Synopsis:

This edit puts the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones films, back on course. With corrected color and a new approach, this edit seeks to make Crystal Skull look, feel, and play like a classic Indiana Jones film.

Intentions:

So after a year, my take on Indy 4. New FULLY new opening and re vampmed non UFO ending with NEW FX shots to eliminate aliens etc plus 80s film stock look and colour correction PLUS and removal of excessive CGI panning shots over moving vehicles etc. Downplay Indys age in order to tighten up ALL the action sequences (compare trailer warehouse to the theatrical version)…plus no mushroom could and LOTS more…no ants, no prarie dogs, no monkeys, no scorpions etc… Is there a film left I hear you cry? Yes…In fact if you tabulate Raiders and what the action sequences are, what is in them and long they are, this is still structurally comparable and by no means a cop out. I think the tone, look and feel is no as near spot on to making Indy 4 a worthy contender to the franchise (bar re-shooting half the film). Other stuff…cleaned up some of the FBI goons crap. Enhanced the Mario romance by adding some music at key points and making her less silly…she was NEVER silly. More stuff….no fight with the crazy Russian at the cliff edge, Spalko is more mysterious, Mac a bit less corny….and the list just goes on and on and on…

Change List:

001 Custom opening using footage from the TRINITY AND BEYOND: THE ATOMIC BOMB MOVIE, including Music from the film which is very Raiders. Footage is treated and WAS in colour but converted in B&W 002 Trinity site shot used and aspect modified and repositioned to permit PARAMOUNT LOGO segue 003 Overlaid with music from the isloated score from the ATOMIC BOMB MOVIE 004 Custom titles over the completely new opening sequence 005 Seuge to sequence from the ATOMIC BOMB MOVIE establishing the period and the Russiona threat overlaid with new custom titles. 006 All of the opening to the Original is removed as is the Rock n’ roll sequence leading to the conflict at the gate which forms part of the new title sequence. 007 Continus to the Mac/Indy Russian confrontation which is trimmed and has dialogue removed and re-arranged. 008 Refernce to age removed from sequence. 009 Mac’s comments are re arranged to correct a continuity error in the theatrical release. 010 Some of Indys hamfisted lines are removed. 011 Russian Punch to Indy removed 012 Russian line about “looking for stuff” removed….so begins needless exposition or crummy lines…(hard to think a Russian army officer in the 50?s would use such a colloquialism) 013 Spalkos intro trimmed (we get her name later in the post nuke briefing). She need s to be a little more menacing and not so comedic. 014 Spalkos nonsense about awards and psychic over exposition removed as is pshchic door opening (perrrleeaaaasse). This laso removes a later problem when she doe not forsee Oxleys Autowriting!!! 015 Warehouse sequence trimmed removing initial gunpoweder chase and significantly tightened up to not make Indy too old. 016 removing excessive magnetised schtick since it makes no sense that the guns are not attracted but lamps in rafters are!!!. WHOA! 017 Mac shot looking onto corpse opening removed and replaced with Indy shot to set up punch 018 Corpse bag opening deleted (we do not need to see the Aliens….EVER!!! NEVER!!! COMPRENDE!!) 019 Gun stand off trimmed removing Mac closeup 020 Indy reaction removed as is gun raising by russian 021 reference to Spying and the Russians removed. Fine that they are friends….for now. We get the OOS CIA think at the de-brief in about 10 min time…. 022 The obvious “overdub” of Mac loosing at cards removed. Too patronising to the Audience and it makes Mac meaner and more deliberate which makes the redemption sweeter and the later reveal (IN 10 min again, be patient). 023 Shots reinserted to allow for guards re-aiming 024 Line about “I Like IKE” removed. Lord, Indy was never that full blooded a patriot or corny! 025 Fight at the sled is again tightened up and the russian burn up unified so the FX is not split, but ride is untouched 026 Prarie dog removed. 027 segues to shortened nuclear town sequence in which Indy is not chased by Russians (enhanced with Indy Scores). 