Michael
D. Miller
The
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Parody of Indiana
Indiana
Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls includes a number of parodies of
not only Indiana Jones films, but one other that jumps out off the screen that
must be mentioned. The scene when Henry “Mutt” Williams, Jones III is riding
along the train platform to find Indiana. Mutt is dressed in the same costume
as Marlon Brando in the movie the Wild Ones. The motorcycle, the leather
jacket, the way he wears his cap tilted to the side and how he plays with his
switchblade, all are Brando-esque.
The first parody observed was of
course the scene when Indiana escapes from the Russians out of “Warehouse 51”
and crashes through a number of crates. The camera pans closer to one of the
damages crates to reveal the Ark of the Covenant. The first treasure that
Indiana recovered during the Raiders of the Lost Ark that was later taken from
him and locked away in a government warehouse.
One parody that stood out in the “final”
Indiana Jones film was the scene where Mutt and Indy are being chased by the Russians
through the campus of Marshall University. Mutt leads the chase through the
quad where there are a number of students protesting against the Russians, “I’d
rather be dead than RED!” As the banner falls across the windshield of the
pursuing Russian KGB agents, they crash into a statue of Brody. The head of
Marcus Brody comes crashing through the windshield and lands in the KGB agents
lap. This is obviously a remembrance of Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) who
appeared in all three previous Indiana Jones films and who was a trusted friend
and confidant of Indiana. Mr. Elliott had passed away a few years after the
Last Crusade. Indiana also remembers Marcus earlier in the film when he is at
his home with the Dean Stanforth (Jim Broadbent) and makes reference to the
passing of both Marcus and his father.
Another parody that garnered much
attention was the ending of the chase scene with Mutt and Indiana crashing into
a student in the library. The student poses a question to Dr. Jones about his research
and Indiana replies that if the student wants to learn more about archeology he
has to get out of the library. This directly contradicts his previous advice to
a student in the Last Crusade when he tells the student that seventy percent of
all archeology is done in the library. Research and reading. This shows how the
adventurous side of Indiana overcomes the Professor side of him. He knows that
through his experiences he has learned so much more by exploring the ancient
ruins himself as opposed to reading about the same places in books taken from
mythology or possibly another person’s experience.
Throughout the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skulls film, the antagonist Irina Spalko, is taking Indiana’s found
treasure away from him. Just as in the first film, Raider, when Belloq takes
the idol and then the Ark. Much in the same way in Temple of Doom, when the
Thuggie Cult members take the magical stones away from Indiana. And finally, in
the last Crusade when the Nazis take the Grail book away from Indiana. However,
in the end Indiana manages to escape with a new level of awareness and
consciousness. Such as in this film, Indiana did not believe is supernatural
beings from another world and it was not until he entered the alien room and
seeing the interdimensional craft depart from the Mayan ruins did he truly believe
and of course he gains a son and a wife in this final film.
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