"And I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne..."

[tree_and_leaf]

Last night I watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in German, which is a curious experience. The dubbing is fairly well done, but there are a few changes of emphasis - the most obvious being the scene where Indy and his dad have been captured in the Austrian castle, Ilsa kisses him, with the words 'That's how we say goodbye in Austria', and the SS bloke says 'And this is how we say goodbye in Germany', and hits him. In the German, he says something like 'This is how the SS says goodbye.'

It's such a splendid film, though - and the rather free way it handles mediaeval history and literature (not to mention geography!) is not inappropriate, given the myriad sources from which the various versions of the Grail legend coalesced. (Although I admit I am biased in favour of a film in which mediaevalism is represented by Sean Connery!) Theologically, it's a lot better than one might expect.

Am going to see the new film on Wednesday night; have very low expectations, but after two hours of an academic planning meeting, I'm sure it can't fail to be an improvement on that

Comments

[ellid.livejournal.com]

I think my favorite part in the whole movie is when Indy realizes what "a penitent man may pray" and goes down on his knees. My second favorite is when Indy chooses the plain olive wood cup and is told "you have chosen...wisely." Wonderful.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

I love the leap of faith when he steps out into blank air and the camera swings round to show him on the bridge. Never fails to make me dizzy. I love all of the Canyon of the Crescent Moon, although I feel so sorry for the old knight at the end. I think he must have felt a little betrayed when what he had kept safe for so long vanished into a crack and the temple destroyed.

[tree_and_leaf]

Yes, the bridge sequence always takes my breath away, too.

The poor old knight - though he didn't look too upset. A certain sense of relief, possibly? I think he was rather tired of his task.

[tree_and_leaf]

Both great moments! I also really like the conversation between Indy and his father after Ilsa has been killed (Ilsa and Donovan are both destroyed because in their different ways they fail to see that the important point about the Grail is not the object itself but what it points to); and I find the scene where Indy heals his father (and Marcus crosses himself) very moving, too.