I didn’t go to the cinema very often as a child. My first film on the big screen was Star Wars, although that was a mistake and I should have been watching Snow White instead. Anyway, I have very fond memories of that film but probably my biggest childhood cinema memories are from the Indian Jones trilogy.
My mother took my brother and I to see Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981. That was back in the days where you were properly shown to your seats and heavens forbid you should make a noise during the show as the usher would be on you like a ton of hot bricks! We were safe though as I don’t think anyone made a peep during the movie.
Over the course of the three original films I couldn’t help but fall a little more in love with Indiana. Watching the first movie, as a little girl, Indiana was everything I thought a man should be — clever, courageous and loved old stuff. He was my hero. It wasn’t until I was very much older I learnt that real archaeology isn’t quite as dynamic.
When the next film came out in 1984, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, it was another family outing to the cinema. I think my mother was smitten! Indiana didn’t disappoint me and again I was thrown into a world of goodies, baddies and a bullwhip cracking hottie. I will always remember the feast scene where they are served monkey brains because when we came home from the cinema my Dad had made dinner — stuffed hearts!! That was the last time I ever ate offal.
By the time the Last Crusade came to the big screen I was 16 but the tradition of seeing Indiana Jones hadn’t died and again the three of us made our pilgrimage to the High Street cinema. The young Indy, played by the late River Phoenix, revealed the origins of Dr. Henry Jones jr strange name. Did I love him any less for being named after a family dog? No. Perhaps a little more.
After the Last Crusade it was the end of our family Indiana outings.
I watched the 2008 film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls with my own sons. Indiana was much older but I didn’t care. I was much older too. Time moves on but luckily Indiana stays as the 36 year old Harrison Ford on re-run fantasies played in my head.