indiana jones

Group finds 100,000 artifacts, including gold and silver, from between 1200 and 600 BC

TV networks are always making shows that are “inspired” by recently-popular movies, but they usually try to disguise their “inspiration” a little bit. But with Tales of the Gold Monkey, a one-season cult flop from 1982, there was very little disguise: this was an adventure story set in the ’30s about a rugged, gruff globe-trotting adventurer (Stephen Collins) in a beat-up jacket and boots and a hat. Oh, and there are Nazis and snakes.

For two weeks each May, a quaint town on the French Riviera becomes a Hollywood fantasy in the flesh. Throughout the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, I blogged video clips. In the aftermath, I’ve edited a montage of highlights, an impressionist trip through the beauty, vulgarity, hysteria and chaos that is Cannes.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP

It’s basically crap. Ultimately, the problem with the film is that it is directed by Steven Spielberg.

As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Indie’s mentor Marcus Brody has been kidnapped by the Nazis, who are using the Grail Diary in his possession to trace the Holy Grail to the Republic of Hatay.

Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett et al face a horde of professional fans at the press conference for the Cannes premiere of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:

There was the predictable mob scene as the media horde surged between narrow barricades, clamoring to get into Indy IV. I got in without being crushed and can report that the movie went over pretty well with the crowd. But some of those same journalists who fought so hard to get a seat began their exodus as early as 20 minutes before the end of the film—so they could beat the mob scene that would converge on the Indy press conference after the screening. I stayed to the end. I’ll save a full scale review for the eve of the movie’s May 22 opening. But in a nutshell I can say that I enjoyed first half hour, a pastiche of witty touches and old-fashioned chase scenes; I got a bit dozy in the middle as the plot churned through the kind of byzantine details that are de rigeur with this franchise; then I got re-engaged towards the end.

Today is Indy Day. This afternoon, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be unveiled for the media horde, followed by the the red carpet premiere tonight. And what’s billed as the biggest blockbuster of the summer, if not the year, will be launched. It won’t be unleashed in commercial theatres until Thursday. But there will be not stopped the floodtide of early reviews. In this case, many critics will break protocol. With a movie this size, a review becomes a news story. They’ll post and publish instant reviews worldwide immediately after this afternoon’s screening.