The big day was here, and I was counting down the minutes and seconds until I once again was transported back to the 1980s with the greatest hero of my time! Only an act of God could stop me, and lo and behold a thunder storm broke out with high winds! My son, Spencer, said "Dad, what if the electricity is out and you can't see Indy at midnight"?
"Don't say those things -- it can never happen!".
Never say never!
The whole two miles to the theatre were black as all the street lights were out and there was no electricity -- I called my wife in a panic! I was going to drive to the next town over if I had to. I could not miss this movie. Like a glowing Ark of the Covenant, I saw the lights of te Bow Tie Cinema in the darkness, yes they had power! Indy was a go!
I sat in the theatre and watched fedora and leather jacket clad fans flow in. I was wearing my Indyfans T-Shirt and Indy leather jacket and was going on about what the film would be like to anyone who would listen and there were a lot of ears!
Then after seven terminally long trailers it started with a bang! Literally! The next two hours flew by as I was scouring the screen for in-jokes, sound effects, music cues, trademark dialogue and action. Indy was back and I was desperate to hear every detail on what he had been up to since the Canyon of the Crescent Moon. Playing the local boy, I was eating up all the New Haven shots and mentally noting all my hometown landmarks as they raced by. Hats off to Spielberg and Lucas for throwing in cool in-jokes from American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and the other Indy movies.
The film was new, different and also comfortably the same at the same time. It wasn't Raiders, Temple or Last Crusade but a combination of all and something else. The action was cool, the sets spooky and the characters colorful as always. But where were the chills? Well, true to form, they came at the end when Indy and the gang were once again brought together in a shot at a place that I knew all too well, because I had been there for similar events -- and in those last few minutes -- I didn't want it to end. I wanted to see what happened next to Indy and the gang when the walked out through that door. Even there everyday mundane life seemed exciting. I wished it was going to be only a week or so before the next chapter of Dr. Henry Jones, Jr was played out on the silver screen.
As the old show biz saying goes, always leave the crowd wanting more and that's what I got from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But in a good way.
I guess I will just have to watch this one again and again and again.
Good night -- I am going to bed.. See you tomorrow Indiana Jones fans!
