The forgotten Indy. This varied between a 7 or 8 rating. But it's Indy. So an 8 it is.

Seen this at cinema as a kid. Loved it then. Still like it but probably not as much.

Spoiler notes
There were a few scenes I couldn't remember since last I seen this. Not sure if I've seen it since the 80s. Early 90s at least. And a lot of other scenes were still very familiar. Especially the bit up to the temple part.

Still like Short Round. Wonder whatever happened to him.

I liked the moments where Indy is in great danger then escapes then turns out he's still in danger. e.g. running from Lao Che in Shanghai, escaping to the airport, only to get on Lao Che's plane. Or the raft scene where they fall out a plane and after landing about to come to a stop then they fall over edge of a cliff. Or the spikes scene where they finally stop the crushing in the nick of time just for her to lean on the button that starts it all over again.

I'd forgotten the part where the baddie pulls the heart out of the chest of his victims while they still live. Think maybe BBC edited that scene slightly. But maybe not.

Lot of imagery from that demonic ceremony is basis for that new Tomb Raider game. Tomb Raider was always based on Indy and its interesting that the reboot seeming to be all adult and whatnot is still really just based on this kid’s movie.

Maybe that's the issue with this movie. Despite some of its harrowing subject matter it is very much a kid's movie. The action scenes feel designed to entertain kids. The roller coaster chase, etc.

One stupid movie magic dialog is the maharaja saying to Short Round you need to take the left route out to escape. It's like he's talking to the audience. Also I don't like the cart jump from one track to the next. Just like in Speed. Stop doing impossible stuff. Keep it real then it's more fun because the danger feels more real. My tip for any budding Spielberg's out there.

I remember it was a big deal for me in 1984 to hear Indy say "shit" on the bridge. Wow swear word. Made it seem like a grown up movie :-) yet watching it now it seems more like a kids movie than the first one.

The food at the feast is still an amusing scene. Funny that one of the Indians I worked with quoted the monkey brain eating scene as one of the reasons why Indians don't like this movie. They don't think it's realistic depiction of Indians.

So I never thought about it before but why were the kids mining under the palace. This time I paid attention. It's to look for the two final stones.

How did the baddie manage to upturn that water container inside the mine then 2 mins later he's at the other side of that bridge? Teleportation powers too? Also when Indy cuts the bridge in two how is it almost right after the baddie and Indy are side by side fighting? They were nowhere near when the bridge was cut. Movie magic!

So many similar scenes to Star Wars in this too. The scene where Indy chases the individual swordsman only to have to turn round and run from many. Same as with storm troopers in Death Star. Also scene where they run out the mine shaft straight onto a ledge over the canyon. Another Death Star chase scene moment.

The special effects look a bit dated now in a lot of areas. Matte paintings. Overlaying characters. Blue screen stuff.

It's funny in my mind I had thought this film was better than Last Crusade. Because I was always annoyed about the poor special effects in that with the zeppelin and the German "spitfire" planes. But this one also has some shady effects and the story isn't as good either. So now put this into 3rd place in the Indy series. The first one is still far and away the best.

Crazy credits:
The film title appears behind Cate Capshaw at the start. You never get to see the "of".