Indiana Jones and the lost action sequence

Peter S. writes in to say:

Jim

I caught the midnight show of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” last night. And for the most part, I agree with your review of this film. “Crystal Skull” wasn’t nearly as good as “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was. But it wasn’t as bad as “Temple of Doom” was either.

Speaking of “Raiders,” in your review you talked about some scenes that were cut out of the first Indiana Jones movie. Could you please tell JHM readers what these cut scenes were like?

Thanks. Love the site.

Peter S.

Dear Peter S.

I’ll go you one better. How would you like to read one of these scenes?

Now please keep in mind that the following is from the 3rd draft of the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” screenplay (Which was written in June of 1979). Back then, George Lucas still thought that Indiana Jones used the money that he made off of his archeaological adventures to fund a rather lavish lifestyle. Which explains the following:

EXT, FRONT DOOR, INDY’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Indy’s English Tudor, upper middle class home. Quite toney; well beyond the financial means of an honest college professor. Marcus Brody has already rung the bell. Indy opens the door. He is dressed in a tuxedo.

BRODY
I’ve got to talk to you.

INDY
This isn’t really a good time.

BRODY
Indy, it’s important.

INDY
All right. Come on in.

 

Copyright 1984 Paramount Pictures

INT. FOYER, INDY’S HOUSE

The lush tone continues here in Art Deco and shiny marble. Indy motions Brody toward the study to one side.

INDY
I’ll be in in a minute.

As Brody passes the entrance to the expansive living room, he spots a beautiful, silk-gowned Harlow-type lounging on the sofa in front of a roaring fire. She is sipping champagne.

INT. STUDY, INDY’S HOUSE

Brody enters the book-lined, dark-wooded study. He paces for a moment before the fire which is dying in the fireplace, then spots something and goes over to Indy’s big desk. The surface is covered with open books, monographs, maps and drawings — all about the Ark of the Covenant. Body smiles; he knows his friend very well. Indy comes in, closing the door behind him. Brody turns to him with a triumphant expression.

BRODY
They want you to go for it. And they’ll pay.

INDY
(Smiles) Good work, Marcus. I had a feeling this would happen. And, of course, the Museum gets the Ark when we’re done.

BRODY
(Smiles) Of course.

Indy’s manner is vigorous, aggressive

INDY
Okay, here’s the way it’s gonna be. First, I’ll high-tail it to Shanghai and get the piece from General Hok. Then I think I know where I can find Ravenwood. If only I can get —

BRODY
General Hok’s a tough customer. They don’t call him the Wild Boar for nothing. And he’s tied in with the Japanese.

INDY
I’ll worry about that when the time comes. My only hope is to find the Well of the Souls before the Nazis.

WIPE TO :

EXT. IN THE AIR – DAY/NIGHT

A Pan Am Clipper flies west over the Pacific.

WIPE TO:

Indy is barely into the front seat of a dilapidated Ford as the driver, BUZZ KEHOE, is peeling away into traffic. In the back seat is a Chinese named BANG CHOW. Kehoe zigs crazily through traffic with only his left hand as he reaches over to shake with Indy.

KEHOE
Buzz Kehoe, Army Intelligence. You’ve met Bang Chow.

INDY
What’s the hurry?

KEHOE
Some German agents got here two hours ago. Luckily, Bang was able to have them detained at Customs. We’ll have to hurry.

Kehoe’s car emerges from an alley. Down the block is Tengtu Hok’s modest, walled palace. Kehoe’s car slows a bit and Bang steps from the moving car with a small black suitcase in his hand. While he heads down the street toward Hok’s place, Kehoe’s car continues across the street and into an alley on the other side.

A Mercedes limousine appears around a corner and squeals to a stop at the front gate of the palace, which is manned by a sturdy Chinese Gateman. There are three Germans inside, one the driver.

Kehoe, alone now, pushes a trash container casually into position to hide a newly created hole in the rear wall of Hok’s Museum where several stone blocks have been removed. He looks around and ambles back to his car.

 

The three Germans wait impatiently in a magnificent foyer. A chime sounds and huge double doors open to reveal TENGTU HOK, flanked by two uniformed Japanese Soldiers and a robed Chinese Advisor. He wears a fantastic gold ornamental robe. Despite the majesty, however, nothing can disguise the fact that Hok is basically a wild, fat barbarian; an animal. Hok and his escort group bow in what is the beginning of a long welcoming ceremony. The Germans exchange impatient glances but decide they should play it as it comes. They bow.

No person in sight. Instead, we see a magnificent display of ancient artifacts. Glass cases hold the velvet-couched pieces at random spots on the shining marble floor. We hear an odd sound. Near the floor on the rear wall of the museum, a steel ventilation grate moves. A hand slides it gently across the marble. Indy sticks his head out and looks around.

The three Germans are being served tea and exotic delicacies. A pleased Tengtu Hok watches from a throne-cushion. When a tray of tiny delicacies is presented to him, he takes a massive handful, crushing them together on the way to his smiling mouth.

