There’s not much about Indiana Jones that isn’t iconic. The character himself is known by all even if you haven’t seen any of the movies (blasphemy!) and if you ever see that fedora and don’t instantly consider taking up archeology as a profession, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Oh, and don’t get me started on the epic theme song that makes me believe that I could easily swing to safety out of any dangerous situation if I was holding a whip. Yes, the Indiana Jones franchise has stood the test of time and even continues on today with the fifth instalment currently in production starring the ever-youthful Harrison Ford; but while we wait for that to get released in 2022 Paramount has graced us with the gift of the original four films getting a 4K release.
The 4K Indiana Jones 4-Movie Collection is packaged beautifully, with a clean, white box holding the four films and bonus feature disc within. Raiders of the Lost Arc is on its own when you first open the foldout package and the remaining discs are found in twos, held securely in place with easy access but no worries of the discs falling out when opening and closing the set. The back of the box has a beautiful shot of one of the location transition maps found within the film when Indy moves from one place to the next.
Also included inside is a foldout map that showcases dates and places Indy visited over the course of the four films, with small summaries of what happened in each place and an image to accompany it. It’s a nice little bonus for fans, though some may be more interested in the flip side of the poster, which showcases the four gorgeous posters drawn by artist Drew Struzan. It’s a nice little extra to find within; however, the true treasure of this collection are the films themselves.
It’s been almost a decade since this series received its Blu-ray makeover, so it was overdue for a fresh release and fans will not be disappointed. Every film in the franchise has never looked – or sounded – better, which is always what’s hoped for when movies are upgraded with the latest technology. A lot of these older films that were restored for Blu-ray has allowed studios to continue improving on their picture moving forward, whereas if the master copies had just remained in a vault the ability to properly restore them in all their glory would’ve passed by and they’d simply be relics of the past.
Raiders of the Lost Arc came out 40 years ago this year, and while this 4K upgrade doesn’t take away the filmic beauty that the slight grainy-at-times look provides, the film is truly breathtaking in 4K, and lives in a new world with its Dolby Vision boost. Yes, the 2160p upgrade looks fantastic, so if you don’t have access to Dolby Vision don’t fret, as you’re still going to be watching an absolutely gorgeous film. There are some moments of soft focus; however, that’s just a part of the film itself, and while it can sometimes stand out a bit more the sharper and cleaner the images get moving forward, that’s just the price we pay and it’s a minimal one, as these scenes are few and far between.
When it comes to Dolby Vision you’ll get to enjoy much richer colours and they really bring the film forward from its already impressive Blu-ray remaster. This is the type of visuals one may expect when shelling out for a 4K upgrade to a film they already own, so be rest assured that Paramount has made it worth your while to do so. For a film full of bright and dark moments, having deep blacks and whites that can sometimes have you squinting is perfection and should have you excited if you’re an Indy fan. If you don’t yet have the ability to watch films with Dolby Vision, this Indiana Jones collection is reason enough to do so.
While Raiders received the full frame-by-frame restoration back in 2012 for its Blu-ray remaster, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as well as The Last Crusade both received remasters, but not as intensive. With that said, just like Raiders, this 2160p resolution and Dolby Vision upgrade has done wonders for these two movies. There’s so much more that visually pops here, with Temple of Doom really shining in the details area, showcasing some great set pieces that really get their due with the clean look that comes with this new resolution. Like its counterparts, Temple of Doom has some grainy moments, but they’re just something that adds to the nostalgic feel of the film and never hinder it visually.
Both movies also excel when viewed in Dolby Vision, showcasing just gorgeous colours from all spectrums of the rainbow in vibrant fashion, incredible whites and blacks that make some of the darker scenes in the films even better (especially the scenes found within the temple in Temple of Doom) with the richness added to them. So even though the Blu-ray restorations looked great, if you were hoping for more when it came to The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade you’re sure to find it here in this release.
