Everyone is going to have a favorite film. However these work well as a set and are worth the purchase. And the extra goodies or special features of the set add to the experience.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
This is the first in a series of fun to watch action packed movies based on what an archeologist should be. Being a first you will not notice the pattern of the film unless you are used to Saturday matinees.
We hit the deck running on this one as we see Indiana Jones making a John Wayne type of entrance. So much that you do not notice the dubious looking character next to him Statipo (Alfred Molina). Until he says "Give me the Idle and I will give you the whip."
Now settled down, after his near miss with the natives, Harrison Ford is a professor (Indiana Jones) teaching the fact that archeology is a search for facts not some thrill ride.
That very afternoon he is confronted by some government agents. It seems that his old professor Abner Ravenwood has disappeared. They picked up some radio transmissions that contained the name of Abner and a city Tannis. Immediately Indiana Jones knows that the Nazis (natural bad buys) are looking for the Ark of the Covenant (which can be used as a weapon of unspeakable power) and somehow he must bet them to it for the sake of the world.
He is helped by an old love interest Marion (Karen Allen) and rivaled by an old nemesis Dr. Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman).
Does it really exist?
How can he beat them to it?
Why is he on the outs with Abner?
Hold on for a thrill a minute and don't eat any bad dates.
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Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
The "now standard Indiana" formula is there and there are a lot of fun parts to this movie. However the bad guys are too bad and the situation is too spooky. Be sure to watch "Riders of the Lost Ark" first even thought this takes place chronologically earlier.
Once again James Bond has nothing on Dr. Jones (Harrison Ford) as he negotiates for a treasure and is double crossed at every turn, barely escaping with his life, also the acquisition of a steriotipical blond singer Wilhelmina Scott (Kate Capshaw), and his new sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan).
In his hasty retreat he does not realize that there are greater forces at work insuring that he fulfill his destiny to recover a sacred object and all the children of a beleaguered village.
Is he up to the challenge?
In this case does being blond help or hinder?
Will Short Shot prove that size does not matter?
Take heart!
Be prepared for a dark passage "a little too dark for my taste".
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
It may just be coincidence but this time Harrison Ford that was a carpenter is not Dr. Indiana Jones (Junior) and his last crusade (until the next film) is to obtain a cup of a carpenter.
Even though this film can stand on its own, it can be more fully understood if you watch "Raiders of the lost Ark" first.
Once again we start out with a young Jones trying to save an artifact from pillagers. This lets us know of his heroic energy and introduces his father Professor Henry Jones (Sean Connery) and his obsession with the Holy Grail, even to the exclusion of his relationship with Junior.
Now grown Dr. Indiana Jones gives a class and explains that Archeology is a pretty strait forward science and not some search for legends. He receives a mysterious piece of post.
He is then approached by group of rich people that are in search of the Grail. It turns out that their top researcher has disappeared. Yep it is Professor Henry Jones. What can Indiana do but go looking for his father. He is accounted by his best friend who runs a museum Dr. Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliottt) as they team up with the last person to see his father Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody.) He gets a final warning "Do not trust anybody."
Will he find his father?
If he dies what will they have to talk about?
Does the Grail really exist?
Who are the mysterious people following him?
One of my favorite scenes is where Dr. Jones disguised in a German uniform bumps into Hitler (Michael Sheard of Star Wars fame).
Have fun watching this great film with the banter between Hennery and Junior. And remember "do not trust anybody."
