The Adventures of Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark/ Temple of Doom/ Last Crusade) - Widescreen Edition Reviews

• genre perfection

  
  By ARFCORBCTKX1J on 2003-11-15
  Saturday-morning serials were, on the whole, awful. Cheaply made, with numbingly unimaginative and repetitive plots, they were filler that encouraged weekly movie attendance. A 15-part "thriller" could be cranked out for $100K to $250K (the total running time was rarely more than 90 minutes), so it easily returned its investment.

  The worst thing about them was that, as "cliffhangers," very little actually hung over the cliff. The near-fatal situation the hero found himself in at the end of each episode was revealed at the beginning of the next to be not particularly threatening, as he (or she -- think of Pearl White) had gotten out of the way _before_ the explosion, gun shot, rock fall, car crash, etc, etc.

  In one Buster Crabbe serial there's no way he can _possibly_ escape death -- and, indeed, the opening of the next episode is a complete reshoot that allows him an escape! Yet the kids never seemed to learn, and came back week after week. The two Superman serials -- why hasn't Warners reissued them on DVD? -- are well-above-average in this respect, as Supes could save the victim from just about any danger. Not to mention getting into a few tight spots himself.

  "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was the Saturday-morning cliffhanger serial millions of kids deserved, but never got. It's the epitome of this genre, and is unlikely ever to be exceeded, let alone equalled. It delivers the real thrills those cheap serials didn't, and remains a hoot, especially when the Nazis get what they so richly deserve at the end.

  Opinions on the sequels vary. "Temple of Doom" is a terrific adventure film, but many viewers objected to its dark tone (which was Spielberg's and Lucas's intent -- they didn't want to repeat the first film). Its real problem isn't the violence (it's no more violent than "Raiders," which initially received an R rating for Belloc's head explosion), but its lack of any dramatic substance. It's 95% action -- there's little personal interaction or conflict. (Classic-serial fans will note that most of the "gags" are taken from a Republic serial, "Manhunt of Mystery Island." Which is one of the serials trashed in Firesign Theater's "Hot Shorts." It, too, deserves a DVD issue.)

  Anyone who doesn't enjoy "The Last Crusade" is nuts, because we have the great fun of seeing Sean Connery as Indy's father. Connery is that rare combination of a really good actor _and_ a legitimate "movie star," who steals every scene he's in. "Crusade" lacks the startling novelty of "Raiders," but it's the best-plotted of the three films, tightly connecting the Grail search with Indy's and his father's lives.

  The transfers are wonderful, especially "Raiders," which has never looked so vivid and rich. Spielberg and Lucas haven't altered the films, not even changing the title card of the first (which now "officially" has the "Indiana Jones and the..." prefix). Nor, alas, have the special effects been redone. You can still see the matte/Rotoscope lines, which are especially noticeable in the "supernatural" effects at the end of "Raiders." Considering the extensive (and sometimes unwelcome) changes Spielberg made to "E. T.", this is surprising.

  The Indiana Jones movies are three wonderful excuses for fattening yourself on popcorn. The real stuff, not microwave.
  
  

• Enough already

  
  By A1KT1GWCW8F80 on 2003-11-30
  I read the first 70 reviews of the DVD 4-pack. I would like to comment on some comments.

  1. Defective disks? All 4 of mine played flawlessly - on a $60 player.
  2. Bad sound and picture? Mine looked and sounded great (although only on basic stereo TV).
  3. Paper label on back cheap? Yep. Pulled it off and threw it away. So? Some other expensive DVD's I've bought came the same way.
  4. Missing rat scene? Mine had it. A particular reviewer gave a 1-star rating based on a "missing" rat scene.
  5. No commentary or deleted scenes? Nope. Some people seemed surprised (after they bought it). If you can't read an advertisement (or cheap paper label) BEFORE you buy something, perhaps you should not be trusted with a credit card.
  Truthfully, commentaries are over-rated in general, although I like them. The problem is that the commentor is constrained by time as the movie plays along - should he only make short 5-second comments about obvious and insignificant things ("this is where the head explodes"), or a 2-minute oration about some specific point while the movie leaves him behind? The documentaries on the bonus disk allow as much time per subject as needed (more or less).
  6. One "reviewer" said nothing about the movies or DVDs themselves but instead went off on a diatribe about how full-screen movies are in fact some kind of rip off due to "widescreen only" TV's in the next few years. Apparently (I'm inferring) this will cause (gasp!) black bars at the side of the screen rather than top. OK...
  7. Another "reviewer" who has not actually seen the DVD's wrote about having to return them because he bought the full-screen version by mistake, not knowing there was a wide-screen version. Hmmm. It has "widescreen" or "full screen" in the title, too.
  8. Another "reviewer" complained that he likes full-screen formats because he has a 4:3 TV and apparently the bars on widescreen versions are annoying. Did you know that if you had a widescreen TV, you would have plastic TV at the top and bottom instead of black bars and glass? This one made no sense, but he was from France, so OK:-)
  9. The one guy I CAN relate to claimed this set was a rip-off because he only wanted ROTLA and thought the other movies were bad. I would not call it a rip off - you don't have to buy it, dude - but I, too, was only interested in ROTLA, but figured the bonus material would be good enough to warrant the other disks. Just barely. ROTLA is excellent. TOD is almost unwatchable due to the character of the little kid. I thought LC was marginal, saved only because it had Nazi's again.
  
  

• What Happen to the Transfere?

