Part of what I think made the Raiders fedora so special...

[Floribama Steve]

I can't help but notice how subtle Indy's gear is in Raiders when compared to the other two. He had all the gear, but it was never made a thing of. You see him get his jacket and whip out of the closet at one point, but that's it.

Of course, we could count the time when he yanked his whip out from under the door in the idol's temple, but that was quickly eclipsed by the boulder. Through the whole rest of the film, the gear, including the hat, is just there. His hat never leaves his head unless he's inside, and the whole effect was natural.

By contrast, I noticed that in Temple of Doom, they capitalize off of Indy's hat, playing the climax of the Raiders March as he saves it from the death trap room. It's pretty ironic considering how poor the hat looked in ToD.

Then we have the hat become a character itself in Last Crusade. I mean, how much more obvious can you get when you have "Fedora" put the hat on young Indy's head and then it cuts to the present and it's still there looking brand new?

Then during the tank chase scene, Spielberg did something that's almost blasphemy, the hat flew off Indy's head! Then of course we see it roll back into view after his "near-death experience."

The films almost show their digression through the hat. The more obviously they treated it, the more they tend to dumb down the audience, robbing them of their need to pay attention.

Anyway, just some observations regarding everyones favorite menswear.

[Hemingway Jones]

Then we have the hat become a character itself in Last Crusade. I mean, how much more obvious can you get when you have "Fedora" put the hat on young Indy's head and then it cuts to the present and it's still there looking brand new?

It wasn't meant to be the same hat. It was just a clever directorial cut.

I agree with much of what you wrote; we prefer the psuedo-realism of Raiders to the more cartoonish Last Crusade. It's The Dark Knight vs. Adam West.

[agent5]

Then during the tank chase scene, Spielberg did something that's almost blasphemy, the hat flew off Indy's head!

Yes. Twice.

It's The Dark Knight vs. Adam West

Great analogy. Thats the way I see it.

[Renderking Fisk]

One of the biggest gripes I have with fellow Jones fans is that they try and turn him into one of those cheesy men women swoon over on Soap Opera’s.

He’s not a romantic, sensitive, sophisticated guy… he’s a bit of a mean prick who would rather shoot someone in cold blood rather then fight fair in a street brawl cause’s he’s running a little late. He’s a college professor only because it’s the perfect job to have while checking out out his next grave-robbing gig… or maybe he’s consumed with actually protecting some of the relics because of his passion for history.

He does the right thing and believes in justice in the end because he has to… he’s flawed but he wouldn’t want to see the world plunged into darkness or see innocent people murdered or killed… unless those people chose the wrong side and get in his way.

He’s perhaps the coolest dork on screen. Granted, his outfit is pretty cool, but it’s usually the same thing time after time. He has some eccentricities and idiosyncrasies … but he’s also out for fortune and glory while being an indiscriminate killer who never feels bad for dropping the hammer on someone who crosses him.

The fedora in Raiders is a perfect symbol of this rugged individualism. Like him, the fedora has style while at the same time holds up despite beatings and tough situations. Like what you suggested earlier: The fedora is the embodiment or symbolic of his spirit…

But does that answer your rhetorical question about what makes the fedora so great?

I think the answer is in it’s proportions: The Brim is the right width, the crown is the right height… it’s perfectly blocked and bashed to look good on Harrison Ford.

… And that’s my short answer.

[Floribama Steve]

One of the biggest gripes I have with fellow Jones fans is that they try and turn him into one of those cheesy men women swoon over on Soap Opera’s.

He’s not a romantic, sensitive, sophisticated guy… he’s a bit of a mean prick who would rather shoot someone in cold blood rather then fight fair in a street brawl cause’s he’s running a little late. He’s a college professor only because it’s the perfect job to have while checking out out his next grave-robbing gig… or maybe he’s consumed with actually protecting some of the relics because of his passion for history.

He does the right thing and believes in justice in the end because he has to… he’s flawed but he wouldn’t want to see the world plunged into darkness or see innocent people murdered or killed… unless those people chose the wrong side and get in his way.

