Discussion on Criteria of an Adventure film

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Discussion on criteria of an adventure film

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his discussion attempts to validate the statement that 'In a general sense, the criteria of an adventure film is as follows there is an exciting quest and a series of perilous events or journeys; there is a romantic sub-plot; there are recognisable bad guys, and the hero is able to conquer his or her foes as well as save those around them' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1). The filmic text Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184) will be examined, described, discussed, and explored in order to attempt to comment on the validity or otherwise of this statement.

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he 180s blockbuster Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184) (Appendix A), a film that made 'record profits at the box-office' (Dragan Antulov 000, p. 1), follows to some extent the abovementioned characteristics. This film 'plays' (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-15) with the 'conventions of the adventure genre', contains elements of 'the colonial adventure narrative' (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-14), and has generic affiliations with romance. Buckland supports this by stating that 'the blockbuster… addresses its audience by …a mix of genres…often combining action-adventure with … drama, romance' (cited in Neale and Smith eds. 18, p. 167). Accordingly, this discussion guides the reader through the hero's dramatic journey to India, 'a far off land' (Central Queensland University 001,

p. 4-16), his quest to retrieve the magic stone from the recognisable foes, and the perilous events that take place throughout the quest. Furthermore, the eventual conquer of the hero's foes, the return of the stone and the children to the village, and the romantic final moments between the hero and the heroine, will lead the reader to the patriarchal closure of this film.

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hilst the performance of Anything Goes in the opening scene of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184), a film which

demonstrates 'the impurity of genre' (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-

14), does not immediately cue the audience by its generic iconography to

indicate its 'colonial adventure narrative' (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-14), it certainly creates an action packed opening sequence that immediately leads to a 'series of perilous events and journeys' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1). Correspondingly, the scene is set for Indy ['white hero'] (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-), Willie [blonde heroine], and Short Round [a child introduced to the film to make it attractive to younger audiences], to set off on their 'perilous journey', as they escape to the airport to get away from Willie's gangster ex-boyfriend. Their airplane crashing into the mountains somewhere in the Himalayas follows their escape from the gangsters. Sobchack and Sobchack (187) argue that within the sequence of events in an adventure film, 'a catastrophe will occur that will shut them [protagonists] off from contact with the larger society' (187, p. 8). Miraculously surviving the airplane crash and on their way to Delhi, the trio stumbles on a poor Indian village that has no children. Hence, the local Shaman tells the trio about the Thugee cult that has the village children captive, and has the village's magical Shankara stone. Consequently, the Shaman perceives Indy [Anglo-Saxon, male] to be the saviour, and asks Indy for his assistance in returning both the children and the stone to the village, to which Indy agrees. This is where the exciting quest that leads them to Pangkot Palace (Dragan Antulov 000, p. ), high adventure, seeming 'fortune and glory' (Steven Spielberg 184), and trouble continues for the trio.

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he 'exciting quest' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1) to locate the sacred stone , the 'hidden treasure' (Sobchack & Sobchack 187, p. 8) and the children begins with the unlikely trio's journey through the Indian jungle to reach the palace. The trio is considered unlikely because its members are from differing socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds, and are brought together by chance. Sobchack and Sobchack argue that the 'adventure film … brings together a group of people from different stations in life and places them together in a situation of stress' (187, p. 8). Once at the palace that is

ruled by a 'child Maharaja and his Oxford educated Prime Minister Chattar Lal'

(Dragan Antulov 000, p. 1), Indy is suspicious after he is attacked in his bedroom. He therefore searches for secret tunnels that eventually lead him, Willie, and Short Round to the sacred stone, and the sacrificial cave where the exciting quest to retrieve the sacred stone, and perilous events continue to unfold.

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ncluded in a series of perilous events in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184) are Indy, places his life in jeopardy when he descends to the floor of the cave where human sacrifices are offered to the gods. Also, Indy and Short Round are trapped in a tunnel which has a rapidly descending ceiling covered in spikes, and are rescued by Willie just in time. In addition, Indy forcibly drinks the blood of the Kaliman, and is placed at risk of 'never waking from the nightmare' (Steven Spielberg 184), whilst Willie is offered as a sacrifice to the gods, and is rescued by Indy when he wakes from the nightmare. The underground chase in the mine cars, and the climactic scene on the rope bridge are undoubtedly the most perilous amongst a number of events that place the trio in jeopardy throughout the film. Sobchack and Sobchack argue that in adventure films, 'we expect …tests of courage … endurance' (187, p. ), thus maintaining the audience's interest by providing them with courageous, dangerous, and risky acts of heroism being performed by the protagonists.

