Indiana Jones V

[MisterCairo]

Interweb seems to have production costs for this bowl of bum gravy at $295,000,000 PLUS $100,000,000 in publicity.

At 55% return on box office, it needs to just more than double that TO BREAK EVEN.

As of Thursday:

 

[Edward]

I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be a novelization of the movie. Every Indy film had one (Even Crystal Skull) but I don't see one for Dial available.

Then again, I can't remember the last time I saw a novelization of any film in the last decade or so. Maybe it's no longer a thing.

I think the 'book of the film' phenomenon gradually faded away into the nineties, by which time VHS (later DVD) player ownership was very much a norm, and the film could be owned and experienced at home as conveniently as a book. I'm in two minds about it, really. Some of the novelisations were good, others were, well.... simply a cheap cash-in and didn't work so well in the written word format. As memory serves, the Raiders and Temple books were quite good, though I never saw one for Crusade. Similarly, I remember reading novelisations of the first two Back to the Future pictures, but never a third one.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

I went back for another look at Dial which I enjoy. Indy at retirement age is fine with me since all ages of Indy
are equally swept in my fascination with both man and his moment. Perhaps its scripting might have been less
pointed at protagonist and what not, yet it is a good film overall.

 

[Herb Roflcopter]

I think the 'book of the film' phenomenon gradually faded away into the nineties, by which time VHS (later DVD) player ownership was very much a norm, and the film could be owned and experienced at home as conveniently as a book. I'm in two minds about it, really. Some of the novelisations were good, others were, well.... simply a cheap cash-in and didn't work so well in the written word format. As memory serves, the Raiders and Temple books were quite good, though I never saw one for Crusade. Similarly, I remember reading novelisations of the first two Back to the Future pictures, but never a third one.

I've seen a few movie novelizations of more recent films, like Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy and of course the Star Wars films, but nothing lately I can speak of.

Last Crusade did have its own novelization, written by Rob MacGregor (who did a handful of young Indy novels that were somewhat passable; his Indy is a bit too green and inexperienced for my taste.) but his take on the third film is decent. He does take a few odd liberties with the script- I recall him having Indy rip his own pants off to escape the tank falling off the cliff- apparently they got snagged on Vogel's chain. He finds another pair when they raid the Nazi's camp just before going to the Canyon of the Crescent Moon.

Campbell Black's novelization of Raiders is still the best, in my opinion. James Kahn's Temple of Doom is not bad, but having to follow Short Round and WIllie's train of thought gets a tad bothersome. I should go back and re-read it again.

I forget who wrote the tie-in for Crystal Skull, but it was okay.

I never saw a novelization of the Back to the Future movies! I should see if there's a used copy somewhere. I do know lots of 80's films had their own books. Gremlins, Robocop, Krull, Karate KId, Rambo, Aliens, Outland and Terminator just to name a few.

 

[Edward]

I've seen a few movie novelizations of more recent films, like Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy and of course the Star Wars films, but nothing lately I can speak of.

Last Crusade did have its own novelization, written by Rob MacGregor (who did a handful of young Indy novels that were somewhat passable; his Indy is a bit too green and inexperienced for my taste.) but his take on the third film is decent. He does take a few odd liberties with the script- I recall him having Indy rip his own pants off to escape the tank falling off the cliff- apparently they got snagged on Vogel's chain. He finds another pair when they raid the Nazi's camp just before going to the Canyon of the Crescent Moon.

Campbell Black's novelization of Raiders is still the best, in my opinion. James Kahn's Temple of Doom is not bad, but having to follow Short Round and WIllie's train of thought gets a tad bothersome. I should go back and re-read it again.

I forget who wrote the tie-in for Crystal Skull, but it was okay.

I never saw a novelization of the Back to the Future movies! I should see if there's a used copy somewhere. I do know lots of 80's films had their own books. Gremlins, Robocop, Krull, Karate KId, Rambo, Aliens, Outland and Terminator just to name a few.

Two versions often, as well... I had a for kids / for young teens version of Temple / Gremlins. Which is interesting, given the latter was rated 15 when released in UK cinemas (and I think 18 on video).

 

[Michiganiac]

I enjoy all the films. I'm not one of the fans that's in denial about 3/5ths of the (film) franchise.

My wife took me to see Destiny for my birthday. And it inspired a conversation on the possibilty of the events/mechanics of the MacGuffin on the drive home.

Good film should inspire conversation.

 

[Herb Roflcopter]

Two versions often, as well... I had a for kids / for young teens version of Temple / Gremlins. Which is interesting, given the latter was rated 15 when released in UK cinemas (and I think 18 on video).

I think I have the book in question, although it's falling apart:

The other books are the novelizations, including Crystal Skull.

 

[Edward]

I think I have the book in question, although it's falling apart:
View attachment 537470
The other books are the novelizations, including Crystal Skull.

That's the exact kiddy version of Temple I had. Always thought the choice of cover image was interesting - not the obvious one. (Particularly as, if memory serves, much of that version was told from Short Round's pov.) My Raiders novelisation was very similar, though I seem to recollect it was metallic green rather than the blue foil in this photo.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I never saw a novelization of the Back to the Future movies! I should see if there's a used copy somewhere. I do know lots of 80's films had their own books. Gremlins, Robocop, Krull, Karate KId, Rambo, Aliens, Outland and Terminator just to name a few.