  
  By A2FWF1XNI0JLJ7 on 2003-10-25
  I love these movies but what happened to the contrast / color? I played them on two different TV/DVD player combos cause I thought I had a problem. These have to be the worst professional transferes I have ever seen. Extremely dark. I've done better transferes with my home movies. Hold off buying this set until you have seen them and judge them for yourself. These may not be worth the $45.00+ for them. The stills on the covers are better then the movies. Very Very Bad!!!!! This bothers me that someone of this talent would allow this to hit the street in this condition. Lucas / Spielberg are suppose to be the best in the market. You can't prove it by this set. I've seen bootlegs better than these. What are you people thinking? Didn't anyone proof these when you got done? I can't believe it took this long to get this garbage out. Is this a ploy to force people to buy the new remastered/redigitized/recolored deluxe set in 2 years?
  
  

• Widescreen finally for VHS

  
  By A1ZP3F3PSDURB4 on 1999-12-02
  I'm sure you all know the stories so I won't go into how great an adventure these movies are. Instead let say if it's worth getting if you already own these movies.

  I hear all the DVD/Laserdisc issues and I totally agree. However, for those who only have VHS as an option, the Widescreen version of the Indiana Jones trilogy is truly welcome and well over due.

  For years I've been watching these films in their pan and scan. If anyone knows Spielberg, he loves using different sized lenses to get a panoramic shot during his films. You don't get that feel at all in pan and scan. Now with this gift set, you'll see the original vision. His great geographical settings will be seen the way he filmed it. Dialogue between two people will be seen in one shot, instead of annoying cuts between one person and the then the next in pan and scan. Watch the widescreen versions, and you'll see it as a smoother flowing film.

  I must also say, the picture quality is much better than the original videos. The clarity will hit you right away. The only reason I bought this set was for the widescreen. I must say that it was definitely worth it and the fact that the picture and sound are much clearer is a great bonus.
  
  

• Complete & Satisfying

  
  By ALZ5Y1CE0DWQ1 on 2003-10-18
  George Lucas produced something other than Star Wars? The younger crowd may not be aware of this, but anyone like me growing up in the 70's -80's would. The answer: Absolutely! (We can forget & forgive his mid-80's mistake "Howard the Duck.")

  This collaborative effort from Steven Spielberg & George Lucas brought new life into the action genre. It is equally important to remember that the films also propelled Harrison Ford from Star Wars's loveable "scoundrel" to a silver screen staple. Here is my take on the series so far (barring Indiana Jones 4 which is on & off...hopefully off due to Ford's age and the closure in "Last Crusade.")

  Raiders of the Lost Ark:
  From the intro Paramount logo shifting into a real mountain, to the mishaps in recovering the golden idol from the temple, "Raiders" pretty much set a tone for what was to come -action. What it brought in after the opening sequence is something not often seen in action movies -story. Not just story, mind you, but intelligent story (dispelling the myth that audiences are stupid.) It is an awkward sight to see Jones transformed from the adventurer to the lecturer, until he is told of The Ark of the Covenant -supposedly holding The Ten Commandments and a source of ultimate power -and chases after it. The rest & former are long embedded in film history. The Nazi's are after it as well and Jones has the fight of his life.

  Interesting points:
  The beautiful Karen Allen (Starman) portrays Marion (who I personally would like to have seen resurface in later films) and the rolling boulder (reminiscent of the asteroid thundering through a starship in 1979's B-movie "The Black Hole.")

  Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom:
  For me, this was the oddball movie. Jones saves child-slaves from an evil cult. That's about as well as I can sum it up. It fails its predecessor and succumbs to mediocre "sequel fever." I don't expect everyone to share my view, nor do I want you to. All-in-all, it's a high action flick and will pass some time well, even with the miscast future Mrs. Spielberg -Kate Capshaw (Space Camp).

  Interesting points:
  The chase through the mine is an exciting thrill-ride and the tension of bridge scene afterwards makes up for the lower points of this movie.

  Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade:
  To place this movie alongside the first would be justice served. Here is the return of the intelligent story and type of action/drama mix that resurged the Jones Saga. It opens with young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix, "The Mosquito Coast") stealing a lost artifact from a band of robbers. Ultimately, he is too young to thwart them; however it reveals the character of Jones from an early age and introduces his father, Henry (Sean Connery). Now, fast forward to the Jones we have come to know and Jones is trying to find his father who went searching for the Holy Grail. The movie is a whirlwind trip through Biblical History and pure adrenaline pumped action. The chemistry between Ford & Connery shines throughout the exotic locations and explosions providing comic relief as much as back-story. I can't say enough about this film, so I will stop here.

  Interesting points:
  So much is revealed in this movie, from the origin of the name "Indiana," to the deepest parts of each character (something rarely seen in films -character depth.)

  DVD Extras:
  Fortunate enough to have seen it (and I admit I'm not that much of a fan of these DVD revelations on the making's of the movie because it oftentimes destroys the fantasy of it all) I have to bend and tell you it is worth it. The original trailers are laughable (they weren't at the time the movie came out and I mean that in no disrespectful way) and a trip down Nostalgia Lane. One thing that sets this apart is that the documentary is not boring. Most are in DVD Extra-discs (probably because new movies have no real history -save maybe for The Matrix.)

  Final Note:
  For the cost, quality (remastered, et al.,) this is one box set that I am happy to comment on and also, one that I believe was done right and released right. (Check out other trilogy box-sets, which I won't name here, and you'll find so many versions and "Director's Cuts" that you'll be baffled at what to buy. This set is complete...plain & simple. Enjoy
  
  

• If adventure has a name...
  By A3TUZOJZM9008Y on 2003-09-17
  it is three great movies. Okay, bad name for adventure. How about Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr.?