He’s perhaps the coolest dork on screen. Granted, his outfit is pretty cool, but it’s usually the same thing time after time. He has some eccentricities and idiosyncrasies … but he’s also out for fortune and glory while being an indiscriminate killer who never feels bad for dropping the hammer on someone who crosses him.

The fedora in Raiders is a perfect symbol of this rugged individualism. Like him, the fedora has style while at the same time holds up despite beatings and tough situations. Like what you suggested earlier: The fedora is the embodiment or symbolic of his spirit…

But does that answer your rhetorical question about what makes the fedora so great?

I think the answer is in it’s proportions: The Brim is the right width, the crown is the right height… it’s perfectly blocked and bashed to look good on Harrison Ford.

… And that’s my short answer.

I'd really enjoy hearing the extended version sometime.

[Kaleponi Craig]

Then we have the hat become a character itself in Last Crusade. I mean, how much more obvious can you get when you have "Fedora" put the hat on young Indy's head and then it cuts to the present and it's still there looking brand new.

Steve, That was simply to show how Indy started wearing his fedora. The whole sequence with River Phoenix shows how Indy became the man he was (fear of snakes, the whip and our beloved fedora)...KC

[Hemingway Jones]

Then we have the hat become a character itself in Last Crusade. I mean, how much more obvious can you get when you have "Fedora" put the hat on young Indy's head and then it cuts to the present and it's still there looking brand new.

Steve, That was simply to show how Indy started wearing his fedora. The whole sequence with River Phoenix shows how Indy became the man he was (fear of snakes, the whip and our beloved fedora)...KC

It sort of reminded me of "The Young Sherlock Holmes" of the same period. I believe Spielberg produced the latter.

[Bufflehead Jones]

He’s not a romantic, sensitive, sophisticated guy… he’s a bit of a mean prick who would rather shoot someone in cold blood rather then fight fair in a street brawl cause’s he’s running a little late.
but he’s also out for fortune and glory while being an indiscriminate killer who never feels bad for dropping the hammer on someone who crosses him.

I'm sorry, but off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone that he indescriminately shot because he was running late.

I don't get this impression of Jones at all.

[Hemingway Jones]

He’s not a romantic, sensitive, sophisticated guy… he’s a bit of a mean prick who would rather shoot someone in cold blood rather then fight fair in a street brawl cause’s he’s running a little late.
but he’s also out for fortune and glory while being an indiscriminate killer who never feels bad for dropping the hammer on someone who crosses him.

I'm sorry, but off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone that he indescriminately shot because he was running late.

I don't get this impression of Jones at all.

Buff,
Suppose it's rude to speak for him, but Ren is referring to the scene in Cairo with the swordsman. I wouldn't characterize that as a fair fight. I would call Jones a pragmatist; a big guy comes at you with a sword and you have a gun, use it.

Ren has used some colorful hyperbole to express a common sentiment: that the Raiders Indy is much edgier than the LC Indy, and the TOD is somewhere between. Remember, in TOD, Indy almost turns away from rescuing the slave children.

Indiana has perhpas a step away from Bond in his instincts for self-preservation; he may not dance a woman into the path of a bullet heading toward him, but he had no hesitation in sticking a fork in the ribs of Willie Scott.

"Indiscriminent killer" is a bit harsh. I think Jones discriminates who he kills.

[Bufflehead Jones]

Exactly. If someone was waving that big sword at me, I would shoot him, too.

Did you know that it is a fact, that due to human lag time, if someone has a knife and they are within 21 feet of you and suddenly charge at you with the knife, it is not possible to draw a holstered handgun and shoot them before they could stab you in the chest. There is a way to survive this type of attack, but I am not going to list the answer.

[binkmeisterRick]

Does it involve fresh fruit?

[raindog]

Or possibly releasing a tiger??


Jeff.

[Floribama Steve]

I think that many of you missed my point. I wasn't trying to do a case study of Indy's personality. My aim in writing was to express my sentiments over the way the was treated in the films, not so much the way Indy himself was treated.

