Discuss Chapter 6 - Nazca, Peru (DVD chapter by chapter discussion)

Chapter 6 - Nazca, Peru
36:57 - 46:32


"Sweep harder boy!"

(description pulled from the Indiana Jones Wiki)
Following a series of clues left in a riddle written in a dead language by Oxley, Mutt and Indiana figure that the skull must be in Nazca. The classic "lines on the map" sequence occurs! Arriving in Nasca, Indy references the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles episode "Spring Break Adventure" followed by a visit to an asylum where Oxley was held and they discover that he had drawn a location to Orellana's cradle, which didn't mean his birthplace, but his final resting place. They journey through the tomb, and in the process defeat two cemetery warriors who were Indigenous people wearing skulls as masks, one is killed when Jones blows a poisonous dart into his throat right when he was about to fire it, and the other is scared after it is hit with a shovel and when Jones threatens to shoot it.

Chapter Index:
Chapter 1 - Nevada, 1957
Chapter 2 - The Warehouse
Chapter 3 - I Like Ike
Chapter 4 - Of Interest to the Bureau
Chapter 5 - Mutt Williams



Once again Please no trolling or bashing of the film. The word "sucks" isn't a valid form of explaining why you hate something. I'd like a friendly discussion for those who enjoy the film and watching it on the small screen.

This chapter right here is proof that the complaints about Indy not firing his gun are unfounded. In which of the other films does Indy kill someone by blowing their own deadly projectile back into their throat? None, I tell you. Hardcore. One of my favorite scenes in the film.

One of my absolute favorite parts of any Indiana Jones film is in this chapter - the walk to the asylum. That conversation is perfect. They're getting to know each other a little, but no closely. Indy doesn't really care about the kid, so he just gives him stock answers - "not if it's what you like doing", etc. Mutt finds him interesting, but not that interesting. It's still about how his mother is the one with the problem, not him. That whole sequence is perfect, to me.

Love the plane\map portion as well. Classic Indiana Jones and very nicely done.

I really dig the darkness and creepiness of the graveyard sequence. Good stuff. I also like how Indy still isn't terribly nice to Mutt. Indy is a little smug, to the point of giving back as good as he got from Mutt when he asked Indy "what are you, like 80?" earlier. Now it's Indy's turn. Great chemistry between the two.

Great chapter.

I really like the graveyard section. Shame they cut the part where uses his whip on a graveyard warrior though. Got to enjoy the dart being blown back down the pipe though.

Obviously, nice to see the map screen as well. I like how the glorious Indy music suddenly tinkles off to show Mutt and Indy stood at that empty worn down looking airport with the chickens as company.

Also the shot where the plane flys over the Nazca lines is a nice shot.

I do like the chat on the way to the asylum, and the asylum scenes, but nothing much that sparks a talking point for me.

Yeah, just a little more action in the graveyard would've been welcome.

But still, these scenes are great. Very Indy.

I found it interesting that the last scene they filmed was when they arrive at the airport.

I know its been mentioned by be in other threads, but dart-in-the-mouth was played by Ernie Reyes Jr., Keno of TMNT2!

WeAreGoingToDie said:

I know its been mentioned by be in other threads, but dart-in-the-mouth was played by Ernie Reyes Jr., Keno of TMNT2!

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That's right! When I learnt that from the credits at the time KotCS was out in theaters, I started the thread on Cemetary Warriors

http://raven.theraider.net/showthread.php?t=14727

It wasn't until I saw the movie for the first time on the small screen last week that I noticed which Cemetary Warrior he played.

I always loved that blowpipe gag. Even though it isn't exactly a new one... I had forgotten I'd seen it before when I first saw KotCS and it was forum member NLogan who reminded me it was originally used in Young Sherlock Holmes.

Kind of like the coathanger gag in Raiders, Spielberg has been stealing his own material again

LOL! Whenever I see the dart in the mouth face, I think of Keno's squeaky exclaimations from TMNT2. "Huh?!" "Wha!?" "Wohhh!" and of course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPJjlBohVL0

LOL! Exactly!
That's how I recognized him as the blowdart Warrior!

Cemetery Pulp

This is my favorite chapter of the film,from the plane drop off and the classic walk through the market with Mutt to the blow dart scene, its perfect Indy pulp. This fighting "style" of the cemetery assailants is the Brazillian martial art Capoiera,it originated with the slaves who disguised there martial training through what loked like a form of dance. If you notice the attacker who go's after Mutt first stays low to the ground but spins his torso to propel his legs outward, this is a classic capoiera manuever,breakdancing takes alot of its ground moves from this south american martial art.

Its interesting, I wonder why they cut Indy using his whip against the cemetary warrior.

cool chapter - needed more whip!

blow dart one of the coolest parts of the movie.

liked the mutt and indy dynamic ... you have to make the most of it before the film gets too crowded, in my opinion!

but why the gag of bringing the motorcycle all the way to peru ... and then never use it? i thought there might be another bike chase or something.

The Pancho Villa reference is especially clever. Not only does it work as a reference to Young Indy, but also to F.A. Mitchell-Hedges. In addition to finding the crystal skull, he also claimed to have ridden (ie. been kidnapped) by Pancho Villa.

James said:

The Pancho Villa reference is especially clever. Not only does it work as a reference to Young Indy, but also to F.A. Mitchell-Hedges. In addition to finding the crystal skull, he also claimed to have ridden (ie. been kidnapped) by Pancho Villa.

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Yes, I was surpised to read about that recently! Given all the possible choices they had to reference Young Indy, it seems more than
coincidence that this is the one they went with. His mother is also slightly referenced when he tells Mutt that a person only has one.

Of course, this is probably my favourite scene in the whole movie and it's not just because of the connection with the TV show.
I find the acting in this scene to be some of the best in the entire film. Plus, his distaste at the mention of the Huerta's name
causes Indy to SPIT which I thought was way out of character but it reinforces the fact that Indy has grown bitter over the years.
It's hard to picture him doing that in '30s even though he's never been a polished man. On top of all that, Raven member John Tobin
is in the main shot!

Another nice touch was in the cell when Indy mounts the wall and just sits his butt down to survey the room. He's gettin' old...

Great part, especially the dialouge" your a teacher".. Part time.. Very strong..
Love the entrance inside the cementary..which really brings you back to the INDY adventures.."don't touch anything" maybe refering to Short round's clumsyness...great part....could have been filmed maybe longer,maybe booby traps or something..

Personally I thought the cemetery warriors are one of the bad elements of the film. The way they are presented, like the spider like crawl along the side of the tree and stuff, their masks and fighting style, they are just over designed while they lack a feel of reality. In stead of the "how", the makers should have thought out the "why" first with these guys. To me it was never that clear what these guys were doing in this deserted graveyard (apart from the message that says "grave robbers will be killed"). If I were to protect a graveyard were most of the time not a soul would be seen, I would certainly not be waiting, hanging on the side of a tree branch with a skull mask, some blow darts and a fighting style that resembles dancing more then fighting. What are they doing there anyway? Protecting the skull? Why? Did they know Orellana and his men where buried there with the Skull? It didn't make much sense, just like the Ugha warriors crawling out of the walls (but that's up for discussion later on I guess). If the writers gave them a reason to be at the graveyard in stead of this "all style no substance" approach the sequence might have been more effective, like the Grail protectors in Crusade, who actually are a part of the story. I did like the Orellana part though, but I'm not sure if that belongs to the same chapter.

the ox said:

but why the gag of bringing the motorcycle all the way to peru ...

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I thought it was a way to show how Mutt doesn't see the bigger picture. He's only concerned about his smaller world, his immediate possessions. He's certainly concerned about getting his mother & Ox back, but apparently not much beyond that.

EddyW said:

If the writers gave them a reason to be at the graveyard in stead of this "all style no substance" approach the sequence might have been more effective, like the Grail protectors in Crusade, who actually are a part of the story. I did like the Orellana part though, but I'm not sure if that belongs to the same chapter.

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I'm not sure that's true. Sure, Kazim had a little more to say and a little more screen time than his counterparts in KOTCS, but the function was the same. I mean, were the Brothers of the Cruciform Sword spending their days in the library, just on the off chance someone discovered the entrance to the Tomb of Sir Richard? How did they trace Indy to the library? Was it via Elsa? How did they know he'd escaped a fiery death in the catacoombs? It's all conjecture isn't it?

Yes, I see what you are saying (and I was thinking the same thing while I wrote my previous comment) but in the end the Brothers of the Sword belong perfectly within the story. They have a small role and it's not that important to know exactly how they knew Indy was coming, what is important is to know what they want (at least to some extent). The little backstory to the Brothers is enough not to question their part in the film. With the cemetary warriors, they are just an obstacle for the sake of being an obstacle and to make up for this the writers made them extra cool capueira, dart blowing, shrieky voiced circus acrobates. At least, that's what it feels like to me. In the end, they didn't add anything to the story.

Indy hops on a plane to visit family. Fitting for this week.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!