Little things that make KOTCS awesome....

One more thing

I just finished re-watching the film, and I simply must add Ray Winstone's acting to the list.

I'm not referring so much to the character Mac, but rather to Winstone's deliver of just about every line he's given in the film. In particular, I enjoyed these moments:

- "What can I say, Jonsey? I'm a capitalist, and they pay." (now that's a classic Indy line right there)
- "Just like in Berlin. *pause* Just like in Berlin."
- "JONSEY!!!" (when Indy first jumps into his car in the jungle chase)
- "Look at the state of this place! What a stupid legend, what a waste of my time!" (I'm sure even the haters would enjoy this moment )
- "Gold. I'm in."

Fantastic stuff. Makes me wish he had a little better screenplay to work with! Oh and I also love the moment just before Marion drives the duck over the cliff where Mutt yells for Marion to slow down and Mac proceeds to mimic this with a "Mom, slow down!" of his own. Hilarious!

What Truck? said:

Oh and I also love the moment just before Marion drives the duck over the cliff where Mutt yells for Marion to slow down and Mac proceeds to mimic this with a "Mom, slow down!" of his own. Hilarious!

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That's a great bit!

You know, the only line of Mac's that I just can't get on board with was the "...dangerous.." line, when they are trying to stay on the cliffside during the jungle chase. That's a lukewarm, cliched line at best and the script just doesn't give Winstone a chance there.

Back to a Mac moment that I like, in that it is so cartoony, is right after the head-on collision in the warehouse, where it looks like nobody could have survived that....we cut to Indy scaling the rafters up above and then a quick shot back down to the advancing soldiers with guns..we see Mac, already out of the wreckage and aware enough to cover his ears from the gunshots being fired below. Very cartoony, but I dig it.

What Truck? said:

- "Just like in Berlin. *pause* Just like in Berlin."
- "Look at the state of this place! What a stupid legend, what a waste of my time!" (I'm sure even the haters would enjoy this moment )

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Those are two of my favorites as well- along with, "that's what the conquestadors were after!"

Winstone did a great job with the material he was given. They omitted a few scenes/lines from the script that would've gone a long way towards redeeming his character for many.

Agent Z said:

You know, the only line of Mac's that I just can't get on board with was the "...dangerous.." line, when they are trying to stay on the cliffside during the jungle chase. That's a lukewarm, cliched line at best and the script just doesn't give Winstone a chance there.

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You know, I actually think that line is hilarious for some reason.

There's this whole jeep chase and gunfire going on. Spalko is ramming Indy and the gang off the side off a cliff. And it cuts to Mac in the middle of all this madness and he basically looks right at the camera and says, "This is very dangerous."

It's like, "Really? No ****." That's why I enjoyed that line.

DocWhiskey said:

You know, I actually think that line is hilarious for some reason.

There's this whole jeep chase and gunfire going on. Spalko is ramming Indy and the gang off the side off a cliff. And it cuts to Mac in the middle of all this madness and he basically looks right at the camera and says, "This is very dangerous."

It's like, "Really? No ****." That's why I enjoyed that line.

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"Really? No ****." That's why I enjoyed that line, too!

DocWhiskey said:

You know, I actually think that line is hilarious for some reason.

There's this whole jeep chase and gunfire going on. Spalko is ramming Indy and the gang off the side off a cliff. And it cuts to Mac in the middle of all this madness and he basically looks right at the camera and says, "This is very dangerous."

It's like, "Really? No ****." That's why I enjoyed that line.

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Well, I got that intention from it...but, I've seen it used in so many films before. It reminded me of a line that would have come from an 80's Cannon Indy knock-off, like Firestarter or something.

Another problem with using a line like that is you have to have the audience buying the situation before they can buy the line. For me, the cliffside chase wasn't exciting or dangerous. It was just going by the numbers at that point, as was the line.

If it works for someone then it works for them, period. Can't dispute something so subjective. There are so many lines and gestures in the film that I do love, which I'm sure other people think I'm out to lunch on.

Indy picking up the hat in silhouette is classic Spielbreg. I don't know how many of you know how hard it is to do a shadow shot. Spielberg is the Master.

Not only that but, that's when you say "He's back." Great moment!

