Why is Star Wars more popular than Indy?

[Indy's Fist]

I love both film series, but to me Indy is way better. I know most folks like SW better why is this anyway?

[Miss_Jones]

Well, I love both Star Wars and Indy also, so I admit this is a difficult one. Indy is good old-fashioned adventure; Star Wars is a whole mythology in itself, with good and evil, fall and redemption. Maybe that explains why Star Wars draws a stronger, deeper reaction from people - me included. :)

Then again, one might equally say that maybe Steven Spielberg's balancing influence kept George Lucas from turning the Indy series into a marketing juggernaut like Star Wars :rolleyes: (half kidding...)

[Indy's Fist]

Well, I love both Star Wars and Indy also, so I admit this is a difficult one. Indy is good old-fashioned adventure; Star Wars is a whole mythology in itself, with good and evil, fall and redemption. Maybe that explains why Star Wars draws a stronger, deeper reaction from people - me included. :)

Then again, one might equally say that maybe Steven Spielberg's balancing influence kept George Lucas from turning the Indy series into a marketing juggernaut like Star Wars :rolleyes: (half kidding...)

I'm one of the few who have no problem with the success of SW. I'm also a big fan of both trilogies, I know,know I'm crazy!

[kongisking]

"I love both film series, but to me Indy is way better. I know most folks like SW better why is this anyway?"

Because SW was a complete suprise to everybody, confounding all expectations and turning countless innocent kids from then AND now into geeks, nerds and sci-fi fanatics forever doomed to be bullied at school.:rolleyes: Indy, though, is too "high quality" for kids to truly appreciate in full, 'cause all they want is effects and humor, not actual character and good storytelling.

Jeez, I almost sound like ClintonHammond...just kidding! ;)

[Michael24]

I'm a fan of both series (though ORIGINAL TRILOGY only, for me). But I think it might have to do with the fact that STAR WARS has just always been around in one form or another: tons of comics, Expanded Universe novels, various toy lines, all that stuff. Indy had that, too, but not to the degree SW did. After THE LAST CRUSADE, Indy seemed to sort of fall out of the spotlight for much of the '90s, with the exception of YOUNG INDY, whereas STAR WARS sort of made a comeback in the early-'90s thanks to Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn Trilogy" that really kicked off the Expanded Universe explosion.

[Miss_Jones]

Indy, though, is too "high quality" for kids to truly appreciate in full, 'cause all they want is effects and humor, not actual character and good storytelling.

Jeez, I almost sound like ClintonHammond...just kidding! ;)

Hey, I saw Indy at 8 and was immediately a fan. Then I saw Star Wars at 11, and was immediately a fan. :) But you have a good point. When I was a kid I just loved Indy for the adventure and humor. Watching Indy now (saw Raiders just a couple of months ago), it strikes me as really interesting and funny to see all the moments where the movie is actually turning genre conventions upside down: fails to save girl... thrice! uniform too short, falls asleep in the kissing scene... :rolleyes: of course I couldn't see that when I was a kid. It actually makes me enjoy the Indy movies even more.:D

[IrishLuck1980]

The Original Star Wars Trilogy and Indiana Jones are two different beasts. I love them both equally.

[Matinee Idyll]

Star Wars is more universal.

[Deckard]

There hasnt been a new movie in over 20 years for starters and Indiana Jones is more adult oriented. I think more parents probably figure Star Wars is going to be at least a bit lighter and perhaps a bit easier to understand. Plus look at how kids took to Pirates and Spiderman. Its the influence of it being in theatres.

When I was a kid I LOVED Star Wars. And now I cannot help but hate it. It was the prequels, they killed the entire concept for me. I had the vintage figures from my dad, Potf2 figures the day they came out, posters, I was Darth Vader for halloween and had lightsaber battles, played the CCG, read the books, comics, i even use to be able to recite the scrolling prologues from memory when i was like 10. So its not like I wasnt a real fan, but the moment I stepped out of that episode 1 showing it all died, right there in the lobby. I returned the Darth Maul figure i had bought out front of the theatre, sold all of the cards, books etc. I felt like all my life George Lucas had worked his ass off to prove to me that Santa was real and then in one moment, he personally shot Santa in the face. The fact of it is, no matter how much you tell yourself that there two seperate trilogies, it just isn't true. Its all one story. If they went back and made a prequel to the Godfather, and lets say to be more 2008 culture friendly it turns out Vito Corleone once fooled around with a guy(I have nothing against sexual orientation people should do what makes them happy, but alot of people would not be ok w/ this.) The point is you wouldnt still be able to watch the Godfather w/o thinking about that.

