What Would Movie Audiences of the 1930's and 40s have made of the Indiana Jones films?

[BAYLOR]

There were of course movie serials along somewhat similar lines but more often than not , they were produced on the cheap and the storytelling characterization and acting not always the best. What those audiences of thought of Raiders of the Lost Ark and films that followed . What would that they have thought of production values , effects and the direction and style filmmaking and story telling ,the character in the films ? What would they have liked and disliked about them?

Thoughts ?

 

[Vince W]

My grandfather, who was a WW2 and Korean War veteran, loved them. He lived through the period and he didn’t make any negative remarks about them. He was not an easy man to please either.

 

[Foxbat]

I think the very fact that serials were popular and the Indy movies are an obvious homage to them would indicate that audiences of that time would have enjoyed them.

With regards to the better production of the Indy movies, I think they would have been rated alongside the likes of Cecil B. Demille movies.

 

[BAYLOR]

My grandfather, who was a WW2 and Korean War veteran, loved them. He lived through the period and he didn’t make any negative remarks about them. He was not an easy man to please either.

I think the very fact that serials were popular and the Indy movies are an obvious homage to them would indicate that audiences of that time would have enjoyed them.

With regards to the better production of the Indy movies, I think they would have been rated alongside the likes of Cecil B. Demille movies.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark , They would have certainly loved the opening in the Jungle temple and the boulder , they have laughed at the sword fight that never happened scene and thyey would have deftly loved Indiana jones chasing down the NAZI to get the get Ark back scene, that Car chase scene would have had the asuncece on the edge. The opening of the Ark and what filled would have certainly been shocker to audiences.

 

[Foxbat]

I think the sword fight that never happened was my all-time favourite Indy moment

 

[Rodders]

I think people would've love Indiana Jones as it's not too far removed from the adventure classics of the time.

 

[Vladd67]

I'm sure they would also enjoy Boxleitner's Bring them back alive, and Tales of the Gold Monkey. Bring them back alive would be particularly popular as the hero, Frank Buck, was an author and occasional film star in the 30s

Frank Buck (animal collector) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[paranoid marvin]

Indy 1-3 were both a homage and a parody of the serials. I think that audiences of the time would have recognised this, and who wouldn't enjoy the soundtrack and the set piece action sequences. But the gore level would have seemed off the scale, and I'm not sure how they would have felt about incorporating religious artefacts into the storylines.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think the sword fight that never happened was my all-time favourite Indy moment

The story about how this came about about is interesting. Originally there was suppose to be an actual fight , sword vs Whip but, Harrison Ford had gotten sick and couldn't do the fight scene so instead , they had him shoot the Swordsman . It worked out because that scene has become iconic. I think the audiences of the 30's and 40s would loved that scene.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think the very fact that serials were popular and the Indy movies are an obvious homage to them would indicate that audiences of that time would have enjoyed them.

With regards to the better production of the Indy movies, I think they would have been rated alongside the likes of Cecil B. Demille movies.

Movie of that era that hd alot common with the films was Gunga Din ( great film and one of my favorites )in fact this filminfluenced Temple of Doom

 

[paranoid marvin]

Movie of that era that hd alot common with the films was Gunga Din ( great film and one of my favorites )in fact this filminfluenced Temple of Doom

A little off topic, but I was recently watching part of a WWII movie called 633 Squadron (which was an inspiration for Star Wars). With stirring music, genuine Mosquito aircraft and some wonderful effects using models (the part I watched) looked like a tremendously entertaining movie. Compare that with the best 'modern' movies like Dunkirk, and whilst that movie might be more realistic, it wasn't half as captivating to watch.

The Great Escape, Bridge over the River Kwai, Von Ryan's Express, Dirty Dozen, Where Eagles Dare, The Eagle has Landed etc etc. The genre of what is probably closer to 'comic book' 'boys own' WWII movies seem to have been replaced with much more realistic, more graphic, more 'war-is-hell' type of movies. And whilst we should ever lose sight of the fact that many of these movies are based on true events, and that people died for real and that it wasn't all a 'grand adventure' to entertain us in lightweight movies, there should still be a place for these type of films. For even those 'comic book' type WWII movies tended to honour and magnify the achievements of those brave men and women.

 

[BAYLOR]

A little off topic, but I was recently watching part of a WWII movie called 633 Squadron (which was an inspiration for Star Wars). With stirring music, genuine Mosquito aircraft and some wonderful effects using models (the part I watched) looked like a tremendously entertaining movie. Compare that with the best 'modern' movies like Dunkirk, and whilst that movie might be more realistic, it wasn't half as captivating to watch.

The Great Escape, Bridge over the River Kwai, Von Ryan's Express, Dirty Dozen, Where Eagles Dare, The Eagle has Landed etc etc. The genre of what is probably closer to 'comic book' 'boys own' WWII movies seem to have been replaced with much more realistic, more graphic, more 'war-is-hell' type of movies. And whilst we should ever lose sight of the fact that many of these movies are based on true events, and that people died for real and that it wasn't all a 'grand adventure' to entertain us in lightweight movies, there should still be a place for these type of films. For even those 'comic book' type WWII movies tended to honour and magnify the achievements of those brave men and women.

You can't beat classic.