A little bird told me that there has been some discussion on this website regarding the new Indiana Jones movie and that you all might be interested in what Chris and I thought of it. Well, OK then.
First of all, starting last Thursday, I've gotten a ton of emails and phone calls from friends and family congratulating me on finally getting The Pandora Directive made into a movie, and then encouraging me to sue the fat pants of George Lucas. Lord knows there is nothing in the world I would like to do more than take a few million of his dollars (about .00001% of his net worth) and turn it into a new TEX GAME! But, sadly, it ain't gonna happen.
Here's the deal: All similarities to Pandora aside, I enjoyed this movie. I actually liked it better than The Last Crusade, which I found hokey and saccharine. I would put it just below Temple of Doom. And it's not worthy to sniff Raiders' butt.
That being said, I thought they did a good job - especially considering how much time had passed and the inevitable, though unfairly high expectations. Honestly, if we ever get a chance to bring Tex back, I expect it would be the same. People would be anticipating so much, there's no way we could ever deliver. I find it interesting when people talk about the "old games" and how much loved them. But, with rare exceptions, most of the old games SUCK! It's our memory of them that makes them so great.
OK. Enough philosophizing.
Things I liked about the movie:
1. Karen Allen - she looked like a real 60 year-old woman! Yay!
2. The movie didn't take itself too seriously.
3. Mutt was surprisingly un-annoying (I think Shia's a very good actor, by the way).
4. Somehow, against all odds, Spielberg didn't turn it into a cloying, sugar-coated love fest.
5. Harrison Ford still has charisma.
6. Great chase scene through the college campus
7. Loved all the story elements
Things I didn't like:
1. The fight scenes - too many, too long, too contrived, too too too...
2. Cate Blanchette's wig and "Kevin Costner-esque accent" (great actress, but not one of her great performances)
3. The dead characters got referenced one too many times.
4. The waterfall sequence was just dumb.
5. Russians can't shoot for $#it. How many thousand rounds can you fire from close range and miss?
So, now for Tex versus Indy. When we left the theatre, I said "Well, we can't sue, but I think anyone who's read or played Pandora is going to see an incredible number of similarities. So, we've got that goin' for us..."
Honestly, I'd like to think that George (or one of the other writers) was a fan of our story and was "inspired" by it, in much the same way he was inspired by Joseph Campbell for the two decent Star Wars movies.
I realize that Area 51, Mayan Temples, rogue Government Agents, the Plains of Nazca, the Roswell Crash, Russian Scientists, Alien Energy Sources, and Spaceships built inside Ancient Structures and worshipped by Tribesmen thought to have vanished centuries ago but who are actually still alive and guarding the Temple, have all been in the public domain for years, just not all connected like that. I suppose it's conceivable that someone else randomly came up with all these same elements...
After the movie, we went to California Pizza Kitchen for lupper and who did we happen to run into? Why, Chris Jones & family! They'd been to see the exact same show at the exact same time! And had the exact same reaction!
We had a good laugh and talked about all the "coincidences". For those of you who are old-school enough to have played "Amazon", there were a few elements from that game, too - a dead end in Cuzco, a jewel hidden inside the corpse of a dead Conquistador, an entrance to an eternal tomb under a Waterfall. More infernal coincidences.
Bottom line is, all the Indy movies are homages to the old-fashioned adventure serials. The bad guys are supposed to be over-the-top, cliches are meant to be embraced, not avoided. Of course Mutt was Indy's son! Of course he and Marion get married at the end! Of course all evidence of saving the world is erased at the end! It's great! That's what we did in the Tex games, too! Hell, Tex wouldn't be who he is if I hadn't gone to the premiere of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 and had my socks blown off. And that's why I enjoyed the movie. Probably won't see it again, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Until next time, the virtual balcony is closed.
AC
First of all, starting last Thursday, I've gotten a ton of emails and phone calls from friends and family congratulating me on finally getting The Pandora Directive made into a movie, and then encouraging me to sue the fat pants of George Lucas. Lord knows there is nothing in the world I would like to do more than take a few million of his dollars (about .00001% of his net worth) and turn it into a new TEX GAME! But, sadly, it ain't gonna happen.
