A Reel Recap: The History of Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones. We always knew he would come walking back through our door. One thing made it inevitable: he is one of the most popular, iconic, beloved, and perfect-for-the-big-screen characters of all time, and this week he returns to those big screens with INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY. The fifth film in the franchise, which launched in 1981, is to be the final outing for the adventuring archeologist as played by Harrison Ford. With his final bow approaching, the time is right to look back on the cinematic history of Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. 

 

 

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

 

The idea for Indiana Jones came from STAR WARS creator George Lucas, who pitched the character to his good friend Steven Spielberg in the late 1970’s. The idea was an adventuring archeologist who goes searching for the sacred and powerful Ark of the Covenant, and would be inspired by the serials of old. Indiana Jones would be created as a professor of archeology and an obtainer of rare antiquities, traveling the world with his fedora, bullwhip, trusty revolver, and battered leather jacket (along with a fear of snakes). His cinematic debut came in June of 1981 with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. 

 

Harrison Ford would take on the role of Indy, Spielberg would direct, and John Williams would provide the score. Karen Allen would be his companion, Marion. RAIDERS would finish as the highest grossing film of the year, win five Oscars, and with the crack of a whip and a slapping right cross, become a permanent addition to pop culture. 

 

 

 

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)

 

After the fun and games of RAIDERS, Lucas and Spielberg decided to take the series to darker places. With both men going through breakups in their personal lives, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM was conceived as a tougher and more frightening film. Where RAIDERS trotted the globe, DOOM was largely confined to one place with child laborers, the extraction of a still-beating heart, and a fiery pit of hell where victims are lowered. Similar to RAIDERS, the artifact(s) Indy chases are based on real-life items, with a touch of the supernatural. 

 

The film was set two years prior to the events of RAIDERS, making it a “prequel” long before the term became common in the movies. Kate Capshaw would step-in as Indy’s love interest, and Ke Huy Quan would be Indy’s young companion. The darker elements of DOOM made it the first film to earn a PG-13 rating, but despite this, it would go on to earn two Oscar nominations (winning for Visual Effects), and finishing as the third highest-grossing film of the year. 

 

 

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)

 

Indy would not return to the big screen for five years, but when he did, he brought along the best company for THE LAST CRUSADE. Sean Connery would arrive as Indy’s father, and the chiding, competitive, but loving relationship between father and son drives the film. This time the Holy Grail would be the coveted object, which would actually serve as a metaphor for Indy’s search for the father he never knew. 

 

CRUSADE would bring back cast-members from RAIDERS including Denholm Elliott and John Rhys-Davies, and Alison Doody would come in as a love-interest and double-agent. The late great River Phoenix would appear as a young Indiana Jones for the opening sequence. CRUSADE would finish as the highest grossing film of the year, and earn three Oscar nominations. For this Blogger, THE LAST CRUSADE is the perfect Father’s Day movie. 

 

 

 

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008)

 

It would take nearly 20 years for Indy to come back to the big screen. This time, Indy would set out in search of a telepathic crystal skull with connections to extra-terrestrials (or as the movie tries to justify it, inter-dimensional beings). Karen Allen would return as Marion, and they would be joined by Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent, and the late great John Hurt. This would be the last INDIANA JONES film directed by Spielberg. 

 

CRYSTAL SKULL would receive mixed reviews from critics, but would be less well-received by fans of the franchise. Despite this, SKULL would finish as the second-highest grossing film of the year, and as the highest grossing film in the franchise. 

 

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023)

 

And that brings us to today, with THE DIAL OF DESTINY set to provide a final adventure for Indy. Harrison Ford reprises the role for one last time, and he is joined by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, and returning cast members from RAIDERS making appearances. Steven Spielberg steps aside for James Mangold (LOGAN, 3:10 TO YUMA), but John Williams is back for the music.  

 

With the music ending for Indy, there is a hint of sadness that can’t be overlooked. For a generation that grew up in the late 1970’s into the 1980’s, there were three movies that defined them: JAWS (1975), STAR WARS (1977) and RAIDERS. To see Indy take a final bow represents the passing of era, and it hurts, but having lived through his stories has been the greatest cinematic adventure of them all. 

 

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DIAL OF DESTINY opens June 30th, with previews on June 29^th.