Indiana Jones and the Legacy of Adventure

"If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones." This slogan, coined almost twenty-five years ago, is as true now as it ever was. The cinema of adventure is virtually moribund in a world where few corners of the globe have not been displayed by documentarians or trampled by tourists. The thought of discovering a culture untouched by the dehumanizing influence of western commercialism and technology is a fanciful wish that only a time machine could fulfill. Fortunately the movies can provide such vicarious excitement. By utilizing the full advantages of its imagery and craft, the cinema can effortlessly transport a willing audience back to an era when the unknown still held sway over so-called "civilized" society. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas ably demonstrated this skill with their Indiana Jones series, shining a torch upon the darkly mysterious continents of Africa, Asia and South America. Many other filmmakers have since attempted to depict this exotic world of jungles and deserts, but like the plight of numerous real-life explorers their disappointing efforts have often been lost in the mists of time. The following is a list of forgotten films on DVD inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels

Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold (1984)

Close on the heels of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, came this stunt-filled distaff version that combines the look and feel of a Spaghetti Western with the thrills of a lost treasure adventure. Athletic Laurene Landon stars in the title role as an Apache-raised blonde warrior who teams up with childhood friend, pretty boy gunslinger Ken Roberson on a hunt for Aztec gold. The hateful villains are the usual corrupt mustache-twirling Mexicans and the native tribes are depicted as both sadistic and spiritual, in the xenophobic tradition of the genre.The unique opening titles that amusingly mimic the chapters of a movie serial, are somewhat misleading given the strong violence on display, especially as these titles are projected in front of a silhouetted group of rowdy kids at a simulated matinee, cheering and jeering the introduction of each character. Unlike the vintage cliffhangers that it pays humorous homage to, this is no juvenile exercise, but an R-rated exploitation picture updated with more adult, i.e. gruesome, action. Director-writer Matt Cimber had previously collaborated with his leading lady on Hundra, an entertaining female version of Conan the Barbarian. The DVD from Rhino Home Video is a lacklustre affair, sporting an inferior digital transfer prone to ghosting and no bonus features apart from a scratchy trailer.

Jake Speed (1986)

Lucas and Spielberg have always acknowledged the influence of both the traditional cliffhanger hero and James Bond on their archaeological adventurer.However, heroes of Victorian literature like H. Rider Haggard's Allan Quatermain, and the heroes of the pulps such as Lester Dent's Doc Savage are Indy's true literary progenitors. Drawing upon these sources, writer/director/producer Andrew Lane, and writer/producer/star Wayne Crawford, have come up with a clever cinematic conceit whereupon a fictional protagonist "Jake Speed", is discovered to be a flesh and blood hero in the real world participating in exploits identical to the contents of the many novels bearing his name. With action to spare but no discernible style, it is an inspired idea that sadly fails to ignite. The blame for the middling result must be laid at the feet of triple duty creators, particularly the charisma-free Crawford, whose flat performance in the title role deflates all of his larger-than-life escapades. Of the rest of the cast, only Dennis Christopher as the hero's faithful assistant, and future Indiana Jones mentor John Hurt as the effete villain, manage to escape without embarrassment. The Anchor Bay DVD features more than the film deserves, including a sparkling anamorphic transfer and multiple trailers.

Firewalker (1986)

In 1985 mini-moguls Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus of Cannon Films, made their initial Attempt at cashing in on the Indiana Jones franchise by adapting the seminal novels King Solomon's Mines and its sequel Allan Quatermain into a pair of quickie Africa-lensed productions starring mini-series monarch Richard Chamberlain, and burgeoning blonde bombshell Sharon Stone. By essaying a predominantly comic tone for these cheapjack efforts, directors J. Lee Thompson and Gary Nelson, succeeded in stripping away the suspense and thrills, leaving a group of ill-at-ease actors awkwardly trying to mug their way into the hearts of the audience.Undaunted by the largely indifferent public response to these two debacles, Golan and Globus indulged their penchant for cinematic grave-robbing once again with this contemporary treasure hunt, featuring their in-house star Chuck Norris partnered with Oscar-winner Lou Gossett and Flash Gordon damsel Melody Anderson. Hobbled by chintzy production values and a tired plot involving South American gold, action specialist J. Lee Thompson partly redeemed himself for his previous malfeasance with this lighthearted but mostly lead-footed entertainment. Here at least, the increasingly ridiculous perils that befall the characters are grounded in a semblance of human relationships, unlike the cartoon antics of the Chamberlain/Stone duo. The no-frills DVD is a superb digital representation of the material, giving the film a slicker look that the original theatrical engagements.

Jane and the Lost City (1987)

A rare British-made attempt at hopping on the Indiana Jones bandwagon, this bawdy World War II comedy adapted from the popular Daily Mirror comic strip features the comely Kristen Hughes as the titular heroine, a blonde spy who has an embarrassing habit of accidentally losing her clothes at the most inopportune moments. Directed by Terry Marcel (Hawk the Slayer), in the inimitable style of a Carry On film, this silly romp is consistently rescued from the broad face-pulling style of its Nazi villains by the skillful underplaying of its heroes, including Flash Gordon himself Sam Jones as a vegetarian jungle hunk, and the brilliant comic timing of Robin Bailey as a stuffy Colonel opposite British comedy legend Graham Stark as his put-upon manservant. Hard to dislike but providing minor amusement, the DVD release flatters the film's diffused deco look with a flawless digital transfer. The disc's only bonus feature is the amusing trailer, which manages to spoil all of the funny bits.

The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck (1988)

Another modern day riff on the Indiana Jones-type hero, this Borneo-set film is directed by and stars David Keith (White of the Eye), as a drunken white hunter whose only similarity to Harrison Ford is a wide-brimmed fedora and a U.S. state for a nickname. Starting out as an almost farcical safari adventure, the story takes a sharp right turn toward lewd sexuality and bloody violence, with only the exotic Sri Lankan locations and the statuesque though sometimes shrill, leading lady Kathy Shower, left as guilt-free pleasures. Ego notwithstanding, Keith is a charismatic performer who manages to hold the screen with a strong physical presence necessary to convince the audience of his character's near-mythical reputation. Although his direction of the other actors is erratic at best, the action is competently staged and the chase finale does generate palpable suspense. The DVD however is a mixed affair featuring a soft yet colourful full-frame image that appears to leave the unambitious visual composition intact.

Other European knock-offs made in the wake of Raiders include: France's Gwendoline (1984), Italy's Hunters of the Golden Cobra (1982), Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983), Ark of the Sun God (1983), and Germany's Cascadeur: The Amber Chamber (1998). Hollywood series such as Romancing the Stone (1984) and its sequel were influenced by women's paperback romantic fiction, while Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), and its follow-up, are adaptations of a popular video game. More recently, the public's fascination with historical conspiracy that made the novel and eventual film of The Da Vinci Code (2006) a hit, led filmmakers to create their own similar franchise with National Treasure (2004) and its inevitable sequel. All of these films have looted from the Spielberg/Lucas treasure chest, but with mostly lesser results. Now that these middle-aged filmmakers have themselves chosen to resurrect the cinema's most famous treasure-hunting hero, one can hope that a return to high adventure is about to begin.