With the Ark of the Covenant tucked away in an undisclosed location and the sacred Sankara Stones returned to their people, it’s time for Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr. to face his most significant challenge ever: Daddy issues! In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy and his father, Henry Jones Sr., played by the legendary Sean Connery, embark on an epic adventure to recover the Holy Grail, a fabled chalice with extraordinary powers, said to grant eternal youth and infinite sustenance to those who drink from the hallowed cup. Join us for another race against time as we shape history alongside one of cinema’s greatest heroes of the silver screen with a look back at Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The rollicking threequel harkens back to Spielberg‘s Raiders of the Lost Ark in tone, with humor and exploration of character driving the story instead of problematic portrayals of foreign cultures and nightmarish villains bathed in blood and wearing the bones of fallen followers. The script mostly forgoes Indy’s Bond-like playboy persona in favor of an adversarial father-son dynamic shared between Ford and Connery.
Join us as we explore the defunct ideas for The Last Crusade, including a scrapped haunted house and a bold interpretation of the Monkey King mythology. We’ll dig deep into the film’s creator shuffle, questionable plot points, exotic filming locations, rat-infested sets, and efforts to bring Indy’s relationship with his judgemental father to the forefront.
Often hailed by fans as the second-best chapter in the Indiana Jones franchise, today’s video uncovers what makes The Last Crusade stand out in a decades-long odyssey of charismatic characters, eye-popping special effects, harrowing action sequences, and unforgettable fun.
There are innumerable reasons why Indiana Jones has stood the test of time in the face of an ever-changing industry. Few characters capture the feeling of exploring parts unknown, grinning in the face of danger, and sweeping generations off their feet with the crack of a whip. We may never know a character like Indiana Jones again, and the Last Crusade is a treasure among the hero’s many adventures and a prime example of why Steven Spielberg is a master of his craft.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Revisited is written and narrated by Steve Seigh, with edits by Ric Solomon.