  In a return to the early serials of their childhood, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg invented an archeologist/adventurer by the name of Jones. Originally to be played by Tom Selleck, Harrision Ford stepped in when Selleck couldn't get out of doing a TV series (Magnum, PI). Each man ended up with a signature role to call their own.

  Raiders of the Lost Ark - Where the adventure all began. Ford, along with Karen Allen, try to stop the Nazi regime from finding the Lost Ark of the Covenent. A roller coaster ride from beginning to end. Perhaps the best of the three.

  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - A prequel which sees Indy team up with a kid and Mrs. Spielberg on another quasi-religious quest. While darker and less satisfyiong than the first, still an excellent film.

  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - It's Indy against the Nazi horde once again. This time, our hero sets out to save his father (Sean Connery), and find the Holy Grail, literally. They played up the comic elements more in this one, but it was better received than the second installment.

  All in all, this is one of the best trilogies in movie history. If the rumored fourth film ever manages to make it to screen, this set will probably be replaced in a few years.
  
  

• Where's the DVD ?
  By A2F8R40Z2OMIJM on 1999-12-01
  I know this is the VHS version, but I must ask where the DVD is? I am aware that there are something like 600 million VCRs in homes across the US and only about 3 million DVD players (*currently) ... however, as a DVD owner, I feel left out with the release of the INDIANA JONES VHS set. I just don't want to spend $30-something on tapes that I'll eventually replace with a DVD -- whenever it is Lucasfilm releases it! The Indiana Jones trilogy are my favorite movies. I WANT to own them. But I'm afraid I must practice patience (or "count to 10" as Indy's pop would say ... although I think the DVD release is more than "10" away ...) My favorite is RAIDERS. I love the way TEMPLE OF DOOM switches gears. And CRUSADE is fun, but ultimately unmemorable. Now ... if only I could view them in widescreen DVD (with extras, please, Mr. Lucas!) tick ... tick ... tick ...
  
  
• Widespread Problem of this DVD set
  By on 2003-11-12
  Beaware.

  I returned this item 3 times because disk 3 ALWAYS comes defective and does not play the entire movie.

  Amazon.com refused to send me any more replacement because the problem is widespread. They don't know when the studio is going to fix this problem.

  If you don't wanna risk yourself to get in the same problem as mine, WAIT for a while (until the studio fixes the problem) to purchase this set.
  
  

• It is about time!!!!!
  By A27RJ30RN5K9MX on 2003-11-13
  As you have probably already read, the DVD set is a little light when it comes to the extras. However, the transfer on the films themselves is amazing! The picture and sound quality is so good, that it is almost unreal. This DVD set is truly a must buy for any fans of Indiana Jones or of action films in general.

  Raiders of the Lost Ark

  "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the best film of the trilogy in my opinion. We get to see the loveable, bullwhip-cracking, archeologist Indiana Jones for the first time. Harrison Ford was the perfect choice for the role of Indiana Jones, and he gave the best performance of his career. Karen Allen is outstanding as Indy's love interest Marion Ravenwood. I love how she can powerdrink any man under the table, and actually gets involved in the story. Allen did not play the typical " damsel in distress" which made the role so good. Only Steven Spielberg could have created a masterpiece like "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The non stop action, special effects, overall story, and acting are all top notch. Indiana Jones is one of the most memorable characters to ever come out of Hollywood.

  The Temple of Doom

  "Temple of Doom" is obviously the second film of the trilogy. People often criticize this film very heavily. While it was not as good as "Raiders of the Lost Ark", it is still extremely enjoyable in my opinion. Steven Spielberg, despite the opinions of others, did a good job with this film. It is much darker than Raiders which makes it somewhat original. It is also funnier, and has some very suspenseful scenes! The one that comes to mind, is Indy and company jumping out of the plane on the raft, and sliding down the mountain. The action is non stop and the acting is good all around. Also, I love the visuals for this film. Underneath the palace in the caverns especially. You also get a first hand look at the wilderness of India. Temple of Doom is not as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark, but still very enjoyable and fun to watch. Kate Capshaw was the film's only downfall, because she spends the majority of the film whining about bugs, getting wet, etc. Sometimes you just want Indy to tell her to shut up. Suprisingly, the film's best role behind Harrison Ford, Jonathan Ke Quan as Short Round. He is mainly known for his role as Data in "The Goonies". This kid did an amazing job and will have you laughing for the majority of the film.

  The Last Crusade

  "The Last Crusade" is almost as good as "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The overall story, non stop action, and father/son relationship between Ford and Connery really make it a treat to watch. Harrison Ford is back for a third time, as the loveable bullwhip-cracking archeologist Indiana Jones, and he does a great job once again. The thing that I really love about this film, we get to see more than one side of the character and look into Indy's past. River Pheonix had a nice cameo as the young Indy. I liked how we got to see how Indiana Jones came to be. Sean Connery is one of Hollywood's true legends. He steps up and really nails the role of Henry Jones. His obsessive nature over the grail is great, and how can you not love the relationship between Indy and his dad. " I told you...don't call me Junior!!!"
  
  

• RELEASE IT ON DVD! PLEASE!
  By on 1999-12-02
  Great Trilogy and would be even better on DVD!
  
  
• One of the best movies ever!
  By A259TL563IC4XW on 2003-05-07
  Raiders of the lost arc is one of the greatest movies ever made.Harrison Ford is by far the best actor ever,but some dvd news.It will come out November 4,2003,it will be a 4-disk set with the fourth disk being special features.
  