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hile Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184), is a film that does not demonstrate a strong link to the romance sub-genre, it does include a romantic sub-plot where 'boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl' (Sobchack & Sobchack 187, p. 0). For instance, Indy and Willie are brought together by chance, and show no initial romantic interest in one-another. Once at the palace however, they share a brief moment of romance after Indy shares fresh fruit with a starving Willie after dinner, to which Willie replies 'maybe you could be my palace slave' (Steven Spielberg 184). They

consequently kiss, argue, part, and return to their individual rooms, thus, 'boy-loses-girl'. Moreover, in the final moments of the film when it seems that Willie is departing the village without Indy, he ropes Willie with a lasso, they embrace, they kiss, and the village people rejoice, thus, 'boy-gets-girl'. Willie maintains her subordinate position in the film, since she remains tied up by the lasso, and as Sobchack and Sobchack (187, p. 5) suggest 'changes from an impetuous, feisty... woman…to a limp, soft, clinging vine', suggesting the continuing romance between the two.

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he bad guys' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1) are easily identifiable in the film because they look evil [facial gestures], place little value on human life [human sacrifice to the gods], are 'coloured peoples', non civilised, 'savage inhabitants' (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-4f), who wear icons such as plumes, feathers, teeth, and bones. In addition, they eat live snakes, bugs, and 'chilled monkeys' brains' (Steven Spielberg 184), and have child slaves working in underground mines. Douglas (Central Queensland University 001, p. 4-11f), suggests that Western or European culture associates these icons with savagery and evil, thus making identification of the 'bad guys' relatively easy for the Western or European audience. Furthermore, Antulov (000, p. 4) argues that 'all the villains in the film happen to be non-white', thus, accusing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184) of being 'racist' by today's values.

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ypical to the colonial narrative, the ideology is that the hero being the superior, dominant, Anglo Saxon male must take forceful action against the primitive, coloured, uncivilised, 'inferior and savage inhabitants' (Central Queensland University 001, p 4-4f) to conquer them. Hence, Indy is able to conquer his foes by performing many heroic, dangerous, and life-threatening stunts including the dangerous underground chase in the mine cars, cutting the rope bridge in half, and surviving the fight with Mola Ram on the rope bridge.

Indy eventually eliminates Mola Ram [principal foe] when a struggle between the two ensues on the collapsed bridge. Mola Ram falls to his death during the

struggle for the sacred stones, and is eaten by crocodiles in the river below. Mola Ram's followers are consequently eliminated when the British Colonial Troops arrive to save the day. Thus, the hero and his colonial supporters have successfully conquered their foes. Moreover, Shohat and Stam (cited in G Turner ed. 00, p. 7) argue that 'the missions of Indiana Jones' in cinema, are seen as 'winners of history… which idealized [sic] the colonial enterprise … civilizing missions … motivated by a desire to push back the frontiers of … tyranny', therefore conquering them by force.

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he archeologist Indiana Jones, seems to initially be concerned only with personal fortune and glory by retrieving the sacred stone, therefore not strictly following the conventions of adventure films in relation to saving those around him. Events within the narrative however, do lead the village children to be freed, though not directly by Indy. Whilst working in the underground mine as a slave, Short Round, a member of the heroic trio, is able to free the slave children from their chains. Therefore, as a team, the trio has 'saved those around them' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1), by returning the stone to its rightful owners, freeing the children, and consequently 'returning the disordered world back to order', as suggested by Sobchack and Sobchack (187, p. 5).

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he filmic text Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Steven Spielberg 184), was used as a sample to validate the statement that in a general sense, the criteria for an adventure film is 'there is an exciting quest and a series of perilous events or journeys; there is a romantic sub-plot; there are recognisable bad guys, and the hero is able to conquer his or her foes as well as save those around them' (Central Queensland University 00, p. 1). It can be concluded from the preceding discussion that, although not strictly following the abovementioned conventions of the adventure genre, the film has nonetheless generally followed the criteria of this genre to validate the above statement.

Reference list

Antulov, D. 000, All-Reviews.com Movie/Video Review Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, viewed 4th April 00,

http//www.all-reviews.com/videos-4/indiana-jones-temple-doom.htm

Buckland, W. 18, A close encounter with raiders of the lost ark,??? in S Neale and M. Smith, eds. Contemporary Hollywood cinema, Routledge, London.

Central Queensland University (CQU) 001, 11055 Popular Genres Study Guide, Author, Rockhampton.

Central Queensland University (CQU) 00, 11055 Popular Genres Course Profile, Author, Rockhampton.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 184, motion picture, Paramount Pictures, directed by Steven Spielberg.

Shohat, E, & Stam, R. 00, The imperial imaginary, in ed. G Turner, The film and cultures reader, Routledge, London.

Sobchack, T. & Sobchack, V. C. (187), An introduction to film, Scott, Foresman and Company, Illinois.

APPENDIX A Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Video Recording.

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