Comments on: The Original Indiana Jones

By: Larfin Jackarse

Larfin Jackarse — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:02:40 +0000

Ooops!

It is the UK Telegraph you are talking about! What journalism?

By: Larfin Jackarse

Larfin Jackarse — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:01:09 +0000

Grail just means cup or bowl or vessel. Christ had a few 'grails' associated with him. One of them the 'holy chalice' used at the last supper and also a cup used to collect his blood while on the cross. Name a gazillion other cups/vessels/bowls used by him etc then that could be a grail also. Thus all the conflicting stories, conspiracy theories, confushtion etc

So which grail you talking about Willis?

By: Bob Cornero

Bob Cornero — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:35:56 +0000

There is a competing version, with another man, Col. Percy Fawcett, as the inspiration for Indiana Jones. I don't particularly buy into this version or the notion that Indiana Jones would be based off of a Nazi...

Here is the write up I did about it on my own site:
http://www.mumbojumbodaily.com/the-real-indiana-jones/

By: sam

sam — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:23:13 +0000

Also... the holy grail is the cup that Christ used at the last supper - I've never heard anything about it catching His blood while he was on the cross. That doesn't even make sense.

Man the telegraph really needs to step up their journalism...

By: sam

sam — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:21:42 +0000

Indiana Jones was not obsessed with finding the holy grail, his father was. He only began his quest for the holy grail to go find his father, and only completed it to save his father's life.

By: TT

TT — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:12:27 +0000

Lamonstrous,

I always thought it was funny that Indy ended up Jones (Welshman) than Smith (Englishman).

What does that say, eh?

By: Peeves

Peeves — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:10:10 +0000

Was there ever really an archeologist that fought Nazis, Russians, tribal folk, etc on his rounds finding artifacts or anywhere close to that? I'd be willing to accept Lucas came up with the idea on his own..especially since none of the movies are that complicated.

By: roger

roger — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:03:49 +0000

This is about the 10th person I've heard described as "THE" inspiration for Indiana Jones. Wikipedia lists five supposed "confirmed models" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_jones#Models). Otto Rahn is not in the list, nor are a handful of others that supposed real Indiana Joneses.

By: Lamonstrous

Lamonstrous — Mon, 26 May 2008 13:10:16 +0000

There is a British movie about a brave archaeologist fighting the Nazis called "Pimpernel Smith".
Leslie Howard made the film with his own money made from his role in "Gone with the Wind".
This is a more likely inspiration - especially since they had to search for a new "MacGuffin" for each movie, and the Holy Grail didn't come around until the 3rd film.
http://newsblaze.com/story/2008052314010200001.ew
Originally Spielberg wanted to do a Bond film. Lucas said "I've got a better idea" and pitched Indiana Smith (later Indiana Jones). Indiana was the name of Lucas' dog, who used to sit next to him in his car, providing the inspiration for Chewbacca.

By: DJ

DJ — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:39:01 +0000

And what hp said. Just like Lucas originally wanted to remake Flash Gordon, but couldn't secure the rights, so he made Star Wars instead.

By: DJ

DJ — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:37:13 +0000

I always thought Giovanni Belzoni was the inspiration for Indy.

By: hp

hp — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:35:30 +0000

I doubt George Lukas knew anything about him. It seems more likely that he has drawn his inspiration for the character from the Allan-Quatermain-Books.

By: L.C.

L.C. — Mon, 26 May 2008 08:39:40 +0000

its still a pretty interesting story

By: Peeves

Peeves — Mon, 26 May 2008 08:13:08 +0000

@TT: yeah that seems the more logical comparison.

By: TT

TT — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:12:27 +0000

You mean he served as inspiration for Belloq, right?