  
• Each movie is a 5, the set is a 4
  By A2NACIQH1P8J01 on 2005-08-26
  Ok this set could have offered a lot more and they should have known the fans would be very demanding. The extras are pretty limited. Also this set does come with a lot of defects. I actually bought my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd set at Best Buy. They were sorry for all my troubles. The thought it was a great idea to piece together a working set from all of the defective ones. Thankfully they had labeled each set with which movie was defective. They also gave me a $10 gift card for my idea. Apparently a lot of them came damaged so don't be too surprised if it happens to you.
  
  I am assuming everyone has seen the movies so i will just give a brief description of each:
  
  Raiders of the Lost Ark: Indy gets recruited to by the U.S. government to find the lost Ark of the Covenant. He is in a race against a rival archaeologist and the Nazis to recover something that could tip the scales in Hitler's favor. Most of the movie takes place in Egypt with a quick stop to Nepal. Indy gets the girl.
  
  Temple of Doom: Indy evades getting shot by a Chinese mob boss only to go down in a plane crash at the hands of the same boss. He crashes into India and meets up with a dying Indian village. He must save the village's children, recover a mystical stone and defeat an ancient cult. This movie takes place in Shanghai China and India. Indy gets the girl.
  
  Last Crusade: This is a new take on the Grail legend. Indy's father disappears while looking for the Grail. Indy goes looking for his father and gets caught up in the search for the Grail. In this he is also in a race against the Nazis. This movie also shows Indy as a kid and how he came to be the archaeologist that we all love. This movie takes place in America, off the coast of Portugal, Venice, Austria, Germany, and Turkey. Indy loses the girl.
  
  
  
• Thank god Lucas left well enough alone
  By AS72LNH1VF2UV on 2003-10-21
  It's so hard to be a fan of George Lucas films. Between the absence of the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD, the two new obscenely, mediocre Star Wars films, and all his "special" editions, it's nice to finally have the good, old, Indy we know and love on DVD.
  
  
• Is stuttering not allowed in 5.0 surround?
  By ADUYZ2OYY0389 on 2003-11-20
  I like getting rid of my old VHS movies when the DVDs come out. They take up less space, they're more stable and usually improved... But sometimes, they mess something up so bad that I can't get rid of my old VHS copies! This outrage usually occurs when they remix their precious 5.0 surround. For example...
  INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. At the lava pit Willie used to stutter,"Wha-what's the matter with you?" The DVD sound guys felt it necessary to mess with the natural flow of the dialogue that has existed since 1984 and remove the stutter. Now it's just "What's the matter with you?"
  Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Wonderful DVD! But again, some nameless tamperer decided that Beast wasn't allowed to nervously ask "You wanna - you wanna stay in the tower?" Now he only confidently asks "You wanna stay in the tower?" (Even in the supposed "original theatrical version" option!)
  When these engineers prepare the sound for these DVDs, do they actually think they're hearing a skip or something that needs to be edited out? Or have they taken it upon themselves to declare that stuttering simply doesn't belong in their precious DVD 5.0 surround sound?
  Enhance the picture and the sound, please. Slap everything onto a disc and sell it to us again and again. But please!!! Stop fixing things that aren't broken!!! (You too, George Lucas) And someday, maybe I can actually replace a VHS movie with a DVD, and not have to keep both! Thanks for listening.

  Vernon Wilmer
  California
  
  

• Five Stars for Raiders, four for the others
  By ATS1HA5M3EPZ4 on 2003-06-18
  Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my top five favorite movies. A throwback to the old serial cliffhanger movies that I am not even old enough to remember, it holds a nostalgia that no one can put their finger on. There is no way to really describe it, but suffice to say it's exciting, adventurous, spooky, scary and mystical all at the same time. It combines action, romance and edge of your seat suspense as well as humor, not just gags, all in just the right places.
  
  The three movies center on Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford; a tough, smart and adventurous Archeologist/Professor who throws punches as well as he gives exams. In Raiders of the Lost Ark he is searching for the ancient Ark of the covenant that held the shattered Ten Commandments that Moses brought down from the Mountian. The search for the necessary artifacts and the people who can make sense of them takes him to exotic and dangerous locations, including a Nazi artifact dig where they are looking for the Ark as well. The tone of the movie holds more mystery and has an eerie quality about it but without getting bogged down in `doom and gloom'. The preceding movies don't seem to match up to the first.
  
  The Temple of Doom is supposed to be a prequel to Ark, even though it was released afterward. The intention was never to make a continuation, but to make episodes. Temple's dark and cult driven plot is too eerie and too spooky to be as enjoyable as Ark. Indiana finds himself deep in the mountains of India helping a remote village recover the Shankara Stones, as well as recovering the people's stolen children who have been taken to work as slaves. The stones are the life force of the peoples village and they are destined to die out if the stones, and their children, are not returned. The action sequences are great, including a nerve racking mine car chase. But with Kate Capshaw screaming most of the time and the dark and `sacraficial' sequences, something about this movie makes you want to cringe. But not always in a bad way, the tone of the movie is consistant with it's own creepiness. Although it still stands as a good piece of work in Speilbergs collection, even he has stated it was not one his favorite creations.
  
  The Last Crusade was meant to be something of an apology for Temple of Doom. It's lighter, funnier and more family friendly. It also has the same basic plot and structure as Raiders. Here Indiana is trying to rescue his father, played gracefully by Sean Connery, after disappearing during his search for the Holy Grail. There are some good moments where we learn about Indy's childhood and his relationship with his father but it feels a little forced and there are a few silly moments contrived just for humor. Nevertheless, it is a good solid adventure.
  
  Overall, you can't go wrong with the set, but it's obvious that they released all three together because the second two would never sell like the first. But I am happy to buy all three because despite the few flaws, they are all good movies...but Raiders is the best.
  
