So, when the new film finally arrives, we will have an Indiana Jones played by a 65-year-old Harrison Ford. I have no gripes about that - look at League of Extraordinary Gentleman starring a 70-year-old Sean Connery as Alan Quartermain. In other words, no script could conceivably continue in the same 1930's timeline. The period has moved to the 1950's, according to original screenwriter Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile) [NOTE: The story is set in 1957]. It is quite possible that Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) and Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) will make cameo appearances as Indy's former flames (no word yet on Alison Doody whose character met with a demise in "Last Crusade") or that Allen will return as Marion in a leading role. There is also the distinct possibility that Sean Connery will return ever so briefly as Professor Henry Jones, Sr., along with John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, Indy's most trusted sidekick. Marcus Brody will not return unless played by a different actor - actor Denholm Elliott died of AIDS-related tuberculosis in 1992. What remains certain is that Steven Spielberg will helm the reins of this new adventure, but which direction will the series end since this is purportedly the last adventure?

For one, we can expect the usual opening sequence from an unseen Indiana Jones adventure. That remains a given unless Spielberg and Jeff Nathanson and David Koepp (Darabont is no longer involved) have something else up their sleeves. Since the period is the 1950's, we are dealing with new villains (possibly the Russians!) and new God-fearing realities, like the atomic bomb and Communism! Can you imagine Indiana Jones being accused of Communist practices? Well, maybe not since Spielberg may be afraid of dredging up such murky waters (consider the 1999 Oscar night when Spielberg sat in his chair clapping for director Elia Kazan's award rather than standing up). What artifact would Indy be looking for this time? Something of religious as well as historical significance? How can one top the Ark of the Covenant? Sankara stones? The Holy Grail, for God's sakes? The Ark was an artifact placed in some warehouse rather than the museum at Indy's prestigious college. The Sankara stones were handed back to the village which brought back life and unity, rather than a rock collecting dust in his museum. The Holy Grail was lost forever in some temple, losing its luster once removed from the temple since it gave eternal life to anyone who drank from the Grail (as long as you stayed in the temple, the price of immortality). The Golden Idol from Peru in "Lost Ark" was lost to his French rival, Belloq (though later regained, thanks to Sallah, in the comics). The precious diamond was lost in Shanghai amid a flurry of bullets and ice cubes in Temple of Doom. Indiana Jones was only able to retrieve one artifact in the trilogy that got placed in the museum, the Cross of Coronado. By the end of "Last Crusade," it was clear that Indiana Jones was becoming like his father.

An interesting turn of events in the fourth film would be that Indiana has retired from digging up graves and globe-trotting in search of artifacts - now he is only a teacher! Maybe one of his students, possibly an A+ female student who wants to impress, can discover a secret map in some area of the school (possibly the basement) to some treasure in America - this was an actual story in the Further Adventures of Indiana Jones comics. Perhaps, for once, Indiana would go on some wild goose chase in America rather than another country. My hope is that Marion and Willie are so jealous of this new girl that they pair up as a team in search of Indiana, joined by Dr. Henry Jones, Sr! Maybe Senior Jones could be seriously smitten with Willie Scott, a terrific idea when you consider that the Joneses shared Dr. Elsa in "Last Crusade." Also consider that Kate Capshaw played Sean Connery's wife in "Just Cause," though some critics questioned the age difference. Who knows, the series could end up in any possible direction. Since this new story is set in either in the 1940's or the 1950's, we can have some power-mad villain with access to nuclear weapons (this is why I think a Russian villain would make sense).

I always thought of new Indiana Jones adventures, but I admit this must be tough stuff to write. In terms of chases and constant running and jumping from unseen dangers and predicaments, Indiana has already dealt with zeppelins, tanks, jeeps, motorbikes, trucks, horses, planes, rafts, motorized boats, mine carts, rope bridges, trains, and so on. Nothing can quite beat the terrifically exciting truck chase from "Raiders," the dizzying mine cart chase from "Temple of Doom" nor the elongated tank chase in "Last Crusade." What the heck is left for Indiana, even in the 40's or the 50's? He has already piloted two planes, though not smoothly. He has ridden and driven in cars endlessly in several chase scenes. I just wonder what is left to make any chase scenes fresh and exciting.