"Rambo" and the movie franchise are based on a 1972 novel titled "First Blood", which was written by David Morell. The first movie in the franchise, also titled "First Blood", actually follows the novel rather well, though there are some minor differences. It's worth tracking down a copy of the book if you're interested. The second and third movies of the franchise also have books, but they were written by Mr. Morell as movie tie-ins and are not much more than movie novelizations.

 

[Herb Roflcopter]

"Rambo" and the movie franchise are based on a 1972 novel titled "First Blood", which was written by David Morell. The first movie in the franchise, also titled "First Blood", actually follows the novel rather well, though there are some minor differences. It's worth tracking down a copy of the book if you're interested. The second and third movies of the franchise also have books, but they were written by Mr. Morell as movie tie-ins and are not much more than movie novelizations.

I have both First Blood and its sequel books. I can't bring myself to read the 3rd book. On the subject of Stallone, they produced a novelization of both Cliffhanger and Demolition Man.

Man, those were the days.

 

[Herb Roflcopter]

I wasn't sure if I should put this in the thread about "most recent movie watched" thread or here, but since it's Indy-related, I guess here is okay.

I had a co-worker over last Saturday for his first-ever screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark. He's 39 and had never seen any of the films. He brought his girlfriend with and she had glimpsed a few scenes here and there with her father many years ago, but also hadn't seen the film from start to finish.

It went over beautifully; I decided to screen the HD version on Disney+ and the image quality was breathtaking. There's a shot of Harrison Ford just after he disarms Barranca with his whip by the river- I noticed tiny points of sunlight reflected in his eyes that I'd never seen before. His facial stubble seemed more pronounced; such is the magic of high resolution!

One additional bonus of seeing it in my house is that I use a video projector to watch movies, and not a TV. I'm just using a white wall as a screen, but it gets the job done. One other small difference is that I use transducers for extra effect.

(For those unfamiliar with this technology, they're small devices you bolt to the framework of your couch and wire up to your subwoofer, so low frequency effects like explosions and gunshots can be felt through vibrations.)

My co-worker is excited to see more, so next chance we get it's going to be Temple of Doom!

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

^ I've prowled around YT and varied sites to delve Disney for corporate issues related to my job and the Indy snips
just make me stop dead in my tracks. To see the earlier Ford as the young swashbuckler punches gut with time's passage. Those were the days.

 

[Edward]

One additional bonus of seeing it in my house is that I use a video projector to watch movies, and not a TV. I'm just using a white wall as a screen, but it gets the job done. One other small difference is that I use transducers for extra effect.

I love this idea. I did look into a projector a few years ago when I needed a new TV. My idea was to have the projector on the ceiling and use it for TV and everything, on a white wall as you do. The concept was that then instead of the TV being an automatic focal point in the room, I could just have a projector on the ceiling, and when it wasn't in use it was up out of the way... Unfortunately, it didn't quite pan out in money or practical terms - I realised the projector wouldn't work well in daylight, and would have cost about a grand, whereas the TV I plumped for was £200.... Still, I've not ruled it out for the future as the tech evolves and the price drops. Just wish for now there was a more affordable way of hiding the big flat screen. Some solutions exist, but they're all silly money....

 

[Herb Roflcopter]

I love this idea. I did look into a projector a few years ago when I needed a new TV. My idea was to have the projector on the ceiling and use it for TV and everything, on a white wall as you do. The concept was that then instead of the TV being an automatic focal point in the room, I could just have a projector on the ceiling, and when it wasn't in use it was up out of the way... Unfortunately, it didn't quite pan out in money or practical terms - I realised the projector wouldn't work well in daylight, and would have cost about a grand, whereas the TV I plumped for was £200.... Still, I've not ruled it out for the future as the tech evolves and the price drops. Just wish for now there was a more affordable way of hiding the big flat screen. Some solutions exist, but they're all silly money....

Mine works but only because my setup is located in my basement, where we walled off a window and it's dark any time of day. The downside is that it's a small room and can only fit 3 or 4 people at most, so I can never have big screening parties at my place. Still, it really saves me the trouble of going to the theater unless I absolutely need to see the movie in question soon, Indy 5 being a perfect example.

(Unlrelated, but anyone else having trouble getting into the board? Every time I try to get here, it takes forever for the page to load.)

 

[Tiki Tom]

anyone else having trouble getting into the board? Every time I try to get here, it takes forever for the page to load.

Yes. I am experiencing the same problem.

 

[Edward]

Mine works but only because my setup is located in my basement, where we walled off a window and it's dark any time of day. The downside is that it's a small room and can only fit 3 or 4 people at most, so I can never have big screening parties at my place. Still, it really saves me the trouble of going to the theater unless I absolutely need to see the movie in question soon, Indy 5 being a perfect example.

(Unlrelated, but anyone else having trouble getting into the board? Every time I try to get here, it takes forever for the page to load.)

We've been experiencing some speed issues recently; management are investigating.