  
  
• Still remains one of the best
  By A1MG0XHW2YSI9 on 2003-06-25
  At last the Indiana Jones trilogy arrives on DVD! Indy fans have been waiting for this moment for a long long time. The anticipation for this DVD release is unmatched except by perhaps 'Star Wars'. Rest assured that this complete 4-DVD set will feature all three films digitally re-mastered with crystal clear sound and picture. The fourth disc will contain a boatload of extras ... In addition, the DVD set comes in a unique box design... a keeper for any serious collector.
  What makes Indiana Jones such a unique legacy is that he is an original character. He was dreamed up by several different men and women, including 'Star Wars' creator George Lucas (Lucas is the only writer credited for all three films). Indiana Jones has become an iconic figure in film. Who else do you know sports a felt hat and carries around a bullwhip? Just recently Indy was honored into the American Film Institute's (AFI) '100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains' list at #2, ahead of other famous film heroes as James Bond, Rocky, and Han Solo. He exhibits all the qualities of a hero: courage, intelligence, strength... but at the same time he also has weaknesses, like his dreadful fear of snakes. Harrison Ford immortalizes his character as the most human of all screen heroes.

  If I were asked to choose the best movie amongst the three, I wouldn't be able to provide an answer. I love them all and I think each of them are equally brilliant and entertaining. The Indiana Jones trilogy still remains some of my favorite movies of all time. Good adventure stories are certainly lacking these days. If I were to choose a favorite movie, however, I'd pick 'Temple of Doom' because it is the most frightening, surreal, action-packed, humorous, and happy all in one. You feel really good at the end when Indy brings all the enslaved Indian kids back to their home village, and you certainly feel petrified during the moment when the fanatic head of the cult pulls out a man's beating heart.

  If you haven't seen all three movies, don't even bother wasting your money for a rental. You should just buy this DVD set and enjoy 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 'Temple of Doom', and 'Last Crusade' over and over and over again. And then maybe again after that.

  >>> 5 stars. Movies like these are made very rarely.

  - the enlightened one
  
  

• The greatest adventure of all time!
  By A29R4FCO6RFX4K on 2003-07-19
  Conceived by two of the greatest film-makers of our time, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's inspired concept to remake the old 50s TV serials into a swashbuckling action adventure movie proved to be one of the best ideas in Hollywood since Zorro. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, and the two subsequent sequels; INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM and INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE did massive box-office success and propelled star Harrison Ford to super-stardom in the 80s. Adored by fans, RAIDERS is perfect movie making. And while some purists claim that TEMPLE OF DOOM is the lesser of the trilogy, the action quota is higher than that of the excellent LAST CRUSADE. Together, these 3 movies have become some of the most famous and still greatest adventures in cinema history.

  RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is my all-time favorite movie. And one major reason is the incredible opening ten minutes. The ominous jungle setting, Spielberg's brilliant framing revealing the man in the hat. A mysterious cave with booby traps, shady guides who chicken out thus upping the impending threat, Indiana's swagger as he strides into the eerie cavern. Dangerous spiders, avoiding fatal spikes, carefully walking up to the antiquity, then it's grab and run as the cave begins to collapse, the hero betrayed by the shifty guide, dodging arrows, swinging over the chasm with whip, sliding under the quickly closing wall, the shifty guy is dead, and as he picks up the artifact an immense boulder starts thundering after the hero with ever-increasing pace, he swings out of the way cheating death by seconds... only to be faced by his arch nemesis, Belloq, and is forced to relinquish his precious find to the fiend. A tense moment, and suddenly twenty natives race after the hero, shooting arrows after him. Swinging on a vine to safety accompanied by John William's heroic score, he catches his plane. Cinema par excellence.
  The success of RAIDERS is in the genius of it's design. No film since (Not even the sequels) has ever managed to pull off the idea of the whole film being one fantastic string of action sequences without being tedious or repetitive. The story is the best of the three movies, with Indy chasing after the lost ark of the covenant before the nazis get there. Here Spielberg shows why he is the best at what he does. And similar to another work of art in the Spielberg cannon; JAWS, John Williams is the 'fifth actor' in the film, with his brassy, heroic score underlying the action and continually giving momentum throughout the entire running time.
  As all fans know, Spielberg originally wanted to direct a Bond movie. With Lucas' great writing and Spielberg steady hand, they not only blitzed the 007 movie of the same year, but ushered a whole new generation of film-makers, inspired and influenced to raise the bar in action movies.

  INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM follows the standard trilogy rule: the second movie is the darkest. Like THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, the second adventure (Or third, since this is actually a prequel) sees Indiana in much darker territory. This time around, Indy's plane crashes in India, where he has to retrieve the stolen Shankara stones and save the children of the village. The action is the film's high point, especially the Shanghai action scene (Set in club Obi Wan) and the fantastic mine car chase. However, it does lose points with it's over-indulgence in dark horrors with human sacrifice and torture. Spielberg himself has said that when he watched it, he felt it was too violent. Compared with recent films, it seems somewhat tame, but still retains it power. But it is comic book violence after all, and therein lies the idea of the film. It's just a movie. But a very good one.
  For the third installment, the dream team of Spielberg and Lucas came up with another inspired idea. With the casting of Bond vet Sean Connery as Indiana's father in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, a new layer of hitherto unseen emotion and clever humor makes this one a fantastic entry in the franchise. the action is great, and Indy's dad calling Indy 'Junior' never fails to be funny. This time, Junior is on the trail to find his father, who was kidnapped by the nazis in a plot to find the Holy Grail. Indy must rescue his dad and the race is on to find the artifact before it falls into the wrong hands. While there are less action set-pieces than in RAIDERS, when they do come, they are amazing. Thrilling boat chases, plane chases, the tank chase, and the finale, a fitting end to the most incredible trilogies of all time. No wonder there's still talk of Indy 4. I can hardly wait...
  
