# what are the Indiana Jones movies a pastiche of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602 "2004-10-28T02:15:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/21 "2004-10-28T22:01:21Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Uh… you _are_ kidding, right? > > I’m not saying that _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ is substantially similar to a revenge flick like _Nevada Smith_, but… really… > > You don’t see one (or perhaps two) rather obvious points of isomorphism? For what it’s worth, Indiana Jones’ [original name was Indiana Smith](http://edition.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/21/film.indiana.jones.ap/). ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/22 "2004-10-28T22:22:07Z")
Back in the '80s I once convinced a gullible high school girl that when the Indiana Jones movies were dubbed for overseas markets, they also changed the names of many of the characters. She actually bought the idea that in Mexico, “Indiana Jones” was known as “Chihuahua Chavez”. When I tried to tell her that Marion swoons into the hero’s arms with a cry of “¡Ai, Chihuahua!”, I lost it… ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/23 "2004-10-28T22:41:42Z")
> [@Freejooky](#): > > Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always sort of known that the Indy movies were a pastiche or homage to a certain type of old film or story - but what? What original should I check out if I want the “indiana effect”? Go to [IMDB Power Search](http://www.imdb.com/list) Restrict the genres, if you wish. Under “Production Company”, type “Republic” (they didn’t make EVERY serial under the sun, but they made most of them, and the most fondly-remembered ones at that) Under “Keywords”, type “serial”. Lower on the page, exclude TV Movies and TV series. Perform the search. Take your pick. Some are available on video. Some were strung together into movies and re-released theatrically AND on video, some under different titles than the original series. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/24 "2004-10-28T22:50:03Z")
I should add that “Zombies of the Stratosphere” is of particular note, as it has a young Leonard Nimoy in a supporting part as an alien invader. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/25 "2004-10-29T03:44:22Z")
**Zombies of the Stratosphere** is a cool serial (in fact I was just talking about it yesterday in the “stars in bit parts” thread), but most of the best parts were swiped from the two earlier Rocketman serials, **King of the Rocketmen** and **Radar Men From the Moon.** Republic would recycle their action sequences/cliffhangers shamelessly . . . kind of like movies today are still recycling stuff from the Indiana Jones movies. And speaking of Indy (which is the topic after all), I was trying to think of some specific serials that probably had some influence on those films. There’s the aforementioned **Perils of Nyoka** , and the earlier Nyoka serial **Jungle Girl**. Then there’s **Manhunt in the African Jungle** (also known as **Secret Service in Darkest Africa** ), which probably has more outrageous knock-down, drag-out fight scenes than any movie in history. **Perils of the Darkest Jungle** and **Manhunt of Mystery Island** , both featuring the lovely Linda Stirling, were two particularly good adventure serials with Indy-like elements. I’m sure others here can add to the list, but those are the first that come to mind. Still, I don’t think there is any single serial (or book, or comic strip) that one can point to and say “THAT’S where Indiana Jones came from!” Spielberg and Lucas grabbed little bits and pieces from _dozens_ of serials, and somehow crafted it into something that _didn’t_ seem derivative. I still regard **Raiders** as sort of the “ultimate serial.” The other two films were good, but **Raiders** remains the best action/adventure film ever made, and a great tribute to the cliffhangers. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/26 "2004-10-29T08:54:35Z")
Indy’s outfit {leather jacket, fedora, khakis, whip} was pretty much taken from an old Charlton Heston circus movie in which he played the ringmaster-cum-animal tamer. Can’t quite recall the title: was it The Big Top? Ringmaster? Charlton Heston Circus movie. Lemme go Google a minute… ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602/27 "2004-10-29T09:00:53Z")
> [@Middlecase](#): > > Indy’s outfit {leather jacket, fedora, khakis, whip} was pretty much taken from an old Charlton Heston circus movie in which he played the ringmaster-cum-animal tamer. Can’t quite recall the title: was it The Big Top? Ringmaster? Charlton Heston Circus movie. Lemme go Google a minute… The Greatest Show On Earth, 1952, directed by one Cecil B DeMille. Google is my friend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-indiana-jones-movies-a-pastiche-of/271602.md?page=1)