Indiana Jones however, has maintaned his same level of popularity, not really exploding to a level of well known culture like Star Wars or Batman. Not to say he is unknown either. What im getting at tho, is he hasnt had to change to appease a new genre like Batman tryed to do w/ Forever and B&R. (Thank God for Chris Nolan re-inventing the franchise.) So with Indy 4 your going to see alot of young kids getting into it, which will lead to more products and Indy related material. And generations of Indy fans to come. I assure you all right now however if a Temple flies off into the sunset twoards Jupiter in the end of this flick, I will personaly dress up like an ewok, infiltrate skywalker ranch, and punch Mr. L square in the mouth.

[Indy's Fist]

Hey, I saw Indy at 8 and was immediately a fan. Then I saw Star Wars at 11, and was immediately a fan. :) But you have a good point. When I was a kid I just loved Indy for the adventure and humor. Watching Indy now (saw Raiders just a couple of months ago), it strikes me as really interesting and funny to see all the moments where the movie is actually turning genre conventions upside down: fails to save girl... thrice! uniform too short, falls asleep in the kissing scene... :rolleyes: of course I couldn't see that when I was a kid. It actually makes me enjoy the Indy movies even more.:D

I think you sum it up nicely. I feel the same way that there is more depth to Indy. And I too find myself in greater appreciation of many of the subtlties in the Indy films.It does have a more grown up feel to it.

[IndySeven]

Star Wars is better than Indy for many reasons:

1. It came first- Star Wars is way more legendary than Indy, not only where age is concerned, but where popularity is concerned, too.

2. Its more popular- More people know about Star Wars than Indy. The average person would be able to name 10 different Star Wars characters before they name 10 different Indy characters. In other words, Star Wars is more popular than Indy.

3. Its the best!!!!:up:

[Deckard]

Star Wars is better than Indy for many reasons:

1. It came first- Star Wars is way more legendary than Indy, not only where age is concerned, but where popularity is concerned, too.

2. Its more popular- More people know about Star Wars than Indy. The average person would be able to name 10 different Star Wars characters before they name 10 different Indy characters. In other words, Star Wars is more popular than Indy.

3. Its the best!!!!:up:


Star Wars, the original trilogy is great if you can watch it as a stand alone w.o considering prequels. I think personaly, ESB is the best of the trilogy. But I still consider Raiders better then ESB. I enjoy the style and genre more in Indy flicks, and the irony and humor is more appealing. As for the prequels...

Jar Jar Binks.

The fact that the entire first movie could have just as easily demonstrated Anakin's childhood and what made him decide to be a Jedi in a 5 minute flashback instead of a 2 hoursfest. Who cares what Vader was like when he was 7? Rob Zombie could have better handled this and I hate Rob Zombie.

Anakin turns into an emo goth that screams like an 8 yr old girl at Walmart who lost her My Little Pony doll.

Boba Fett is like 10?

Kit Fisto didn't get one shot in on Palpatine. In fact im not even sure he had his saber out.

"George Lucas, prepare to meet Kali. In Hell."

[sarah navarro]

"George Lucas, prepare to meet Kali. In Hell."
awesome you turned my favorite line into something funny:p

anyway i love them but i do like indiana jones more.I dont know what it is but i just like it more.Its weird because i like Star Wars before Indy:whip:

[jonesissparrow]

While Star Wars is great and all it gets tiring after a while, I watch it once in a while, but I don't have the same enthuasism like Indy does for me. Indy is just much better. I think because SW came around when turmoil was when in the air America during the 70s that became well embraced. If Raiders came out in 77 it might've made a big difference as well. Anyway I like Indy WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY better, I could never get tired of the films.

[otto rahn]

Most people prefer science fiction to pulp adventure. Because it takes place "in a galaxy far, far away" there is more room (and leway given) for "Star Wars" to be more outrageous.

[chemeleon26]

There is so much more you can do with the Star Wars franchise that you can do with Indy. Take for instance the aspect of costumes. I mean just look at the fans who dress up as Jedis, Sith, Stormtroopers. It is very easy to identify them as SW fans. SW is a universe with a lot of exclusive characters. Whereas in Indy, you can only dress up as Indy. Nazis and other characters in the film are not exclusive to the Indy universe.