  

• On DVD at last
  By A2F3M93RRLFQNJ on 2003-12-05
  This set of DVDs contains one of my all-time favorite movies and its two sequels. On the merits of the original movie alone, this boxed set gets five stars. The remainder is almost supplemental.

  Raiders of the Lost Ark is a classic adventure movie, an almost flawless film that introduces Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, archaeology professor and treasure hunter in the 1930s. Recruited by the government to find the Ark of the Covenant (containing the remains of the Ten Commandments), Jones soon runs afoul of the others seeking the Ark, in particular the Nazis and his arch-nemesis, Belloq. Belloq is actually the best villain in the entire series, an amoral archaelogist whose ambition seems to be to become Jones, so he is always seeking to emulate Indy's professional and romantic successes.

  Temple of Doom -easily the weakest of the three - is supposedly a prequel to Raiders. It is not so much action-packed as action-crammed, with so much fighting and fleeing that there is no real time for any real characters. The villains are second-rate and the cute kid sidekick is annoying, but most grating is Kate Capshaw's character who is thoroughly unpleasant and pales in comparison to the much more interesting Marion Ravenwood in the first movie. There are also contradictions created by this movie taking place earlier than Raiders: how can Indy be so skeptical of the supernatural in Raiders if he has previously undergone the Temple of Doom adventures?

  The Last Crusade returns to the spirit of the original movie, bringing back old characters and situations. Although there is no Marion, we do have Sean Connery as Indiana Jones's father. The two of them are racing against the Nazis to find the Holy Grail. If not quite as good as the original, it is still a decent movie.

  This is not so much a trilogy as a series, the distinction being that a trilogy is essentially one long story (like Star Wars or the Matrix) and a series is a sequence of individual stories focused on the same characters (like James Bond or the Lethal Weapon movies). As a series, each movie must be judged on it own merits, and as such, this is a set of one great, one good and one so-so movie. The supplemental materials are interesting, but if you skip them, you aren't missing a whole lot. Buy this set for Raiders (which you can't get by itself), and maybe The Last Crusade.
  
  

• Gift set gives plenty of bang for the buck.
  By ASK27JHZK7VHF on 1999-11-08
  If you're going to get all three movies, get this giftset. You get 4 videos (including a Young Indy video, Treasure of the Peacock's Eye) for less than the price of the 3 Indy movies bought individually. IMHO Sean Patrick Flannery can't hold a candle to Harrison Ford, and it is because of TotPE that I only gave this 4 stars; but it's still entertaining and worth getting. It's essentially a free bonus anyway, so why not?

  Of course it goes without saying that this is one of the best film trilogies of the past 20 years, right up there with Lucas' Star Wars. I just watched Raiders this evening - my first time seeing it in years, and the first time EVER in widescreen, since I missed in the theaters. There's truly never a dull moment. Ditto for Temple of Doom, which I watched -- also for the first time in widescreen -- last weekend.

  And for goodness sakes, get the widescreen edition. Spielberg, Lucas & Co. went to the trouble to release a widescreen edition so you can see the movies as they were meant to be seen (i.e. without nearly half the picture hacked off)...get it so they can be assured their effort was worth it. I was glad to finally see Raiders and Temple of Doom in their original format, and I noticed plenty of things that would be cut out in the "pan and scan" version. One that comes to mind is in Temple of Doom, in the mine car chase, there is a wide shot of the two tracks...in a pan and scan version, one of the tracks would be out of the picture.

  The ads are right...adventure does have a name, and it's Indiana Jones.
  
  

• Finally, Indiana Jones without TV or VHS!
  By A2GYX971VETQBV on 2003-11-27
  Finally, the Indian Jones Trilogy has made it to DVD. And it was worth the wait! With amazing picture quality, superb sound, and a few nice touch-ups thrown in throughout the series (one notable example being the snake/glass scene in "Raiders") this DVD set is definitely worth its meager price. All of the special features are contained on a fourth DVD with three extensive "Making of..." documentaries on each film. Additionally, a few short featurettes are included on various aspects of the technical crew, from stunts to sound. The documentaries are very interesting to watch for anyone who loves the films. One learns all sorts of interesting facts and trivia and gets to watch footage from the filming sessions. It's nice to see how the idea started small and developed into a gigantic success.

  That being said, it's disappointing that there aren't more special features to be had in this set. I would have liked to have seen Director's commentaries on each film and deleted scenes. This set definitely does not have some of the extra features that other sets include, but the documentaries make up for this fact to a certain extent.

  All in all, what's really worth the price of this set are the restored films. Having seen these movies only on VHS and TV myself, it was stunning to see them without any defects or tracking lines. And the sound blew me out of my seat. One can really gain an appreciation for the sound effects editing and the score with this release. At a price of just $15 a film (plus the extra DVD with the documentaries), this set is definitely worth the investment and should be in everyone's collection.
  
  

• Fantastic with just a few things missing.
  By A32VNE7H904UGP on 2003-11-05
  Well what can you say? The movies are outstanding. The picture quality and sound are superb, especially Raiders(which I thought would come out OK, because it is the oldest.....but WOW!!!!)

  No need to give a review of the movies, by now you have seen them and you either like them or you don't. What I say about them(and I love them) won't sway either way.

