Which Indy film is the best?

Out of all the films, which one is definitively the best?


  • Total voters
    264

Major West

Member
Raiders112390 said:
Torn between Temple of Doom and Last Crusade. Raider is the better FILM, in terms of being a classic cinematic masterpiece, but it's too slow-paced and a little too "serious" for younger audiences. Raiders has the best action sequences, though.

I was 8 when I saw Raiders. Thought it was awesome.
 

roundshort

Active member
Emotionally it is Raiders. but I would rather rewatch Temple. I will probably never see the space invader movie again. I may watch LC if it is n the tube.

So I am saying Temple of Doom is my favorite.
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Major West said:
I was 8 when I saw Raiders. Thought it was awesome.

Modern younger audiences is what I specifically meant. Pacing wise, it wouldn't hold up today, whereas Temple would be an utterly contemporary summer blockbuster even now in terms of pacing/energy level.
 

Major West

Member
Raiders112390 said:
Modern younger audiences is what I specifically meant. Pacing wise, it wouldn't hold up today, whereas Temple would be an utterly contemporary summer blockbuster even now in terms of pacing/energy level.

Not sure I agree. Temple tends to slow and sag a bit after the initial action once they are in the village and set off to and arrive at Pancot palace. Things don't really pick up until Indy breaks out of his trance in the final act.

Raiders has an engaging story and characters throughout and the truck chase is certainly the best action sequence in any of the movies.

Young or old, I've never anybody who didn't really like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It's on the AFI list of 100 greatest films.
 

Drones33

New member
Raiders112390 said:
Modern younger audiences is what I specifically meant. Pacing wise, it wouldn't hold up today, whereas Temple would be an utterly contemporary summer blockbuster even now in terms of pacing/energy level.
I recently watched Temple, Raiders and LC , in that order, with my 7 year old nephew while he was staying with us for the weekend. It was the first time he'd seen any of them. He was a bit uncomfortable during TOD, found it a bit scary. He was gripped by Raiders though. He stayed with it every step of the way, (which I think says a lot about just how beautifully balanced Raiders is as a film in terms of its pacing). Interestingly however when we watched LC, which I thought would be his favourite, he was a bit distracted from the meeting with Donovan to boat chase. I think he found it a bit talky, although he was fine after we reached the 'no ticket' scene.
Next day though, he wanted to go outside and play Raiders. Specifically.
So I disagree. Raiders would, and does, hold up today.
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Drones33 said:
I recently watched Temple, Raiders and LC , in that order, with my 7 year old nephew while he was staying with us for the weekend. It was the first time he'd seen any of them. He was a bit uncomfortable during TOD, found it a bit scary. He was gripped by Raiders though. He stayed with it every step of the way, (which I think says a lot about just how beautifully balanced Raiders is as a film in terms of its pacing). Interestingly however when we watched LC, which I thought would be his favourite, he was a bit distracted from the meeting with Donovan to boat chase. I think he found it a bit talky, although he was fine after we reached the 'no ticket' scene.
Next day though, he wanted to go outside and play Raiders. Specifically.
So I disagree. Raiders would, and does, hold up today.

What about KOTCS?
I guess everyone's experience is different. When I showed Raiders (and Last Crusade) to my younger niece around the time KOTCS came out (she was 9 then) she was bored by the "talky" parts of those films, but she loved Temple and KOTCS.
 

Drones33

New member
Raiders112390 said:
What about KOTCS?
I guess everyone's experience is different. When I showed Raiders (and Last Crusade) to my younger niece around the time KOTCS came out (she was 9 then) she was bored by the "talky" parts of those films, but she loved Temple and KOTCS.
He hasn`t seen it yet, I imagine he`ll like it though. Its quite light and has moments of almost slapstick comedy.
 

Paul 27

New member
I enjoy all four films to some degree but my personal favourite is Last Crusade.

My favourite thing about the Indy films (and other films like them) is the whole booby trap/treasure hunt aspect. A slight gripe I've always had with Raiders is that all the booby trap stuff happens in the opening fifteen minutes, and even the search for the Ark is over with half way through, whereas Last Crusade builds up to the 'three challenges' and the finding of the grail at the end.

That being said , if I had to choose a favourite scene in all the films it would definitely be the opening of Raiders.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Pale Horse said:
Now there's an origin story I'd love to see. Indiana Jones: The Forrestal Years...

Why not, Disney's spun Rogue One off, now.

He can be third in line, after Belloq and...heck, I wanted to put in a joke here, but I'd actually watch something about Sapito and Barranca.

Musings of an Unnamed Bureaucrat?

One conceivable test of best Indy movie might be how many of the characters you'd be willing to see spun off into something larger, even if it's just an hour of tv or a short story. I think Raiders obviously wins by that metric, give or take a story of Pankot Palace intrigue, or a prime-time industrial tycoon soap about Walter Donovan. (Thread spin-off time?)
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Attila the Professor said:
Yep. Spalko. Mac. Pre-Indy Shanghai is absolutely a series too: Willie, Lao, Wu Han, Shorty.

I think the Adventures of Fedora would make an interesting spin-off. Given he was the proto-Indy in almost every single way, he is the most compelling character to me. It's also a great way to have Indy-in-all-but-name adventuring around in a time period which Indy himself couldn't - the late 19th century and early 20th. If done right, could become Disney's (better) version of Alan Quartermain. Have his adventures set between the 1880s and 1912, an interesting period.
 

Duaner

New member
Raiders112390 said:
It's also a great way to have Indy-in-all-but-name adventuring around in a time period which Indy himself couldn't - the late 19th century and early 20th.

Have his adventures set between the 1880s and 1912, an interesting period.

That basically describes The Adventures of Brisco County Jr..
 

Temple Raider

Active member
TheLastCrusader said:
Apparently I voted Raiders ten years ago. Time sure flies.

My favorite now is Temple of Doom.


KOTCS is approaching a decade now too, time isn't just flying, it's soaring.

TOD is my favorite too, always has been and will be :hat:
 

temple_runner

New member
I'm a high school English teacher and we are doing a film studies unit for the next two weeks on Raiders. We are going to be looking at what makes the film work, including shots, edits, sequences, sets, etc. Gonna look at the script, too.
 

NightWalker81

New member
I don't know which is the best film, but I know The Last Crusade is my favorite. :whip:

I get much inner peace when I watch this movie, I love it! It has a special feeling behind it. I think is the themes it contains. And I love the messages it has. For example, Indy and his father don't get the Grail at the end, but they get something more important. They have grown up as character and they have matured in many ways. The movie says us that the important thing is not always certain goal, but it's the journey to it and the things we learn along the way.
 
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