If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones! The part-time swashbuckling archeologist is back for one last ride. The latest film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which takes place at the end of the 60s and during the Cold War and the Space Race, has Indiana Jones looking for an artifact created by Greek mathematician Archimedes before it lands in the hands of the film’s antagonist, who plans to use it to fix the past according to his point of view.
In an Indiana Jones film, car chases, and fist fights are part of the cinematic experience, but what must be included is a McGuffin (an object that drives a film’s plot forward). The past films had really interesting Mcguffins: Ark of the Covenant, the remains of Nurhaci, the Lost Sankara stones, the Cross of Coronado, the Holy Grail, the Crystal Skulls, and the newest ones are the Holy Lance. The main one of the whole series, the Antikythera, which in the movie predicts a fissure in time, and is perfect for the antagonist to use to go back in time and have himself be replaced as the new leader of the Nazi party to correct Hitler's mistakes.
Although unknown to many people, the new film’s antagonist was inspired by many of the former Nazi officers recruited by NASA as part of Operation Paperclip to help with the Space Race against the USSR. The reason the Soviets were pursuing the Crystal Skull was to have the upper hand in a new form of psychological warfare to be used against the U.S. in the Cold War.
The Indiana Jones Adventures were all started by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Because of Lucas’s involvement with Indiana Jones, the series has become very popular amongst Star Wars fans. Even though these movies are fiction, viewers gain a learning experience about history and culture, especially in the movie Temple of Doom. Apart from the movies, the Indiana Jones storyline also includes many books and comics, as well as soundtracks composed and conducted by John Williams.
You are able to join Indiana Jones on his adventures through the Los Angeles Public Library, beginning with Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark all the way to John Williams’s soundtracks to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, along with recommended content relating to the artifacts and events shown in the movies. Fortune and glory to you all!
Recommended Movies, Reading, Music, and Audiobooks
—A special thanks to Patty Valdovinos, Nick Clayton, and Anna Avalos.