Here's the deal: All similarities to Pandora aside, I enjoyed this movie. I actually liked it better than The Last Crusade, which I found hokey and saccharine. I would put it just below Temple of Doom. And it's not worthy to sniff Raiders' butt.
That being said, I thought they did a good job - especially considering how much time had passed and the inevitable, though unfairly high expectations. Honestly, if we ever get a chance to bring Tex back, I expect it would be the same. People would be anticipating so much, there's no way we could ever deliver. I find it interesting when people talk about the "old games" and how much loved them. But, with rare exceptions, most of the old games SUCK! It's our memory of them that makes them so great.
OK. Enough philosophizing.
Things I liked about the movie:
1. Karen Allen - she looked like a real 60 year-old woman! Yay!
2. The movie didn't take itself too seriously.
3. Mutt was surprisingly un-annoying (I think Shia's a very good actor, by the way).
4. Somehow, against all odds, Spielberg didn't turn it into a cloying, sugar-coated love fest.
5. Harrison Ford still has charisma.
6. Great chase scene through the college campus
7. Loved all the story elements
Things I didn't like:
1. The fight scenes - too many, too long, too contrived, too too too...
2. Cate Blanchette's wig and "Kevin Costner-esque accent" (great actress, but not one of her great performances)
3. The dead characters got referenced one too many times.
4. The waterfall sequence was just dumb.
5. Russians can't shoot for $#it. How many thousand rounds can you fire from close range and miss?
So, now for Tex versus Indy. When we left the theatre, I said "Well, we can't sue, but I think anyone who's read or played Pandora is going to see an incredible number of similarities. So, we've got that goin' for us..."
Honestly, I'd like to think that George (or one of the other writers) was a fan of our story and was "inspired" by it, in much the same way he was inspired by Joseph Campbell for the two decent Star Wars movies.
I realize that Area 51, Mayan Temples, rogue Government Agents, the Plains of Nazca, the Roswell Crash, Russian Scientists, Alien Energy Sources, and Spaceships built inside Ancient Structures and worshipped by Tribesmen thought to have vanished centuries ago but who are actually still alive and guarding the Temple, have all been in the public domain for years, just not all connected like that. I suppose it's conceivable that someone else randomly came up with all these same elements...
After the movie, we went to California Pizza Kitchen for lupper and who did we happen to run into? Why, Chris Jones & family! They'd been to see the exact same show at the exact same time! And had the exact same reaction!
We had a good laugh and talked about all the "coincidences". For those of you who are old-school enough to have played "Amazon", there were a few elements from that game, too - a dead end in Cuzco, a jewel hidden inside the corpse of a dead Conquistador, an entrance to an eternal tomb under a Waterfall. More infernal coincidences.
Bottom line is, all the Indy movies are homages to the old-fashioned adventure serials. The bad guys are supposed to be over-the-top, cliches are meant to be embraced, not avoided. Of course Mutt was Indy's son! Of course he and Marion get married at the end! Of course all evidence of saving the world is erased at the end! It's great! That's what we did in the Tex games, too! Hell, Tex wouldn't be who he is if I hadn't gone to the premiere of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 and had my socks blown off. And that's why I enjoyed the movie. Probably won't see it again, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Until next time, the virtual balcony is closed.
AC
I'm interested that you found it better than the Last Crusade... but I agree that Raiders of the Lost Ark is still the best by a long shot.
I personally think that the only thing that let the film down was the over use of CG. The story was not bad at all, and I've already said that despite similarities between it and Pandora, the idea of mysterious alien skulls and the Mayan civilisation's link to supposed aliens is fairly well known in history. But hey, I like you idea bout suing to get some way to fund a new Tex, haha.
Mutt was great, I think he is such a good actor, and I almost lost it in the theater (I think I was the only one) during that part where they were underground and Mutt get's scared by a dangling piece of debris and sheepishly exclaims "Oh! ...oh, it's just a thing."
