Most helpful customer reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Read between the lines: LUCAS PLANS TO KILL OFF INDY !!!, Oct 25 2008
I haven't finished Volume 1 of Young Indiana Jones and now I realize it might be some time before I do. I give it three stars because I think it's still got merit despite poor choices made by Lucas to re-edit the whole thing and include copious documentaries whether you want them or not. In the age of lean-thinking, this is not lean. And if Lucas intends to move into TV, he'd better learn from his mistakes or... well, we'll just have to buy less of his poop!
If you go to Amazon.com and read reviews, you'll find a lot of people complaining about bad editing, particularly the bridging of two or so epiodes into single 'movie' episodes. These people are genuinely enthusiastic about Young Indiana Jones and are its greatest proponents. Unfortunately, Lucas has let them down by selling them - at inflated prices - a poorly conceived final product.
I had high expectation going into this, purchasing Volumes 1 and 2 without even knowing what I was getting. As a former student of history and a foreign adventure and travel enthusiast, I looked forward to discovering this series and learning about the story of how Indiana grew up. I went into this with an open mind, figuring that whatever was bothering the show's usual fans wouldn't ultimately bother me. Now, just two episodes in (or is it four?), I have my doubts. Let's just say that due to Lucas' attempt to make the show more "chronological," I seem to be watching young Indy grow up, then down, then up again, then down again, and so on...
It's frusterating because I can tell I'm watching a re-cut job and I don't know why it was necessary. Why wasn't I allowed to see how the first episode ended, instead being suddenly transplanted from Egypt to Morocco (in what was obviously a jump in time as well as geography)? Was I supposed to be so stupid that I thought Egypt and Morocco were the same? Is it that all Muslim countries look the same and I wouldn't notice? I mean how else can you justify splicing together episodes 1 and 41 and calling them a 'movie'?
Anyway, I'm still gonna give this series an honest shot, and I guess that since I now have lower expectations I might be pleasantly surprised down the line. The digital image quality is excellent and the location-based shooting style does ultimately make the Young Indiana Jones series worthwhile, even if the historicity is simplistic to say the least. It's still good fun.
One more thing, the original fans are upset about Lucas completely editing out the 'bookend' where a very old Indiana opens and closes each episode. Basically, it would seem that Lucas erased him from existence. I think the reason for this is obvious: in of light Lucas' intent to make a new Indiana Jones trilogy, he wants to leave Indy's fate open. If we know Indiana Jones survives then Lucas can't kill him off in the last movie, and thereby bequeath upon Indy's long-lost son (what's his face?) the potential role of becoming America's new travel/adventure action hero.
Does anyone else see the pattern? Lucas likes to leave himself options. He doesn't want to go back and re-edit everything, but if he feels he must then he will! It's like the line of Star Wars books that came out in the 1990s before the Prequel, as well as current Star Wars books and comics - he doesn't mind selling them to you and saying they fit 'certain' Star Wars worlds. But if it comes down to something that inhibits his artistic creativity, Lucas will simply do away with it and deny that it is canonical. He's done the exact same thing with the Star Wars "Droids" cartoon TV series - that is, he chopped several episodes into a couple of 'movies,' sold it to us, and still hasn't released the original aired versions - and possibly never will. Why? The reason is so that he has a clean slate for his new Star Wars TV show, which is set to take place during the same time span as "Droids" - between Episodes 3 and 4.
Obviously, everything Lucas releases on DVD, including Young Indiana Jones, is canonical, so removing a ninety-something Indy from the DVD set speaks volumes of his intent for the fate of the character. My conclusion: LUCAS INTENDS TO KILL OFF INDIANA JONES IN THE NEW MOVIE TRILOGY!!!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
It`s great to have legendary film maker`s fine work., Jun 26 2008
Before I start writing about The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, I gotta admit that I love adventure movies and historic movies. I saw the series years years back. I was teen and it was just incredibly stunning.
The countries that you have heard about from world history books or world`s mystery books show up with exciting adventures and a piece of world histoies just melted in each episode so smoothly.
Besides,I don`t know how they did it but the picture quality has been done nicely. Furthermore, I quite enjoyed special features of each disc.
It`s not only interesting but also educational.
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones seems a bit expensive but if you like adventure, history or world`s mystery, I gotta tell ya whatever it costs it`s worthy.
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