There's a whole ton of these moments in the whole series not just KotCS, but I'll try to list as many as I can. Here goes.
*Hound Dog with the credits rolling
*The feeling inside the warehouse
*The orange getting stuck in the door
*When the person yells "Get That Greaser"
*Mutt's bike slipping a little bit when Indy goes in the car
*The Russian guys hat flying off when he got punched
*Mutt saying "What are you, 80"? and then Indy throws down the paper.
*The Nazca lines
*Indy yelling "Those darts are poison"!
*The blow-dart gag
*The conversation in the back of the truck with Marion
(Skipping Jungle Chase because the whole thing was genius)
*The first Russian being eaten by ants
*Double Punch!
*"At last I saw in tears, the golden vision reappears"
*The alien skeleton ribs
*The aliens thrones
*Indy's smile at the very end.

And that's all Folks!

Gosh, there are so many.

One of the greatest things I've loved about all the Indiana Jones films are Harrison Ford's little expressions. Harrison slipped back into the role like he never left it.........he's amazing.

When Spalko offers to shake Indy's hand, and then Indy doesn't put his hand out, he gives this great, sarcastic expression.

One of my favorites.......when Indy and the gang make it through the retracting staircase, and Mutt is really eager for the adventure and asks "This way?" Harrison gives this expression that says so many things in itself - no words needed. And John Williams' has this brilliant, touching little musical cue. It's similar to how Harrison looks at his father after Henry Sr. takes the Nazi plane out with the birds. Just magnificent.

Harrison's expressions are what makes the waterfall sequence to me. The way he says, "Oh nuts, he means.....two" as he frantically points to the next waterfall. And then his solemn "three" as he clutches his hat.

As a life-long Indy fan........this is the kind of stuff I love and appreicate.

That's why when people want to blast the waterfall sequence or whatever......I have trouble taking them serious as Indy fans. Because the Indy I know and love is well-alive in this film.

I agree: the waterfall sequence is pure Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford is perfect. It reminds to me the life raft sequence.

I like that there's no music: we need silence after the jungle chase / ants music.

Wilhelm said:

I agree: the waterfall sequence is pure Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford is perfect. It reminds to me the life raft sequence.

I like that there's no music: we need silence after the jungle chase / ants music.

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Sure, Ford's expressions are fine, but the sequence is played without any tension. The weakest moment in the film has nothing to do with aliens or atom bombs, or even monkeys or prairie dogs...it's the waterfalls, and that's a shame, because there's a lot of potential there.

Apart from my constant props to Winstone and the ants and the entire interrogation scene at the camp, I've got to say how great the Doomtown sequence was, by which I mean particularly those surreal moments before the klaxon even goes off, those moments where we see just how out of place Indy is in the 1950s.

Attila the Professor said:

Sure, Ford's expressions are fine, but the sequence is played without any tension. The weakest moment in the film has nothing to do with aliens or atom bombs, or even monkeys or prairie dogs...it's the waterfalls, and that's a shame, because there's a lot of potential there.

Apart from my constant props to Winstone and the ants and the entire interrogation scene at the camp, I've got to say how great the Doomtown sequence was, by which I mean particularly those surreal moments before the klaxon even goes off, those moments where we see just how out of place Indy is in the 1950s.

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I think the waterfall scene is not helped by the lack of music. If in doubt, put something like 'The Fist Fight/Flying Wing' or 'Bug Tunnel' on over the top and have a listen/look. Not perfect I know, but it shows how important a good action cue is to tension...

Darth Vile said:

I think the waterfall scene is not helped by the lack of music. If in doubt, put something like 'The Fist Fight/Flying Wing' or 'Bug Tunnel' on over the top and have a listen/look. Not perfect I know, but it shows how important a good action cue is to tension...

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No, I think that's right. Or try watching, say, the life raft sequence in ToD or the motorcycle chase in Last Crusade with the audio on mute.

Ben Burtt always - always - fights for a segment with no score where he can use his sound editing wizardry to bedazzle the audience. He likes the idea that his sounds make a better more dramatic score than John Williams.

Every time Ben Burtt is sound editor on a film, I wait for that one inevitable segment where the music score drops out when it shouldn't and shake my head.

Attila the Professor said:

No, I think that's right. Or try watching, say, the life raft sequence in ToD or the motorcycle chase in Last Crusade with the audio on mute.

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But it's not on mute.........the crashing of the waves and the screams are effective.

I'm not saying it's some epic action sequence - it's not, nor do I really think it's meant to be. The raft sequence in TOD is essentially the cap to a big action sequence. It has more momentum riding into it. It is longer, has more action. I think it is more comparable to the doom town sequence than the waterfalls because the doom town sequence also caps the big action sequence at the beginning of the movie.