And Hemingway, what do you mean it wasn't the same hat? Are you speaking of the ribbon difference between the "young Indy" hat and the "present day" hat or the fact that the Raiders fedora got left behind on the Bantu Wind?

[Hemingway Jones]

And Hemingway, what do you mean it wasn't the same hat? Are you speaking of the ribbon difference between the "young Indy" hat and the "present day" hat or the fact that the Raiders fedora got left behind on the Bantu Wind?

Both, my friend. When I said it wasn't the same hat, I meant that it wasn't the same hat.

When you said it was placed on his head as a kid and then we see it on the 40-something year old Indy and it looks brand new, the implication there is that it was the same hat. I know you know better, but I thought I would state it regardless. It's all acedemic, anyway.

I raised the point more to set myself up for the statement that it was a clever directoral cut, like the transitions in "Highlander."

Oh well, you never know what direction your post will take! Especially if bink or Jess show up.

[binkmeisterRick]

Oh well, you never know what direction your post will take! Especially if bink or Jess show up.

8-[

[Floribama Steve]

Both, my friend. When I said it wasn't the same hat, I meant that it wasn't the same hat.

D'oh! Fool that I am...

Oh well, you never know what direction your post will take! Especially if bink or Jess show up.

This is true.

[Indiana Jerry]

Okay, just to get this thread back on track...

Does it involve fresh fruit?

Or possibly releasing a tiger??

...no, it involved dropping a 16 Ton weight on him.


J

[Hemingway Jones]

Both, my friend. When I said it wasn't the same hat, I meant that it wasn't the same hat.

D'oh! Fool that I am...

Oh well, you never know what direction your post will take! Especially if bink or Jess show up.

This is true.

You, a fool? Never! You are a bastion of this community.

[Skippy]

There is a way to survive this type of attack, but I am not going to list the answer.

There's an old saying......the best weapon in a knife fight...is a pump action shotgun

[Michaelson]

...and a practice that I heartily recommend!

Regards! Michaelson

[Michaelson]

Exactly. If someone was waving that big sword at me, I would shoot him, too.

Did you know that it is a fact, that due to human lag time, if someone has a knife and they are within 21 feet of you and suddenly charge at you with the knife, it is not possible to draw a holstered handgun and shoot them before they could stab you in the chest. There is a way to survive this type of attack, but I am not going to list the answer.

I vaguely remember that training videotape from the FHP academy, but can't remember the details of defense at the moment. I'll stick with the 12ga. answer above, though.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiana Jerry]

FHP academy

You were a LEO too? And here I just thought you liked shooting people...

[Bufflehead Jones]

Does it involve fresh fruit?

Not unless you can throw an orange at the guy's coconut faster than you can draw and fire a handgun!

[Michaelson]

FHP academy

You were a LEO too? And here I just thought you liked shooting people...

Nope. Just set up and operated their first video training studio back in the 80's. Of course, that doesn't answer your SECOND question...does it? 8-[

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiana Jerry]

Of course, that doesn't answer your SECOND question...does it? 8-[

No, no, no answer needed, don't mind me, I'm just running out of range...

[Michaelson]

Quick, Ma, hand me the Sharps buffalo gun....he's getting out thar a ways...

Regards! Michaelson

[binkmeisterRick]

Oh, come on, Michaelson.. give your missus a chance. She's been waiting to shoot all day.

[Michaelson]

Remember, she likes .357's best? She leaves the cannon firing to ME!

Regards! Michaelson

[binkmeisterRick]

I know what she likes BEST, but she's still a good shot, either way! Besides, there's just something about your missus putting a cap in ol' Jerry that just gives me a warm feeling inside.

[Indiana Jerry]

hahaha...reminds me of the scene in League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen...the Brit govt man assumes he is right that the agent is out of range, but Quartermain is just grumbling about having to put on his specs before plugging him at a long distance.

[Indiana Jerry]

I know what she likes BEST, but she's still a good shot, either way! Besides, there's just something about your missus putting a cap in ol' Jerry that just gives me a warm feeling inside.

(In my best Gump voice:) Momma always said never, ever shoot anybody in anger. Shoot them in the but-tocks instead.