Half-Assed Internet Research
Spielberg interviews; abandoned scripts; casting and rewrites; box office; stunts; costumes; rats; Eddison; Stoppard
In the discussion (25)
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:02Read transcript
- Spielberg and Lucas reportedly made a handshake commitment to three Indiana Jones films.
- In a 1989 Premiere interview Spielberg criticized Temple of Doom as too dark and impersonal and described the next film as an apology.
- Spielberg’s Premiere remarks show growing willingness to attempt material unlike his established films, using Raging Bull as the example.
- Spielberg was considering Big and spent five months on Rain Man before Last Crusade, creating a major career counterfactual.
- Spielberg said overseeing Amblin films such as Gremlins, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Money Pit and Amazing Stories reduced his own directing output.
- Spielberg’s Premiere interview praises Casualties of War and Scorsese’s risk-taking while worrying that everyone is taking risks except him.
- Lucas’s early Monkey King treatment and Columbus script included a Nazi bar owner, undead combat and deadly human chess; concerns about depicting African people helped end that direction.
- Connery reportedly reshaped a more elderly, crotchety father into a roaming scholar with more vitality.
- The reported budget is $48 million and worldwide gross first $472.2 million, then approximately $450 million; it is described as the worldwide annual leader.
- The film won sound-effects editing and received other Oscar nominations.
- The Siskel and Ebert episode also covered Miracle Mile, Pink Cadillac and Road House; both rejected Road House, and Siskel rejected Last Crusade as too familiar.
- Ford coached Phoenix’s gestures and mannerisms and recommended him after The Mosquito Coast.
- The adventurer in the opening was reportedly intended as Abner Ravenwood, Marion’s father and Indy’s alternative mentor; making that explicit would strengthen the origin.
- The stated filming ages are Ford 46, Connery 58 and Doody 21.
- Brody was reportedly made much goofier than in the first film, despite Elliott’s acting stature.
- The Young Indiana Jones television series began in 1992 and reportedly sought Phoenix, who declined.
- The knight’s actor, Robert Eddison, is described as a distinguished stage performer returning to screen after a 1948 appearance; this is a reported claim.
- Ford performed many stunts and reportedly impressed stunt professionals enough to imagine an alternate stunt career.
- Elliott reportedly had AIDS and was ill during production; his 1992 death is recalled.
- Many Nazi uniforms were reportedly authentic items found in Germany.
- Rats were bred to avoid disease, with conflicting counts of 2,000 and 7,000 acknowledged.
- A Jackson set visit with a child is recounted through claims from Leaving Neverland, including meeting Ford and trying the whip; these remain reported documentary allegations.
- The reported body count is 50, including 13 by Indy, above the participants’ initial estimates.
- Phoenix and Connery both died on Halloween, in 1993 and 2020 respectively, a 27-year gap.
- Stoppard’s uncredited dialogue contribution is reported, possibly almost all dialogue according to an uncertain remembered Spielberg statement; the father-son exchanges are praised.