I think the waterfall sequence is a fun moment along the adventure - nothing more, nothing less. And like I said, it's Harrison's classic Indy expressions that really make the sequence to me.

I also think that the waterfall sequence is a fun moment in the movie. Spielberg didn't want tension, but fun after the ant sequence.

I think it's important not to have music: to hear the waterfall and by contrast after the long jungle chase / ant music.

I love the moment when Ford clutches his hat: it's a funny moment, like when they go down the cliff in the life raft.

I also think that the doomtown is the equivalent of the life raft of TOD. Both are at the beginning and connect two sections of the movie (Side story - Main story) through a sunrise shot (The airplane taking off / sunrise over the mountains).

Many people forget that Indiana Jones is a mix of action / humour in practically every set piece. That's the secret of the formula.

Harrison's expressions were golden, but even he couldn't sell that scene...Marion's ghoulish grin going off the first cliff was another in a long line of tension draining, Itchy and Scratchy moments.

Watched Skull on Fios' Epix Free previews last night and loved some of the little touches like Indy knocking the Soviet's (in the duck) AK with the door of the truck towards the camera.

Something about the film being fit to the screen made it more noticeable...

There were lots of little moments that were cool, one of my favorite "little things" is the close up on the back of Dovcheko's fist and his head turn as Spalko stops him. I always enjoy that shot.

I think the equivalent of the cliff / waterfall sequences in style are the escape from the zeppelin / biplane / tunnel sequeces in LC. More humour than serious action. Williams' music is also absent in those LC scenes.

JP Jones said:

There's a whole ton of these moments in the whole series not just KotCS, but I'll try to list as many as I can. Here goes.
*Hound Dog with the credits rolling
*The feeling inside the warehouse
*The orange getting stuck in the door
*When the person yells "Get That Greaser"
*Mutt's bike slipping a little bit when Indy goes in the car
*The Russian guys hat flying off when he got punched
*Mutt saying "What are you, 80"? and then Indy throws down the paper.
*The Nazca lines
*Indy yelling "Those darts are poison"!
*The blow-dart gag
*The conversation in the back of the truck with Marion
(Skipping Jungle Chase because the whole thing was genius)
*The first Russian being eaten by ants
*Double Punch!
*"At last I saw in tears, the golden vision reappears"
*The alien skeleton ribs
*The aliens thrones
*Indy's smile at the very end.

And that's all Folks!

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I can't believe I forgot this little thing that makes KotCS awesome
When Indy grabs his whip from the Russian and punches him, man I could watch that over and over for 2 hours strait!

Wilhelm said:

I also think that the waterfall sequence is a fun moment in the movie. Spielberg didn't want tension, but fun after the ant sequence.

I think it's important not to have music: to hear the waterfall and by contrast after the long jungle chase / ant music.

I love the moment when Ford clutches his hat: it's a funny moment, like when they go down the cliff in the life raft.

I also think that the doomtown is the equivalent of the life raft of TOD. Both are at the beginning and connect two sections of the movie (Side story - Main story) through a sunrise shot (The airplane taking off / sunrise over the mountains).

Many people forget that Indiana Jones is a mix of action / humour in practically every set piece. That's the secret of the formula.

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I think that's a very valid argument... We automatically assume that the waterfall scene should be "tense" as opposed to just plain "fun". However, I don't see why it’s not possible to strive for both at the same time.

I do think the waterfall scene is unfairly criticized… largely because I firmly believe its intent is to simply bridge the jungle/ants set pieces to the Akator scenes. Therefore, I don’t think it’s designed to be a major set piece, nor a scene of dramatic tension. However, that’s not to say it couldn’t have been better if it had been conceived/implemented as a significant set piece in its own right.

As far as your comments about lack of music and the sound of the waterfall… You are bang on. You should be able to hear that sound prominently. But for me, the increasing sound/volume of the waterfall should then give way (once the peril has been established) to a typical Williams tension cue. The lack of music, IMHO, is further evidence to suggest “tension” was not Spielberg’s intent at this point (misplaced or not), but rather, as already mentioned, simply a fun bridging scene.

Attila the Professor said:

No, I think that's right. Or try watching, say, the life raft sequence in ToD or the motorcycle chase in Last Crusade with the audio on mute.

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Agreed - Music, especially in an Indy/Star Wars movie it seems, can be key to a scene being perfect or not playing quite right.