A huge golden gong, seven feet in diameter, is suspended from the ceiling by a hook. An enormous hammer hangs poised above it, from which emanate myraid tiny threads which run up and across the ceiling, then down to the various display cases. Indy looks up at the gong, then continues his quick, quiet foray among the cases. Beyond him, a high window.

Hok and his visitors stand to go. The German’s pleased expression make it clear that they’re finally on their way to the museum.

Indy arrives at his destination. The lovely, carved gold section of the headpiece is nested on purple velvet in a glass case. At the bottom of the piece is a round hollow where the staff would fit. There is a grunting sound behind Indy and he spins, already reaching for his revolver.

A fierce Japanese Samurai is running at Indy full speed down an aisle of display cases. His sword is raised over his shoulder ready to cut Indy in half. He’s six feet away when Indy’s gun levels and fires twice, blasting him backwards. Indy is still looking over his gun when another samurai sword comes down from the side and knocks the pistol brutally out of Indy’s grip; his hand avoids amputation by a quarter of an inch.

An amazed Indy backs away from the crossing aisle as the Second Samurai steps in to face him, sword raised. Indy backs away into an open space and his bullwhip appears in his hand. He gives it one savage CRACK! to announce its arrival and the Samurai slows down, eyeing it curiously.

The Samurai does not look unhappy about this confrontation. How pure it is — The Sword versus the Whip.

Tengtu Hok and the Germans have obviously heard something. They are hurrying along the walkway at the side of the building. Hok in the lead. Up ahead is the foot bridge which crosses from the palace to the museum entrance over a moat.

The lovely Mercedes limousine blows up.

The Germans spin toward the blast. Drawing weapons, they ran back to investigate. Hok follows them, confused.

Indy and the Samurai face each other. They’re both breathing hard from previous, no-contract passes at each other. Now Indy begins swinging the whip over his head again. It whizzes out toward the Samurai’s face. The Samurai takes two lightning-quick cuts at the leather, but misses. Indy swings at the Samurai’s feet; the Japanese jumps nimbly, slashing at the whip. Indy does it again. The Samurai hops it. Once more. The Samurai is concentrating on hopping it.

Indy sees it. The split second he wants. The whip flashes up from the floor and wraps solidly and irrevocably around the Samurai’s neck. Indy gives it a murderous pull and the Samurai is dead on his feet.

Hok and the three Germans are looking down at the flaming remains of the Mercedes. A look of concern crosses Hok’s face. He turns and runs back to his beloved museum.

Indy is at the case containing the headpiece. He smashes the glass with a samurai sword, reaches in and grabs the piece. Immediately, behind him, the huge hammer falls and the sound of the gong thunders through the museum.

At the sound of the gong, the running Hok skids to a halt with a crazed expression on his face. He disappears for two seconds in an alcove and emerges holding a big, black Thompson Submachine Gun. He runs across the foot bridge and is just barely over it when it blows up. Hok, safe, looks behind him in amazement and then turns to the museum.

The double doors at the entrance slam open to reveal Hok. Indy is halfway along an unprotected wall back to his ventilation entry route. Hok opens fire on him, cutting off his retreat. Indy jumps behind a marble column, which is promptly blasted with machine gun fire.

Indy looks above him, sees the giant disk of the gong. Reaching up, pushing with tremendous effort, he maneuvers it off its hook. It bounces down to the floor on its side, chipping the marble with its monstrous weight. Indy steadies it and then puts his whole body into rolling it across the room toward the window. As it starts to roll, Indy slips behind it and runs across the room with it.

Hok can see the rolling gong. He opens up on it. The vicious cacophony of machine gun is joined by the musical reports of bullets hitting the gong and ricocheting away. Very, very noisy.

Behind the gong, Indy gauges his move. As the gong is about to be stopped by a marble bench, Indy takes a long stride onto the bench and dives through the glass of the high window. Hok’s bullets hit the wall.

Indy lands in a shower of glass on the jutting roof of the museum’s first floor. He rolls to a crouch and is immediately being fired upon. The Germans, cut off from the museum, are standing on the palace walkway firing at him. Indy takes off fast for the rear of the museum.

Kehoe, craning to locate Indy, has the Ford rolling slowly along the back of the museum. Bang scouts from the back seat. Indy appears on the roof at a run, gauges the movement of the car and jumps from the roof of the museum to the roof of the sedan. Unfortunately, the roof of the old car can’t take it and Indy’s legs knife right on through to the interior, where he scares the hell out of Kehoe.

Indy squirms his way down into the seat.

KEHOE
Jesus ! Are you alright !

INDY
(he’s felt better)
Great. Got it.

 

Kehoe guns it, throwing Indy back against the cushions.

KEHOE
What now?

INDY
I’ve got to get to Nepal.

WIPE TO:

The plane flies west into the sunset.

INT. DC-3 – NIGHT

Under a meager seat light, Indy is pouring over a journal article by Abner Ravenwood and related map of Nepal.

A few rows back, across the aisle, a trenchcoated European Spy eyes Indy.