who said that people need to stop complaining about the Aliens. Why is it so far off from everything else the movies wanted us to believe in? Furthermore, Indiana Jones was heavily influenced on the pulp heroes of the 30s' and 40s, but if you having him in the 50s, aliens make sense 'cause of the influx of sci-fi comics and novels in those day

It makes sense from that aspect but the indiana jones character just doesnt mess with the alien mythology and it felt kinda shoe horned in ya know. I would have liked to have seen him go after the city of atlantis instead for his last journey. Now this is just my interpretation but I think having the aliens in the story it just came off as silly and really brought the overall experience down.

 

[Spider-Who?]

No, just rear-projection, stop-motion, miniatures and matte-paintings.

You are aware that if CGI was available back then they would have used it?

exactly.


though...one must wonder, did the gophers really need to be cgi?

 

[JAK®]

though...one must wonder, did the gophers really need to be cgi?

No, that definitely seems like a Lucas thing.

 

[Spider-Who?]

I can agree with that but then why not bring her back sooner like maybe crusade? or was it because she hasnt got work in real life in quite some time?

Well, I think they were trying to do the James Bond route, where there was a different love interest in every movie. It also could have been that she wasn't available to be in tLC. As for WHY they brought her back for tKotCS, it has everything to do with creating book ends for the series and trying to capitalize on the nostalgia of the first movie.

It makes sense from that aspect but the indiana jones character just doesnt mess with the alien mythology and it felt kinda shoe horned in ya know. I would have liked to have seen him go after the city of atlantis instead for his last journey. Now this is just my interpretation but I think having the aliens in the story it just came off as silly and really brought the overall experience down.

I enjoy alien flicks, ufo documentaries, ancient alien shows, etc. I also greatly enjoy standard archeological fare. A huge part of archeology has to do with religions, since religion of any kind is a huge part of society, especially from an archeological standpoint.

Remember, Indiana Jones is an archeologist who specializes in religious artifacts and the occult. His first 3 movies were based around either finding incredibly important religious artifacts, or getting them back from the wrong hands.

The flicks have dealt with two religions - Christianity and Hinduism. Both are very mainstream religions. The idea of mayans worshiping an alien's skull is not based on fact. There are no religious undertones or consequences of faith in this movie like in previous flicks. Sure, they tried to bridge the gap between aliens and religion - "maybe they thought THIS was their deity?" but it was a very thin line connecting the two and was never convincingly handled. It seemed more like an excuse to use aliens than anything else. And no one really seemed surprised that alien's existed. Indy saw a freaking alien's corpse, and didn't say a word. What made it harder to take was how at the end, all the skeletons came together to form a living, breathing alien, er, excuse me, "inter-dimensional being".

While I didn't like the angle they chose for the movie, I wouldn't have minded the ancient alien route if they had gone somewhere different with it. For one, I think showing the alien (dead or alive) was too much. Second, I don't think the "proof' that aliens had a role in the creation of modern man was as an important part of the story as it needed to be. A focus on that - and on the wonder of it - would have been a more enjoyable story.