[deckard24]

"George Lucas, prepare to meet Kali, in Hell!"

LMAO

Great line Deckard!

Not only do you have a great username, but your feelings on the topic are spot on! I was obsessed with the Star Wars OTC as a kid, and grew up with both them and the Indy flicks! Something was lost when The Phantom Menace came out, that's for sure. I remember trying to convince myself to no avail after seeing it that it was'nt half bad. I reserved some hope when AotC came out that things might get better, but the feeling was still there. Then there was RotS, which by itself was a decent stand alone flick, but still not in the league of the OTC. Maybe they should have just made that one?

At the end of the day Star Wars is not better, just more popular, for so many reasons that have already been pointed out: it came first in 1977, it reasonates with kids differently because it's fantasy, which always will grab their attention in a way other films won't, the marketing and merchandise was massive, it's themes are vastly different with a mythology like the LotR to follow, and it has more universal appeal with a world that anyone can project themsleves into regardless of race, sex, age etc..

[CaliforniaJones]

I liked Star Wars when I was young because visually it was cool and unlike anything ever before it. When Raiders came out it was way cooler because it was gritty and more real. Even as a kid of 5, there was something about it that made it mean more to me than Star Wars ever did. Star Wars is a favorite of mine because of the memories. It was a cultural thing. Star wars was everywhere. But the Indy movies are better "movies" in the classic sense, if that makes any sense.

[Adamwankenobi]

When I was a kid I LOVED Star Wars. And now I cannot help but hate it. It was the prequels, they killed the entire concept for me. I had the vintage figures from my dad, Potf2 figures the day they came out, posters, I was Darth Vader for halloween and had lightsaber battles, played the CCG, read the books, comics, i even use to be able to recite the scrolling prologues from memory when i was like 10. So its not like I wasnt a real fan, but the moment I stepped out of that episode 1 showing it all died, right there in the lobby. I returned the Darth Maul figure i had bought out front of the theatre, sold all of the cards, books etc. I felt like all my life George Lucas had worked his ass off to prove to me that Santa was real and then in one moment, he personally shot Santa in the face. The fact of it is, no matter how much you tell yourself that there two seperate trilogies, it just isn't true. Its all one story. If they went back and made a prequel to the Godfather, and lets say to be more 2008 culture friendly it turns out Vito Corleone once fooled around with a guy(I have nothing against sexual orientation people should do what makes them happy, but alot of people would not be ok w/ this.) The point is you wouldnt still be able to watch the Godfather w/o thinking about that.

But why can't you just ignore the prequels? That's what I do with something I don't like. For instance, I love the first two Terminator films, but the third one is horrible. I tried to watch and enjoy it several more times, but it just sucks. So I learned to ignore it, and thus, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of T1 and T2. :)

[Niob]

To compare SW and Indy is like to compare apples and oranges. Sure they both have Harrison as a main actor and GL as the producer, but SW is scifi/fantasy and Indy is adventure/fantasy.

Each movie serial has wrote history in his genre, so both have an unbeatable stand in movie history.

Indy is more real, dirty, mainly for people over 14 years old, SW is for the younger generation too.
SW has much more different characters than Indy, most of them belongs to the most favorite characters of all time (Skywalker, Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda and so on)...Indy only has Indy.

SW shocks he intire world with sensationell special effects never seen before, shows many new worlds and aliens in the universe....much more than any other scifi or fantasy movie before and after.

And SW is much more present with merchandising than Indy.
And to be honest...most of the Indy fans become Indy fans after watching SW first. I saw Jedi in 83 as my first SW movie....one year later i saw Raiders because my most favorite character of SW was Han Solo and i wanted to see more about Harrison Ford.

I love both nearly equal. May be SW a little bit more because it shows more characters i love from my childhood to now and it was my first blockbuster movie i've seen in cinema.

But both serials have there own place in heart.

Just a notice...i hate the prequels, but i dont see any reasons to hate SW in complete only because of the bad prequel movies.

[Deckard]

But why can't you just ignore the prequels? That's what I do with something I don't like. For instance, I love the first two Terminator films, but the third one is horrible. I tried to watch and enjoy it several more times, but it just sucks. So I learned to ignore it, and thus, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of T1 and T2. :)

I caught a little of A New Hope on HBO last night. Every time i saw Tarkin or the Death Star it reminded me that E3 existed and then Vader pops up. And im like oh ya that guys actualy some Emo Goth who screams like a little girl. And then i see the Kenobi Vader duel and im like "Wow i use to love this" but now ive seen how Ewan and Hayden fought in 3 and im like cmon, if Yoda and Dooku were so old and could still fight like that whats the deal. These two just jab at each other. Its just rly hard for me to pretend they don't exist when there so official. I mean they were written by Lucas and totaly intended to be a continuation of the story. Even tho a prequel.