But yeah, all in all it was a very decent film, but the fight scenes lost some of that typical Indy muscle in favor of over-the-top and impossible acrobatics.
Thanks for dropping us a line though and sharing your thoughts.
-Cub. =o)
I personally think that the only thing that let the film down was the over use of CG. The story was not bad at all, and I've already said that despite similarities between it and Pandora, the idea of mysterious alien skulls and the Mayan civilisation's link to supposed aliens is fairly well known in history. But hey, I like you idea bout suing to get some way to fund a new Tex, haha.
Mutt was great, I think he is such a good actor, and I almost lost it in the theater (I think I was the only one) during that part where they were underground and Mutt get's scared by a dangling piece of debris and sheepishly exclaims "Oh! ...oh, it's just a thing."
But yeah, all in all it was a very decent film, but the fight scenes lost some of that typical Indy muscle in favor of over-the-top and impossible acrobatics.
Thanks for dropping us a line though and sharing your thoughts.
-Cub. =o)
*gasp* AC himself! 
*swoon* ... phew. Okay...
Chris vaguely kind of sort of maybe knows Spielberg, right?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkNFuxPFz4
Unless he just made that up
Now that just makes my day
*swoon* ... phew. Okay...Chris vaguely kind of sort of maybe knows Spielberg, right?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkNFuxPFz4
Unless he just made that up
Yep, that sums it up. It's a postmodern world we're living in.Bottom line is, all the Indy movies are homages to the old-fashioned adventure serials.
After the movie, we went to California Pizza Kitchen for lupper and who did we happen to run into? Why, Chris Jones & family!
Now that just makes my day
Awesome to see you drop in, AC! Thanks for the review. I have yet to see the new IJ movie, but will probably see it in the next week; I'll figure out what I think then.
Bummer that you, CJ, and as many of the others involved with Tex as possible, and us on the board here can't all meet at California Pizza Kitchen sometime; that would rock!
Bummer that you, CJ, and as many of the others involved with Tex as possible, and us on the board here can't all meet at California Pizza Kitchen sometime; that would rock!
HAHA! I was thinking the exact same thing! Let's emulate the craptastic aim from the Stormtroopers in Star Wars, and set it in the 1950's.AC wrote:
Russians can't shoot for $#it. How many thousand rounds can you fire from close range and miss?
Great analysis.
Good point Jane. I don't know if AC & CJ ever had meetings with Spielberg for the sadly unfinished AI game. They might have.
The waterfall scene reminded me of "Romancing The Stone" {if anyone can remember that movie}...AC wrote:Things I liked about the movie:
1. Karen Allen - she looked like a real 60 year-old woman! Yay!
2. The movie didn't take itself too seriously.
3. Mutt was surprisingly un-annoying (I think Shia's a very good actor, by the way).
4. Somehow, against all odds, Spielberg didn't turn it into a cloying, sugar-coated love fest.
5. Harrison Ford still has charisma.
6. Great chase scene through the college campus
7. Loved all the story elements
Things I didn't like:
1. The fight scenes - too many, too long, too contrived, too too too...
2. Cate Blanchette's wig and "Kevin Costner-esque accent" (great actress, but not one of her great performances)
3. The dead characters got referenced one too many times.
4. The waterfall sequence was just dumb.
5. Russians can't shoot for $#it. How many thousand rounds can you fire from close range and miss?
Great to see that the Birdies still speak... Usually they only speak to the Truly gifted ones...
The Paved Straight Road, Won't Always Get You Farther Than The Winding Dirt Road...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
In England, a bird can also be a woman. Jen?? *Points accusing finger* You stole my theory there, Jen. I was about to say something about the Stormtrooper Academy (you know, where they learn their aiming skills) but you beat me to the punch! Now I sound less cool. Aww...
However, I have not seen the film, and now, having it resembled to Pandora and my expectations severly lowered, I actually think I'll enjoy the film more than I would've.
So thanks!
Also, AC? Always a pleasure!
-Fred
However, I have not seen the film, and now, having it resembled to Pandora and my expectations severly lowered, I actually think I'll enjoy the film more than I would've.
So thanks!
