tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post6692381210747809552..comments2024-03-28T20:19:50.115-11:00Comments on Kinemalogue: Steven Spielberg, part XII: Adventure has a nameHunter Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10925220178171355473noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-6104388743707828222023-01-13T02:08:39.753-11:002023-01-13T02:08:39.753-11:00Oh yeah, this was written at probably my maximum &...Oh yeah, this was written at probably my maximum "I shall view this as a documentary of literal events that have immediate and knowable consequences in the real world" stridency, and I've mellowed in the years since as I've come to realize, even though I was never the worst about it, it's an arid way to approach art. It's not a good relationship manual, but it of course isn't trying to be. It's a fun romantic fantasy, inflected by the performances as you say. At this point, being a lot more familiar with the 30s styles it's riffing on, I'm even slightly jazzed by the dopey sex comedy parts before they fall into a bin of roaches.Hunter Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10925220178171355473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-31048800669352882732023-01-13T00:20:02.693-11:002023-01-13T00:20:02.693-11:00Willie Scott kicks ass, she's like Miss Piggy ...Willie Scott kicks ass, she's like Miss Piggy in the flesh. I think you've misread her being "held captive" by Dr. Jones. She's tagging along because she REALLY likes him and is pulling the "admit it, you're head over heels over me" bluff that Han Solo does.<br /><br />It's the movie's longest running joke that Willie is way more into Indy than Indy is into her. Notice that Willie gets her most angry when Indy acts as though he's simply obliging her: because, well, he kind of is. It's why at the end she smiles and relents so easily when Indy pulls her in with his whip; she doesn't want her presence taken for granted, she wants to know that she's wanted, and Indy's finally saying so (in his own way).<br /><br />There's definitely a possible "women sure love playing mind games, am I right?" reading you could make with this scenario, but it does become apparent Indy's playing a little bit of the game himself (he could've just dumped her at any point if he really wanted) and I think there's some meta-ness going on in witnessing Harrison Ford on the receiving end of the Han Solo romantic playbook.Dafnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-29791753965741633412016-04-04T12:03:35.105-11:002016-04-04T12:03:35.105-11:00Thanks! Good to have you aboard!
And, yeah, it r...Thanks! Good to have you aboard!<br /><br />And, yeah, it really does--the making-of featurette that comes with the set really drives home what a trouper she was. Also that the shooting of Temple of Doom would probably violate most contemporary health codes.Hunter Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10925220178171355473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-4902868843596585952016-04-04T02:35:40.985-11:002016-04-04T02:35:40.985-11:00I just rewatched Temple of Doom last night (after ...I just rewatched Temple of Doom last night (after living in South Asia for almost a year), and I was torn between the truly authentic cultural details, and the (dare I use this phrase?) hilarious racism. Anyway, your review coincides pretty solidly with my feelings for the film, and I look forward to following your blog! Also, I totally agree with your last paragraph. Game over. (Although, it speaks a lot to Kate Capshaw's dedication to the film, no?)Alannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285605957238889121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-521855519177443832016-03-27T05:37:26.407-11:002016-03-27T05:37:26.407-11:00No no no, this is hardly a slight. A lot of people...No no no, this is hardly a slight. A lot of people seem to hate this one because that's the cool thing to do, but I can always count on you to view a film by its own merits rather than comparison to others or listening to what other people say. It's not contrarianism, you just feel how you feel and that's that.Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399713449347559869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-35629627516324477772016-03-26T08:26:39.103-11:002016-03-26T08:26:39.103-11:00Thanks! I think!
Is it that out of step though? I...Thanks! I think!<br /><br />Is it that out of step though? I know Temple has always had it detractors; and, further, it's the man's most controversial effort, at least outside of Munich, which is largely just mis-read, and that One Scene in Schindler's List, which many smart people have found intolerably exploitative. And I am aware that since Temple makes less than zero effort not to be offensive, it's taken on the status of an embarrassment in progressive circles--which is, of course, not improper. My girlfriend certainly hates it. (Personally, I still think Close Encounters is more <i>blithely</i> offensive.)<br /><br />Still, I thought it had been reevaluated lately on the strength of its craft, especially viz. Crystal Skull. Oh well. Hopefully I won't ever sink to Armond White levels of half-mad contrarianism!Hunter Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10925220178171355473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633480297352890314.post-60760860699824498302016-03-25T09:52:16.366-11:002016-03-25T09:52:16.366-11:00I can always count on you to have opinions that sk...I can always count on you to have opinions that skew wildly from the popular consensus, and that's why you're an actually interesting blogger. Keep on following your heart, Hunter!Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15399713449347559869noreply@blogger.com