028 Town blast trimmed and reorderred including removal of Russians outrunning blast. The scene is also score with Music now. 029 Indy walking up to watch nuclear cloud also removed as are the Prarie dogs, a few FLYING FRIDGE shots, and dialogue replacement for segue that follows 030 Segue to base score enhanced, 031 Initial interogation with Fed goons removed and starts when Spalko’s file dropped on desk. 032 Last Fed Goon line removed…its an Indy film, not a pantomime. This sequence is the only scene where the original colour is untouched. 033 2 lines from Indys chat with college friend trimmed at his home. 034 Conversation with Mutt in diner is trimmed (which also correct a continuity error when the Mustard is knocked over). 035 Chase removed university drive thru and ends at the banner collapse. Frankly it drags on a bit a nd is a touch boring. 036 Grave robbers and crap lines removed and score enhanced (can’t bring myself to type them. Watch them on the edit EXTRAS) 037 Mutts fall re-editted. 038 “You’re a teacher” line removed…it comes again later 039 CGI scorpinons are removed 040 Indy’s dialogue with Mac trimmed in camp 041 Spalko’s over exposition about the skull is trimmed and shots re-arrange to facilitate audio fix 042 Indy punching Mac and breaking his nose cut at this point. Funnier if pay off is delayed. 043 Indy/Marion arguing trimmed 044 Spalo’s autowriting line cut…needless and patronising (sequence and audio re-ordered to accomodate the change) PLUS she is PSCYHIC so how could she miss this!!!! 045 “Three times it drops” Oxley line and Indy responses cut since this edit drops once….yes once…it was boring when we all saw it the first time, but shots use from all 3 drops. 046 Marions trust me stuff, all the CGI ants and monkeys in the earlier chase, and remaining footaged significantly tightened up with major aerial panning shots removed throughout. 047 Quick sand trimmed and dialogue referring to fear of snakes and “its slimey” removed. 048 Russian on lorries line to stop arguing cut. 049 Chase thru jungle is trimmed to increase pace and tension, kept tighter, removing repetitious fight moves 050 Needles to say the monkeys are gone but key pieces of sequence kept to permit Mutt to get to Spalko’s car. 051 Cliff edge also trimmed, goes on TOO long 052 End of chase trimmed and on foot running is shortened. 053 Indy fighting the Russian by the ants removed as is 054 all the CGI ant attacks 055 Russsians climbing down the cliff is also deleted as redeundant 056 thus no flip back of the tree, 057 no dropping three times on the waterfalls (why did Spielberg not tell Lucas to cool these excessive beats) 058 waterfall end is also trimmed removing the bickering and score enhancing the discovery of the entrance. 059 Marions Theme added after falls. The marriage at the end doe not have a sufficient romantic preamble in the film. This adds to it and I used the Marion device 3 time more. 060 Added The “Well of Souls” here to bring out the “we are on the money” now. 061 No real change from here until after they land in the water where again I use the Marion and Ell of sould motifs. 062 Massive change to the SPFX as Spalko no longer encounters the aliens which have been removed. 063 To faciltate this change a new 5 new effects are added, light bleeding, to create a more etheral feel consistent with the previous movies and a new segue to her dintgration. 064 There is then a chnge to Macs death as well which is no longer split. 065 Deleted Mac rooting around the cave too early, Sequence needs tightening. 066 Climatic water effect and gears enhanced with music. 067 Once on the surface the sequence is completely reworked to removed the UFO and falling rocks. 068 Dialogues is trimmed to increase the sense of awe 069 From the wedding the film plays out as normal with tweaked credits. SCORE ENHANCEMENTS: All cues taken from the 5 disc extended edition box set CD 13:57 Track 7 Father and Son reunite – Last Crusade 16:10/16:29 Track 3/6 X Marsk the spot segues into Journery to Austria – Last Crusade 35:38 Track 15 Oxley’s Dilema – Crystal Skull 1:07:20 Track 10 The Jungle Chase – Crystal Skull 1:08:04 Track 11 The Wrong Choice – Last Crusade segues with 1:08:53 Track 14 Marion’s Theme – Raiders 1:09:04 Track 05 Washington Men – Raiders 1:17:31 Track 17 Marion’s Theme/The Crate – Raiders 1:27:39 Track 16 Ants – Crystal Skull

Additional Notes:

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Other Sources:

Special Thanks: