Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - initial impressions and casual discussion

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Silentrascal

New member
Benraianajones said:
And I still get bored hearing "Indy went X files" at the end...since when has alien-themed things meant "X files", X files did not create the concept of aliens. The theme of aliens is allowed outside of "X files".
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Perhaps we should say "Indy went ALF" at the end, or maybe "Indy went Mork n Mindy" at the end. Is that better?
 
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James

Well-known member
Silentrascal said:
Perhaps we should say "Indy went ALF" at the end, or maybe "Indy went Mork n Mindy" at the end. Is that better?
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"Indy went Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" or "Indy went 1950s B movie" would be a lot more appropriate.

Probably why Lucas used those instead.
 
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Darth Vile

New member
James said:
"Indy went Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" or "Indy went 1950s B movie" would be a lot more appropriate.

Probably why Lucas used those instead.
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I thought the flying saucer at the end was gratuitous and miscalculated in that, as much as I truly don?t mind it myself, it was always going to be a ?WTF?? moment with an audience familiar with Indiana Jones. I was surprised because, up until the CGI alien and saucer shot (literally the last 5 minutes), the underlying subtext of alien technology/culture had been handled so subtly (IMHO) that it fitted into the Indy world quite seamlessly ? then boom? flying saucer fills the screen.

I still love the movie though? :D
 
Benraianajones

Benraianajones

New member
agentsands77 said:
Well, he doesn't actually see what happens to Belloq, either...
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I didn't say he did, I said he had his eyes shut...that was the entire point of my post in the first place? So your point is? I was saying initially it is interesting Indy doesn't really tend to see the main villains demise.


SilentRascal: -Paraphrased; "Indy went Alf, would that be better" - No? Because alien concepts exist outside of Alf, X files and any other programme that featured alien ideas. Indiana Jones went along with a 1950s B movie style. Now you either like that Indy went that way, or you do not. But "Indy didn't go X-files or anything like that because aliens are a general concept and are not forever locked in to TV shows known for alien beings.
 
Johnny Nys

Johnny Nys

Member
It's exactly that "general concept" which bothers me about aliens in connection with Indiana Jones. They carry a too high "been there, done that" vibe.
 
Benraianajones

Benraianajones

New member
It is true, people have "done aliens" a lot, unlike the Ark and Grail.

I still think Fate of Atlantis would have been a good Indy film. Nur Ab Sal stated horned being arrived, taught the Atlanteans about technology, and they simply vanished. As Atlantis became under trouble, the Atlanteans then created a God Machine to try and "revive" their Gods to save Atalntis from becoming totally ruined. We'd have had that "alien" feeling to it (with them providing the technology/knowledge), without ever acually really seeing any - other than statues in their honour, and horned malformed bones from failed experiments.
 
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Darth Vile

New member
Benraianajones said:
It is true, people have "done aliens" a lot, unlike the Ark and Grail.

I still think Fate of Atlantis would have been a good Indy film. Nur Ab Sal stated horned being arrived, taught the Atlanteans about technology, and they simply vanished. As Atlantis became under trouble, the Atlanteans then created a God Machine to try and "revive" their Gods to save Atalntis from becoming totally ruined. We'd have had that "alien" feeling to it (with them providing the technology/knowledge), without ever acually really seeing any - other than statues in their honour, and horned malformed bones from failed experiments.
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Remember it was the skull that was the MacGuffin and not the aliens. The skull was a pretty original concept (IMHO).
 
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agentsands77

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Benraianajones said:
I still think Fate of Atlantis would have been a good Indy film.
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Sure, but it would have been wholly unoriginal. I don't like to see my Indy films as adaptations of pre-existing material. I like to be surprised.
 
Benraianajones

Benraianajones

New member
Darth Vile said:
Remember it was the skull that was the MacGuffin and not the aliens. The skull was a pretty original concept (IMHO).
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First of all, what is a MacGuffin exactly? Though I assume it means "item" in the sense of what drives the plot, like the ark? In which case, I am aware the skulls are somewhat of an original concept. It is true aliens have been done a lot - but not in relation to Crystall SKulls. I liked it.

Agentsands, true. I'd love a Fate of Atlantis movie, but, we prety much know what happens in that now, so there'd not be as much ofa surprise. But I do like the eerie feel in FoA and I'd welcome it in a new movie.
 
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Darth Vile

New member
Benraianajones said:
First of all, what is a MacGuffin exactly? Though I assume it means "item" in the sense of what drives the plot, like the ark? In which case, I am aware the skulls are somewhat of an original concept. It is true aliens have been done a lot - but not in relation to Crystall SKulls. I liked it.
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That was my point... as something that drove the story along it was clearly the Skull and the mystery of Akator. The skull being that of an alien was largely secondary to the mystery of it's origin. So in that sense, the alien subtext was fine and pretty much original.
 
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Silentrascal

New member
In any case, the resulting information after having found and used the Crystal Skull was so lame it negated any building interest in its mystery. The mixing of aliens and Indiana Jones simply didn't mesh well at all, like oil and water.
 
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Peacock's-Eye

New member
>>In any case, the resulting information after having found and used the Crystal Skull was so lame it negated any building interest in its mystery. The mixing of aliens and Indiana Jones simply didn't mesh well at all, like oil and water.<<

I thought it was a perfect match. The only things I would have changed were the appearance of the craft & the Entity. Beyond that - worked fine for me.
 
Indyologist

Indyologist

Well-known member
This is hard for me to write. Painful, actually. I like KS, but overall to me it was a disappointing movie. As soon as I saw my first picture of the crystal skull and saw those big bug eyes signifying an alien, I had misgivings about the film, although of course I didn't let it bother me too much. Again, I'm not a hater of the film, but I'm not what you'd call a lover of it, either. The feeling in the theater was about the same as well. When the credits rolled there were a few handclaps, but the aroma of "meh" was heavy in the air-- and it broke my heart. I'm heartbroken mostly because I'm not used to an Indy film with flaws. The Trilogy is, in my opinion, perfection. There is only one line I'm not crazy about in the whole Trilogy and it's so minor that it doesn't even really make a difference. But KS had not just one bad scene, just one bad line or just a couple of flaws or omissions-- it had many and that is what ruined most of the movie for me. As fans, we just deserved so much better than what we got. I think that Spielberg and co. have officially lost their Indy touch.

Again, I don't hate the movie-- I've seen it twice and I'm debating on a thirld time-- but I find parts of it painful to watch and it just makes me feel bad seeing a flawed Indy film. I'm just not used to it. KS doesn't hold a candle to the Trilogy in my opinion. Yes, I'll accept it as part of the Indy series and will buy the DVD-- for Indy's sake-- but it's just not up to snuff compared to the other films. And by the way, if Indy V is going to be anything like Indy IV, thanks but no thanks. If they can't make an Indy movie correctly, then please spare us the pain and inward groaning and don't make one at all. Sorry KS lovers, but that's my humble opinion. KS was fun, but painful. Look for my more detailed review in the "Ravener's Reviews" section in the days to come. It's been hard to write, but I have to get stuff off my chest. Thanks in advance for your open-mindedness, understanding, and your decision to behave like grown up boys and girls and not flame me merely for expressing an opinion which I have every right to express. Overall, I give Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (even the name is too darn long, I think) 6/10 which is a "good."
 
Agent Spalko

Agent Spalko

Guest
Benraianajones said:
"Good" is better than "don't like it cause there is an alien at the end".

I personally, would have made Crystall Skull a darker movie.
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Absolutely. If the film had taken itself seriously and had a darker tone I would have been intrigued.
 
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Peacock's-Eye

New member
Or you'd be complaining that it "took itself too seriously" and wasn't "fun" like the Trilogy, or that it was over-long. You might still have hated it, no matter what they did.
 
Agent Spalko

Agent Spalko

Guest
Perhaps, but if it wasn't self depricating and a farce of the other films I might have taken the plot more seriously and could suspend my disbelief when the aliens show up at the end. My disbelief evaporated at Doom Town.
 
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