Sunday, March 23, 2008

"They're digging in the wrong place!"

For what seems like the first time in ages, I took today as a lazy day. I've literally done *nothing* of any real interest. I'd intended to do a couple of exciting things this Easter weekend, including clean the bathroom (couldn't be arsed), and get out on my bike for the first time since last September (too cold, maybe next weekend). Hell, I've not even left the house today!

Instead, I finished reading the book that I seem to have been reading since mid-January, and I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, which I recorded off the telly last weekend.

I've not seen this film in what feels like forever, and after seeing the trailer for this year's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I've been a bit gee'd up about rewatching the first three Indy movies. I should also say that Raiders holds a dear place in my heart.

Years ago, back in the mid 80s or thereabouts, I'd spend every Friday of the school summer holidays over at my grandparent's house. Sparky Ma would wake me and Big Bro up at a ridiculously early time, somehow get us out of bed, get us washed, and dressed, then get us on the bus to our grandparent's house, where Simon and I would watch Wacaday and bemoan the fact that they insisted on cutting half hour episodes of the Transformers cartoon into five minute segments that they'd show each day throughout the week. Anyway, by the time Wacaday finished at about 9:30, Big Bro and I were at a bit of a loss as to what to do, because all our toys were back at home. So, each week we would raid our grandparent's video library. 

As you'd expect, two kids under the age of 10 don't necessarily have quite the same taste in movies as their grandparents, so among the war movies, Clint Eastwood films, and John Wayne collection, we had but one choice: Raiders of the Lost Ark. And this wasn't even a proper VHS - it had been taped off the TV, and came complete with adverts interspersed throughout.

But every Friday, Simon and I would sit there, watching as Marion got herself kidnapped in Cairo, laugh as the naughty little monkey did a Nazi salute, then go "awwww" when it ate the bad date and died, shout along with Indy and Sallah (the dude with the axe in Lord of the Rings) as they gleefully discovered that the Germans were digging in the wrong place, and cheered as Indy once again foiled the Nazi's plans to get their grubby little mits on the Ark of the Covenant. We watched it so often that by the time we started back at school in September we could literally recite the dialogue word-for-word (including the ads).

And today it was every bit as good as I remembered it being; maybe even better, because I actually did reach a saturation point after a few years at after which I refused to watch Raiders ever again. I think this was the first time in at least 15 years that I've seen it. Even better is the fact that I've just recorded Temple of Doom* and I expect Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade will be on next week. This is working very well as a primer for Crystal Skull which comes out in May - let's hope it lives up to the standard of the originals, eh?


*I still can't take the title of this movie seriously since I saw an interview with Josh Hartnett where he said the name of his favourite porn movie was In Diana Jones and the Temple of Poon. I've had a lot of respect for him since then.

11 comments:

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Yay! First!

I didn't pause and I didn't hesitate, which means I can give you a bash on the head like this: *Bonk*

Or like this: *Bonk*

Now look at CyberPoo and say 'Bleurgh'!

Ohhh, good times!

Indiana Jones is good, too. Diana Jones doesn't sound quite so wholesome...

CyberPete said...

Oi!

Get that filthy wand away from me IDV!

I used to watch Coming to America every time my parents went out for a number of years. Also taped from TV. The tape snapped during one night my parents were out and I had to find something else to watch.

Never Say Never Again

Miss Smuggersham said...

I absolutely love old movies taped off the tellie.

Raymond and I would watch a copy of Encino Man relentlessly. A few years back we found it again and watched it - the dated ads were hilarious!

I have to say, Raiders of the Lost Arc is my dead - set favourite.

CyberPete said...

The temple of doom one always freaked me out.

The disgusting food and when they are in the tunnel walking in bugs..

Tim said...

Inexplicable Device - Ha ha! Someone obviously had a misspent youth watching Wacaday! Where's my plaster? Diana Jones sounds like a saucy madame!

Cyberpete - Coming to America is an awesome movie! An Eddie Murphy 80s classic! Never Say Never Again? Not so much…

T-Bird - I have a desire to see if mah grandparents still have that Raiders tape… Imagine what the ads would be like?! New Ford Sierra? Atari 2600?!

Cyberpete - Aaah, chilled monkey brains! A delicacy!!

Anonymous said...

The best line in Raiders (I watched it last week) was when the bad nazi man said to Indy "Dr Jones, I see your taste in friends hasn't changed" and he's got the Cute Little Monkey next to him.

But the best thing about Raiders is definitely Karen Allen. I don't know what it is about her, but I fancy her stupid.

Tim said...

The bad Nazi man!? Aren't they by sheer virtue of being a Nazi 'bad'!? Debate!

As for Karen Allen - I initially thought she was the poor man's Margot Kidder, but after the head-shaving, teeth bashing incident of a few years back, I think it's the other way round…

Dude, have you seen her in the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Meth?! SHE'S NOT AGED A DAY!

Tara said...

I didn't read your post before posting my Monday thing, and we both have Indiana Jones-type things to talk about. It must be in the air. I can't wait for the new one to come out! I went to a restaurant with my mom yesterday that looked like a set from "Raiders of the Lost Arc".

That's a good idea about watching those movies to prime for the new one. I have all three on VHS. McDonald's was selling them a long time ago.

Tim said...

Tara - Wait, back up a second! A restaurant that looked like a set from Raiders of the Lost Ark?! And Mcdonalds sold the videos?! Isn't that a little bit outside their comfort zone!? I'm confused! I hope the answers I seek are at your blog!!

Tara said...

I looked it up to see when McDonald's did that, and it was way back in 1992. They sold all three of the Indiana Jones videos and also "The Wizard of Oz" for $5.99 each with particular food items. I don't remember them selling "Wizard of Oz", though. Perhaps I blocked that part out.

Tim said...

Aaaaaaah, I see! All McDonalds do over here is crappy toys!