  I only wanted to comment on what is not there. Where are the deleted scenes? I know this sounds like nitpicking, but come on. Each film should have its own little section solely on the deleted scenes with commentary from Lucas and Spielberg. George did it on his Star Wars DVD's, why not here??!!? And speaking of commentary, where are they? Neither George or Steve did a commentary. Having them both due a commentary together for each film was expected from this Indy fan.

  Harrison didn't do a commentary either, but I am thankful for that. Have you ever heard this talk in an interview? My God is he boring. I'd rather watch paint dry.

  Now I know I sounded like a spoiled brat. To be honest I feel a little guilty about complaining,and all the Bonus material they gave us was fantastic, but I have been waiting for this DVD package ever since DVD's were invented. For that long a wait I guess I expected just a little bit more!!!
  
  

• The Indiana Jones Collection
  By on 1999-11-26
  I would say that this collection with the Young Indiana Jones stories added makes an excellent gift idea for anybody who likes action/adventure movies. I do have a problem buying the VHS format though. I have been a Laserdisc collector since 1991 and have seen all three of the Indiana Jones movies on that format. If Laserdisc was good enough then why not DVD? I do not know anyone who can say VHS or Laserdisc is a better format than DVD. As for me I will wait until the DVD version is released. I purchased the Laserdisc version of the Star Wars Trilogy that was shown in the theaters earlier this year. For my money it is a far better product than the VHS collection I purchased years ago. So George, what are you waiting for? Your fans are eagerly awaiting the DVD. How about giving us another opportunity to spend our money?
  
  
• terrible idea
  By on 2003-10-14
  Great, so Raiders is finally released on DVD, but forcibly packaged with its inferior brothers Temple and Crusade. Fantastic.
  It's a shame, because I was really looking forward to purchasing Raiders, one of my all time favorites. Sadly I'm not nearly stupid enough to pay $... and patronize a set of DVDs when the whole idea makes me sick. First it was Back to the Future (I only wanted the first one then, too) and now this.
  What worries me is that the James Bond DVD sets 2 and 3 are coming out soon, and I don't think they're going to get broken up, either -- which is a shame because I already own about half from each set. When did DVD producers get this completely rotten idea? And what jerk told them it was good?
  
  
• Good but not great
  By A21B2TJBWCSK1R on 2003-11-24
  Finally, one of the holy grails for DVD fans has become available. Each film has been given its own disc, featuring remastered video and audio, with a fourth disc of supplemental material assembled and produced by DVD producer, Laurent Bouzereau. So, how does it rate to other special edition sets out on the market?

  The good news is that the folks at Lucasfilms have gone over the prints of each movie and cleaned them up digitally (look close and you will no longer be able to see the pane of glass that protects Harrison Ford from the cobra in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Thankfully, this is the extent of the digital work. Lucas and Spielberg have kept their grubby paws of these films and not toned down the violence or given the wonderfully dated special effects a CGI facelift. The transfers of each film look flawless; they are clear of any specks of dirt or other blemishes. The soundtracks have also been overhauled. Fans can now enjoy John Williams' rousing scores on aggressive, THX-approved 5.1 surround soundtracks.

  The bad news: no audio commentaries were done for the trilogy. While Lucas reportedly was all for 'em (see the Star Wars prequel DVDs), Spielberg nixed them in lieu of an extensive documentary. All of the extra material can be found on a fourth DVD.

  More bad news: no deleted scenes.

  However, "Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy" is an impressive two-hour documentary that covers all three films in detail. Bouzereau went out and interviewed anyone who had anything to do with the films. He even interviewed the usually unattainable Harrison Ford and Sean Connery! The documentary can be viewed in its entirety or broken up into separate chunks for each film. As expected, Raiders is given the most weight as Lucas, Spielberg, Ford, et al talk about their recollections making this landmark movie.

  The DVD also includes four featurettes:

  "The Stunts of Indiana Jones" an 11-minute look at the extensive stuntwork that was done for the trilogy.

  "The Sound of Indiana Jones" examine Ben Burtt's innovative sound effects for the films.

  Legendary composer, John Williams is the focus of "The Music of Indiana Jones," a look at the musical soundtracks for the trilogy.

  Finally, "The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones" examines the special effects work on the films.

  Rounding out this disc is a collection of trailers for all three films.

  While the extra material doesn't compare to, say, The Lord of the Rings special edition DVD sets, this is still a good collection of extras. Good not great. The documentary and the detail included in it, more than make up for the lack of audio commentaries. Most importantly, all three films look and sound great, preserving them forever.
  
  

• But Why is There Still a Scene cut from Raiders?
  By AFWAECM2O33XY on 2005-01-19
  Good to have the series on DVD, but I was disappointed, appalled actually, that a scene in Raiders that was cut from the video was also cut on the dvd. In the cinema release of Raiders, immediately AFTER the credits, there was a cutaway to the boxed Ark of the Covenant in the US Govt warehouse, and the U.S. Govt brand on the box is gradually being burnt away by the Ark. The implication (as I read it) was that the Ark no more wanted to be held by the U.S. govt than held by the Nazis. But check your dvd's, folks, it ain't there no more. Which is a subtle but disturbing little piece of censorship.
  
