Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Two-Disc Special Edition
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen, John Hurt, Ray Winstone
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: October 14, 2008

In my review of the theatrical release of Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I expressed great disappointment after having such high hopes for the fourth installment of the popular franchise. Mainly, my disappointment was not because it was a bad movie, but because it simply was not the film I expected nor was it the scenario I pictured for the return of the adventurer after two decades.

Upon first viewing, I was analyzing the minute details of the film so much that I had trouble following the story, which picks up 19 years after the previous film with the title hero (Harrison Ford) facing off with the Russians during the Red Scare of the 1950s. Much older and wiser, yet just as physical, Indy finds himself with a new young sidekick Mutt (Shia LaBeouf ), a motorcycle-riding, leather-jacket-wearing rebellious greaser who needs Indy’s help to find his mother Mary and father-figure Ox. Ox and Mary — old acquaintances of Indy — have been abducted by Soviet agents led by Col. Dr. Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) for the information they hold about the mysterious paranormal Crystal Skulls.

That’s all I’m prepared to divulge about the plot, because going any further would turn this simple DVD review into a Master’s thesis. But, basically, you get your typical Indy adventure that has our hero cracking his whip and traveling to far-away locals all while uncovering ancient clues and outsmarting the bad guys.

Now that I’ve watched Crystal Skull six times, I realize that not only do I actually quite enjoy this film, but also that you probably need six viewings to take in all the information presented. No, I’m so not blinded by nostalgia that I don’t recognize its flaws, because believe me, I do. The “nuking the fridge” scene, Blanchett’s horrible Russian accent, the damn CGI prairie dogs, yeah, they all annoyed me too. But it’s nostalgia that makes me love certain aspects of the film, like Indy’s exploration of Orellana’s grave, the chase with the Soviet soldiers in the Peruvian jungle, and Temple of Akator, all underscored by the iconic music by John Williams. It’s these moments which give me chills and remind me of what I love about the Indiana Jones movies that far overpower the film’s cringe-worthy moments (e.g., Indy not wanting to grab the CG snake from Mutt).

Plus, after watching the film with my niece and nephew and seeing the look of enjoyment on their faces — the same I had watching Indiana Jones films at their age — I knew I had to put aside my jaded attitude and see if I could just simply appreciate the movie as is. As it turns out, I can (all the better for me, I think).

If you’re already an Indiana Jones fanatic, like me, chances are you don’t need this review to help you decide whether you’ll get this DVD. That decision was made for you long ago. But, if you’re the average moviegoer who likes some old-school action-adventure, odds are you’ll dig this movie — and so will your kids.

DVD Bonus Features

DISC 1

The Return of a Legend: [17:30] Steven Spielberg felt that the original trilogy would be the end of the franchise and he would never see Indiana Jones again. He realized eventually that the fans wanted Indy back and everywhere he went people would ask if he was going to make another movie. It was Harrison Ford who first said they should do another one because that’s what the fans wanted. It was Spielberg who was the hold-out. Spielberg says at first he was unsure if audiences would accept Ford, in his mid-60s, as the action star. This feature is very revealing at it goes into how Spielberg did NOT want to do an alien movie and how producer George Lucas pushed for it, and how they came to a compromise. Also, screenwriter David Koepp talks about what it was like to write a new take on the old story. Also, Spielberg, Lucas, and Koepp talk about how they went through a lot of titles before choosing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Pre-Production: This feature reveals the preparation for film, with director Steven Spielberg’s sketch ideas being rendered by the computer. The costumer designer explains the pressure there was to duplicate Indy’s iconic attire and Ford reveals his thoughts on what it was like to don the costume after so many years. There’s also behind-the-scenes footage of Shia LaBeouf swordfighting training and teaching himself how to use a switchblade.

DISC 2

Production Diary: Making “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”:

Warrior Makeup: Felicity Bowring, the head of the makeup department, narrates a behind-the-scenes look at the five or so hour process of applying the hair and makeup for the warriors and mud warriors at the temple.

The Crystal Skulls: Director Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford talk about the actual crystal skulls and the mysterious nature and legend of them. George Lucas explains that there’s a belief that the skulls are paranormal and alien in nature. The Stan Winston studio made the crystal skulls and skeletons for the film and we see some of their process from taking the art department sketches and making a 3D version on the computer, to crafting the props for the film.

Iconic Props: The hat, leather jacket, whip, grail cup, ark of the covenant, and now the crystal skull are all iconic props, which we get a good look at in this featurette. This was one of my favorite extras on the disc, as we get a look into the props warehouse and the LucasFilm Archives as well as see how new props — like the sword case and the swords, made by WETA, and John Hurt’s uniqure musical instrument — were made. We also get a look at Mutt’s letter, books from Indy’s library, armor and weaponry, including Orellana’s armor made by WETA, new whips and haversacks, and Mutt’s switchblade and comb. Also, the Area 51 set had miles of boxes, so they made props for the boxes for the scene when Spalko’s soldiers throw the crates and they break open, when the Ark of the Covenant makes a cameo.

The Effects of Indy: The digital effects artists show how they flesh out the actual sets and practical effects with computer enhancement.

Adventures in Post-Production: The film was not shot or edited digitally; Michael Kahn edited the film and said that the jungle chase was the most difficult, but a lot of fun. Ben Burtt, the sound designer — who worked on the original trilogy as well as Star Wars and in Pixar movies — came back for this fourth Indy film. Burtt’s son Benny worked on the film with him, so it looks like the legacy will live on. The end of this feature has John Williams explaining how he came up with the score, and we see him conducting the orchestra in the recording studio.

Closing: Team Indy: This is really a credits reel, but we see the filmmakers in action while it runs.

Pre-Visualization Sequences: Three sequences mapped out with computer animation and musical score (Area 51 Escape, Jungle Chase, and Ants Attack).

Galleries: A click-through feature that contains images from the art department and Stan Winston studios (which did the special make-up effects), as well as portraits and production and behind-the-scenes photos.

Trailers: Two theatrical trailers for the film, plus a trailer for the original trilogy DVD release earlier this year.

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Game: The DVD contains a demo of the game for use with an XBox 360.