[chemeleon26]

And to be honest...most of the Indy fans become Indy fans after watching SW first. I saw Jedi in 83 as my first SW movie....one year later i saw Raiders because my most favorite character of SW was Han Solo and i wanted to see more about Harrison Ford.


I can't really say I became an Indy fan because of Star Wars. Han Solo wasn't even a favorite character of mine as a kid because he is not a Jedi. Although I may have watched Indy because of George Lucas but I can't remember anymore.

[Finn]

And then i see the Kenobi Vader duel and im like "Wow i use to love this" but now ive seen how Ewan and Hayden fought in 3 and im like cmon, if Yoda and Dooku were so old and could still fight like that whats the deal. All the tech's taken a step backwards too, which is kind of funny. No more sleek ships or fancy holodisplays... sure, it's a galaxy ravaged by war but there's still little too many inconsistencies.

[ResidentAlien]

I can't really say I became an Indy fan because of Star Wars. Han Solo wasn't even a favorite character of mine as a kid because he is not a Jedi. Although I may have watched Indy because of George Lucas but I can't remember anymore.


Actually Han Solo was a favorite of mine...

...though I became a Star Wars fan AFTER being obsessed with Indy.

I remember it very clearly. I first saw Indy (Last Crusade) when I was 4 (or early 5). Found it in my father's VHS cabinet while he was away at work and my mother allowed me to watch it. Didn't get into Star Wars a year or two later. Sci-Fi channel was marathoning all 3 and my father sat my older sister and I down to watch them all. When Han first appeared he asked me who it was and my sister blurted out "that's Indiana Jones." I never forgot that. I couldn't have been older than 6...


But more to the point... I don't know why Star Wars is more popular. I still really like Empire Strikes Back but A New Hope is just decent. I re-watched Jedi just last night for the first time in about 9 or so years... it's just terrible. Haphazard character development, poor writing, a canned performance from Ford (and just about everyone else), very little motivation (especially in the death star attack) and all-in-all just so sloppy in its execution that it's truly painful to endure.

Indy holds up better for me having grown up. Last Crusade is the only film of the three that I just can't stand any longer.

[Indy's Fist]

To compare SW and Indy is like to compare apples and oranges. Sure they both have Harrison as a main actor and GL as the producer, but SW is scifi/fantasy and Indy is adventure/fantasy.

Each movie serial has wrote history in his genre, so both have an unbeatable stand in movie history.

Indy is more real, dirty, mainly for people over 14 years old, SW is for the younger generation too.
SW has much more different characters than Indy, most of them belongs to the most favorite characters of all time (Skywalker, Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda and so on)...Indy only has Indy.

SW shocks he intire world with sensationell special effects never seen before, shows many new worlds and aliens in the universe....much more than any other scifi or fantasy movie before and after.

And SW is much more present with merchandising than Indy.
And to be honest...most of the Indy fans become Indy fans after watching SW first. I saw Jedi in 83 as my first SW movie....one year later i saw Raiders because my most favorite character of SW was Han Solo and i wanted to see more about Harrison Ford.

I love both nearly equal. May be SW a little bit more because it shows more characters i love from my childhood to now and it was my first blockbuster movie i've seen in cinema.

But both serials have there own place in heart.

Just a notice...i hate the prequels, but i dont see any reasons to hate SW in complete only because of the bad prequel movies.

I don't think it's apples to oranges at all. Both are the creation of George Lucas and both ar based on saturday morning serials from the 30's & 40's. I just was asking why SW is more popular than Indy.

[CaliforniaJones]

I think it comes down to the fact that Star Wars is just more easily marketed. There is everything Star Wars, you name it, and they've made it. With Indy stuff, there is some good stuff, some not so good. The Indy movies just don't lend themselves to the mass marketing of star wars. I think it could have been if they had done some things different. I just the Indy was meant for a slightly more mature audience, and not quite as kid friendly as Star Wars.

[ReggieSnake]

There hasnt been a new movie in over 20 years for starters and Indiana Jones is more adult oriented. I think more parents probably figure Star Wars is going to be at least a bit lighter and perhaps a bit easier to understand. Plus look at how kids took to Pirates and Spiderman. Its the influence of it being in theatres.