  
• A Classic Series Gets the treatment it deserves on VHS
  By A2HJZ2KN9YA9L2 on 1999-10-29
  Now where is the DVD? These movies are all terrific, with Raiders being the best by far. By the way, to all those who were upset about the title being changed to Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, fear no more. That title is only on the box. The title on the screen is still the same as it was in 1981 (The same can't be said for the title of Star Wars -- they added Episode IV: A New Hope on the re-release prints, but I didn't notice any complaints about that.) Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of the all time greatest adventure movies and a major classic. It is a must-see like the 1933 King Kong and Casablanca. Temple of Doom isn't as good. The story is weaker, the heroine this time is a whiner, but the special effects are impressive and the pace is breath-taking. Watch it as a B-Movie on a double-bill with Gunga Din. Last Crusade again isn't quite as good as Raiders, but it is an improvement over Temple of Doom. Sean Connery is great as Indy's dad, but Brody, who was intelligent and quick in Raiders, has somehow been transformed into an absent minded professor. What was missing from this movie was the sinister element. In Raiders you got the impression that Indiana could sacrifice Marion in favor of the Ark, Marion could give up Indy for Belloq or freedom, Sallah could choose to betray Indy. The loyalties and nobility of the characters were left in doubt until the end. Only when Sallah sees Indiana and Marion onto Katanga's boat in Raiders do we know that he is truly loyal. In Last Crusade, there is never any doubt. Indiana isn't as cold-hearted, he seems to know more languages than in Raiders, Sallah's loyalties we are now familiar with, and Marion isn't even in the picture, replaced with another archeologist who we find out rather early on is traitorous, so the audience is left with a fun adventure movie without as much character-driven suspense. So even though only the first one is a true classic, get all three for a great popcorn-munching time.
  
  
• Indiana Jones and The "eh" DVD Box Set
  By A3IDMLOWLHWNDJ on 2004-06-01
  The second (the first is "Star Wars") most requested DVD title, "Raiders of The Lost Ark" (& its prequel & sequel), finally became available this past September. Sadly, the results for this boxed set, for me, at least, is pretty mixed.

  The films themselves get the two thumbs up. "Raiders" is a modern-day classic (most, if not all, of the people that wrote reviews for this set bought it just for this film. I give it five stars). George Lucas can call it "Raiders of The Lost Potato Salad" for all I care, millions of people will forever know this film as "Raiders of The Lost Ark". I give "Temple of Doom" four stars. Its a lot darker than the first and third film, and is absolute non-stop action. "Last Crusade" is a family affair with Indiana searching for his missing father & The Holy Grail. It also explains Indiana's trademark origins and the film gets four stars, also.

  The DVD set is a four disc affair. The first three are the films themselves with the fourth disc housing supplemental features. This set is a ho-hom affair. The packaging is attractive looking but nothing new ("Paramount" & "Lucasfilm" have been using the same artwork for these films ever since there video debuts). The special features are good but, if your a die-hard Indy fan (yeah, me too) then there is really nothing new here, either. The feature length documentary is segragated by there respective films and must be watched seperately (there is no play all feature, where the viewer can watch it all the way thru). Watching the trailers are a blast from the past, but I really didn't need a trailer for the "Indiana Jones" video game.

  What the fans really want is what they are still clamoring for. The set doesn't contain any deleted scenes, gag reels, poster art concepts, etc. "Lucasfilm" & "Paramount" seem to always under utilize these films. I would have liked to have seen a 20th anniversary theatrical re-release to "Raiders" in 2001, but that never happened. Why couldn't both companies wait & produce a 25th anniversary DVD set with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in ? Including commentary tracks from Lucas, Ford and Spielberg (tie them up in chairs, if thats what it takes!)

  Overall its a DVD set that's worth getting for the sake of having "Raiders" on DVD. Its good, but, you know it definitely should have been a lot better.
  
  

• Bring on the DVD collection
  By A2O69255HO4AN7 on 2000-03-07
  The Indiana Jones movies would have to rate amongst my most favourite action movies. Like a lot of other people, I refuse to purchase the collection in VHS format. Unfortunately, as wealthy as people like Lucas and Spielberg are, they still want to exhaust the VHS market before they venture into the DVD market. Let's face it, they're doing the same thing with the Star Wars movie collection. I'm sure there will always be a market for their VHS versions, but no matter how desperately I want to add this trilogy to my collection, I will wait for the DVD version to come out... and hope that it does.
  
  
• Must we be force-fed the weak sequels??!!
  By A2FEJIORC1MBG3 on 2003-10-20
  "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" is a " ***** " (five-star) film; a genuine adventure classic and required addition to every film buff's collection. The eyeball-rolling sequels, on the other hand, were strictly for the kiddies and the ubiquitous fast-food marketing tie-ins. For fans of the sequels (and obsessive completists), box sets are a nice option, I suppose, but the "Indiana Jones" DVD trilogy now joins the available-as-box-set-only "Godfather" collection (and the upcoming "Star Wars" DVD extravaganza) as a cynical slap in the face to those of us who prefer the "a-la-carte" option (and a little money left over for,oh, you know- rent and food). Boo! Hiss! to corporate greed and this extremely irritating industry trend.
  
  
• Indiana Jones, why buy it at Amazon
  By A3PE9BQ1AHE0TO on 2003-10-30
  This is a joke, $65.00----save 35%....You can buy it at Costco and Sams Club for $41.00.....I love Amazon.com, but please do not insult my intelligence. There has to be an incentive to buy remotely. Like another 15-20%????
  
  

• Indiana Jones - Giftset (Widescreen Edition)
• Raiders of Lost Ark: Mighty Ch (Mighty Chronicles)
• King Solomon's Mines (1950)
• Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981 Film)

• Romancing the Stone / Jewel of the Nile
• Lethal Weapon - The Complete Series
• LEGO Indiana Jones and the Lost Tomb
• LEGO Indiana Jones Motorcycle Chase
• The Jewel of the Nile (Special Edition)