Also, AC? Always a pleasure!
-Fred
Pirates, vampires, zombies, ninjas, ghouls, aliens, goblins, monsters, robots, sorcerers, undead, werewolves, demons, mutated dinosaur-cyborgs and those pesky phone salesmen! The shotgun is a one-size-fits-all solution!
Bad Guys in almost any film, can't shoot worth a damn... Sometimes the Good Guys can't either... If you had Sharp Shooting capabilities in films then people would die to easily and we wouldn't end up having a movie...
Makes me think of TOD at the end when he is climbing up the Bridge which has become a ladder and the bad guys all shoot the arrows at him... All the arrows slam against the cliff side and a few stick in the bridge... Indy looks back at them and breaths "Geesh" and starts climbing again... You'd think that out of the 3 dozen or so, that someone would have practiced with the Bow and Arrow a little...
Makes me think of TOD at the end when he is climbing up the Bridge which has become a ladder and the bad guys all shoot the arrows at him... All the arrows slam against the cliff side and a few stick in the bridge... Indy looks back at them and breaths "Geesh" and starts climbing again... You'd think that out of the 3 dozen or so, that someone would have practiced with the Bow and Arrow a little...
The Paved Straight Road, Won't Always Get You Farther Than The Winding Dirt Road...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
It's all in the Physics. The heat coming off the sunlit side of the cliff-face meets the cold air column produced by the raging water below and you get all these air currents and vortices which make it impossible to shoot straight. Or something like that.All the arrows slam against the cliff side and a few stick in the bridge.
Too bad you don´t sue them, that would have provided the financial platform for at least 10 new Tex games.
But honestly I think the pandora similarities are pure coincidence. It´s the same with Gabriel Knight3 and the Da Vinci Code. Lots of people said Dan Brown stole from Jane Jensen using a multitude of 100 % matching themes and theories . But i doubt he ever heard of Gabriel Knight, they were just influenced by the same things that were already out before Gabriel Knight3. Just like a certain book about the holy grail, that inspired Jane a lot and that was the source for many of the historical theories in GK3, and the same thing goes probably for Dan Brown.
But honestly I think the pandora similarities are pure coincidence. It´s the same with Gabriel Knight3 and the Da Vinci Code. Lots of people said Dan Brown stole from Jane Jensen using a multitude of 100 % matching themes and theories . But i doubt he ever heard of Gabriel Knight, they were just influenced by the same things that were already out before Gabriel Knight3. Just like a certain book about the holy grail, that inspired Jane a lot and that was the source for many of the historical theories in GK3, and the same thing goes probably for Dan Brown.
DrPaul wrote:It's all in the Physics. The heat coming off the sunlit side of the cliff-face meets the cold air column produced by the raging water below and you get all these air currents and vortices which make it impossible to shoot straight. Or something like that.All the arrows slam against the cliff side and a few stick in the bridge.
Yeah I'm sure that's why none of the Dozens of Arrows hit the 6 Feet 1 Inch tall, 200+ pound target...
Or maybe it was Indy's Magnetism that creates this small yet powerful reflection shield...
The Paved Straight Road, Won't Always Get You Farther Than The Winding Dirt Road...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
Can You Run Your Game??? Click Here And Find Out...
*Note, Not All Games Have Been Tested & Therefore May Not Be Listed...
The stormtroopers aim I'm sure has something to do with this...
(Now to see if I can work out how to add a picture!)
Nope can't do it, but have a look here...
http://www.stormahead.com/crawl.htm
(Now to see if I can work out how to add a picture!)
Nope can't do it, but have a look here...
http://www.stormahead.com/crawl.htm
David
Demonlawyer wrote:The stormtroopers aim I'm sure has something to do with this...
(Now to see if I can work out how to add a picture!)
Nope can't do it, but have a look here...
http://www.stormahead.com/crawl.htm
Haha, thats good stuff.
Travis Jacobs
"You might not sound so idiotic if there were at least something excitable in my post to begin with..." --Baf
"You might not sound so idiotic if there were at least something excitable in my post to begin with..." --Baf