When I was a kid I LOVED Star Wars. And now I cannot help but hate it. It was the prequels, they killed the entire concept for me. I had the vintage figures from my dad, Potf2 figures the day they came out, posters, I was Darth Vader for halloween and had lightsaber battles, played the CCG, read the books, comics, i even use to be able to recite the scrolling prologues from memory when i was like 10. So its not like I wasnt a real fan, but the moment I stepped out of that episode 1 showing it all died, right there in the lobby. I returned the Darth Maul figure i had bought out front of the theatre, sold all of the cards, books etc. I felt like all my life George Lucas had worked his ass off to prove to me that Santa was real and then in one moment, he personally shot Santa in the face. The fact of it is, no matter how much you tell yourself that there two seperate trilogies, it just isn't true. Its all one story. If they went back and made a prequel to the Godfather, and lets say to be more 2008 culture friendly it turns out Vito Corleone once fooled around with a guy(I have nothing against sexual orientation people should do what makes them happy, but alot of people would not be ok w/ this.) The point is you wouldnt still be able to watch the Godfather w/o thinking about that.

Indiana Jones however, has maintaned his same level of popularity, not really exploding to a level of well known culture like Star Wars or Batman. Not to say he is unknown either. What im getting at tho, is he hasnt had to change to appease a new genre like Batman tryed to do w/ Forever and B&R. (Thank God for Chris Nolan re-inventing the franchise.) So with Indy 4 your going to see alot of young kids getting into it, which will lead to more products and Indy related material. And generations of Indy fans to come. I assure you all right now however if a Temple flies off into the sunset twoards Jupiter in the end of this flick, I will personaly dress up like an ewok, infiltrate skywalker ranch, and punch Mr. L square in the mouth.

Can't say I agree with you on everything, though I understand your sentiments, BUT THAT WAS AN AWESOME POST! (I still love Star Wars, especially ESB, though, like most, I have to fast-forward through much of the prequels to keep from vomiting)

Don't know if you enjoyed the LOTR trilogy (I'm a big fan of the books, and thus the movies to a certain extent, they have their faults too) but if you haven't seen it, look up "If George made Lord of the Rings" on youtube It's hilarious.

Thank goodness we have Indy:whip:

And to answer the post, SW is an epic. Enough said. (to avoid a very long discussion.;) )

[mcafferty]

SW more guns and weapons that why :gun:

[QBComics]

I think it comes down to the fact that Star Wars is just more easily marketed. There is everything Star Wars, you name it, and they've made it. With Indy stuff, there is some good stuff, some not so good. The Indy movies just don't lend themselves to the mass marketing of star wars. I think it could have been if they had done some things different. I just the Indy was meant for a slightly more mature audience, and not quite as kid friendly as Star Wars.

Whenever I go to a store, they are never out of stock of Star Wars..

[Blue Jay]

i like them both a lot. but indy is still way ahead of star wars :whip:

I like both movies because of the time they were made in. They are the only movies of which i can watch the making ofs all over again. I like the people who made it, i like the technical aspect of the time (no real cgi yet)...

It is really hard to describe why i like them so much, but it in the end it only matters that i do :gun:

[Ltdefense]

Since Star Wars is like it's own seperate world, it can inspire the imagination a bit more. Everyone's favorite character in Indiana Jones is Indiana Jones. Ask ten people who their favorite Star Wars character is, you'll get ten diffrent answers.

[Indianna1880]

movies with historical relievence always seem less exciting when compared to a sci-fi special effects loaded movie.

its like asking what would you rather watch Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure, Eqypt, 1908" or 2001: a space odyessy?? most people would say 2001, but i'd pick Indy chapter 1 simply because i'm interesting in egypt and history.

[Vendetta08]

Star Wars had more of an impact, people really had not seen anything like it before...when it was first released in the 70s. It's huge fanbase has been just as huge after three decades.

[Adamwankenobi]

movies with historical relievence always seem less exciting when compared to a sci-fi special effects loaded movie.

its like asking what would you rather watch Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure, Eqypt, 1908" or 2001: a space odyessy?? most people would say 2001, but i'd pick Indy chapter 1 simply because i'm interesting in egypt and history.

Given that 2001 is one of my favorite films of all time and YIJC is one of my favorite TV series of all time, I'd have to flip a coin. ;)