In terms of religious or non-religious artifacts, I still like the idea of the Stonehenge Cylinder. The "Further Adventures of Indiana Jones" comics (from good old Marvel) had Indy in search of the Stonehenge Cylinder. There could also be either King Tut's tomb, the city of Atlantis, Noah's Ark, King Solomon's mines, the Fourth Nail or the Shroud of Turin, etc. Maybe it could be a wild-goose chase where nothing is retrieved or found - this could lead to Indiana's soul-searching and questioning, perhaps for the first time, his past adventures. If this is the last adventure then it would be fitting for Indiana to recognize that his past exploits carried little meaning beyond being reunited with his tweedy father and saving a village. As for the Ark, it just remained in an unnamed storage hidden by the government, though Indy did reignite his love for Marion.

I still recall my first viewing of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981. I was ten years old. My father told me this movie was like "Star Wars," though I think he meant the action more than the story. I saw the poster and thought this was some sort of western. I sat in my chair and, as Indiana jumped across a chasm, I sat in my chair and grabbed tightly the arms of my theatre chair. It was a stunning film of intense action and scary thrills that were absolutely breathless. This movie seemed alive and kicking, literally taking us from one step of bloodcurling danger to another as Indiana braved poisonous darts, rolling boulders, barechested fighters, Nazis, propellers, etc. More importantly, Indiana became the kind of character who, despite his stubborness and daredevil antics, was someone we cared about because he was human, not an invincible superhero. It helped that Harrison Ford was cast since he carries that vulnerability several notches above most other action heroes - one always got the impression that Indy could lose and could die.

He also has a sense of humor in the midst of danger - best example is the scene in "Temple of Doom" where Indy faces two swordsmen nary a gun. All he can do is smile. Smiling, laughing and winking have become factors in several perilous moments for Indy. Recall "Last Crusade" where Indy and his father are tied to a chair in a bit involving a revolving door. The door revolves from a room ablaze from an accident to a Nazi communications center where a female official smiles at the two heroes who are smiling at her, just before chaos ensues with bullets flying everywhere. "Lost Ark" has several moments of Indy's humorous recognition of danger, particularly his smile at the snakes coming out of the walls of the Well of the Souls. I also like his laugh followed by calling the rival archaeologist Belloq a "sonofabitch." This is a hero who doesn't take himself too seriously yet has the stamina and the survival instincts of a tiger - he is quite stubborn and never quits in attaining his goal (look at the end of "Last Crusade" where Indy insists on grabbing the grail while being held by his dad over an abyss).

Indiana Jones is never too obviously affected by any of the adventures he partakes in, has no political agenda, no emotional states that go beyond fear and anger, and barely much time for romance. But he does care about his sidekicks, even the greedy Dr. Elsa Schneider in "Last Crusade" who double-crosses him. Indy hugs Short Round and Willie Scott at least twice, hugs and loves Marion Ravenwood (though he fails to make love to her), and hugs his father once. These are priceless character details that allow us to identify with Indiana as a human being. It is the combination of humanity, love and vulnerability that have made Indiana an endearing character and an icon - a real person with the ability to fail as well as succeed. And "Raiders" was the movie that got me into trouble when I was younger - I continuously popped the cassette into the old Magnavox VCR and watched and savored every moment endlessly. One day, my father noticed the tape in the VCR and asked me to throw it in the trash. Moving along such charming childhood stories, let us hope these qualities remain intact in "Indiana Jones 4." And let us hope Indy still carries that bullwhip and revolver, not to mention the fedora and rugged leather jacket. Consider me there on opening night in 2008. If you have to name one Indiana Jones fan, then Jerry Saravia is the one!

 

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