That brings us lastly to Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, which is the most recent iteration of the character, returning to the big screen almost 20 years after his last adventure. Being the more recent of the films, Crystal Skull had the least fixing up to do; however, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it looks phenomenal here in magnificent 4K. The 2160p visuals look sharp, and while the more modern of the Indy films, Spielberg kept the same visual look that made the earlier films so appealing and fitting for the genre, so it fits right in with its decades older counterparts. As has been said before with the earlier films, Crystal Skull shines brightest when viewed in Dolby Vision, once again showcasing the film beautifully and the best way it can be viewed.
As always it was great to revisit this franchise and getting to see it upgraded so magnificently is something special. For those who aren’t a fan of double-dipping unless it’s a necessity I’d say that Paramount has delivered more than enough to warrant it here. In fact, the 4K Indiana Jones 4-Movie Collection is so glorious in its presentation that it could be argued that it belongs in a museum.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
Since the majority of the review above was about superb video quality of this 4K collection I’ll talk about the audio here, which is top tier stuff, and almost as good as its picture counterpart. The entire series is presented in Dolby Atmos, which allows for an incredibly immersive viewing experience. There are some absolutely fantastic moments that are brought to life with this audio mix, bringing the audience in alongside Dr. Jones as he tries to outrun a giant boulder or avoid being shot by Nazis, Russians or random arrows.
The score by John Williams in each of the films also shines through beautifully, truly capturing the epic scope of these adventures Indy embarks on and adding to the suspense and heroism showcased throughout. Much like this is the best the films have ever looked when it comes to the home viewing experience, this is also the best they’ve ever sounded. So strap yourself in and prepare for an incredibly fun ride.
Special Features:
Each of the main discs holds the trailers for that respective film, and all the rest of the bonus features are found on a fifth disc. A lot of them are presented in standard definition and show their age; however, that also adds to their charm, as it really places the viewer into the time period these films were made, and shows how much things have changed. Add on to the fact that it’s such an intimate look into the making of each film (especially Raiders), with interviews, and behind-the-scenes segments that really treat the viewer like they’re part of the crew and part of the Indy family. That, and they’re just so damn addicting to watch.
On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – There are two features found under this menu and they are as follows:
From Jungle to Desert – This feature is just under half an hour in length and is all on-set footage from Raiders of the Lost Ark, mixed in with interviews from Spielberg and Ford from back when they were filming. There are also a bunch of outtakes shown that usually culminate in showing what the final scene turned out like in comparison. Really fun stuff that’s a must watch (like every extra on this disc) for Indy fans.
From Adventure to Legend – This feature is also just under 30 minutes in length and is more behind the scenes footage, though this time it’s in a studio where they’re building some of the huge sets used in the film. There are some hilarious bits found here, and some great interaction between Spielberg and Ford while going over storyboards before shooting. Again, so much to love here, and I’d recommend just hitting “Play All” and watching both of these features for one continuous hour.
Making the Films – There are five features found under this menu, which are as follows:
The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – This feature runs at just under an hour in length, and covers a lot of the making of aspect for the film. There’s a bit of narration that goes through some of what was happening at the time, but there’s mostly a lot of interviews with Ford, Spielberg, Lucas and other members of the cast and crew. They give some inside information on what it was like on location, as well as various pieces about Ford performing his own stunts and so forth. Again, great piece, and a must watch, with only a bit repeating as far as the above feature was concerned.
The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark – This is a more retrospective piece about Raiders, where Spielberg and Lucas talk about how it came to be, and the story of how Spielberg came on board. There’s a lot to this feature, which also runs just under an hour in length, and just when you thought you’d seen enough Raiders behind-the-scenes features with the above three, they add a fourth that’s just as awesome and addictive to watch.
The Making of Temple of Doom – This is a piece where Lucas and Spielberg talk about how Temple of Doom came to be, and how a lot of the ideas from Raiders that didn’t make the final cut were transferred over to this one. They talk about casting the film, various scenes as well as inside information about Ford being away from set after surgery, and the controversial PG rating, and whether or not it was appropriate for kids. The piece is just over 40 minutes in length, and again, gives some great insight into the making of this film.
The Making of The Last Crusade – This feature runs at 35 minutes in length, and sees both Lucas and Spielberg getting their way somewhat as far as the story goes. Lucas wanted to go with the Holy Grail, while Spielberg wanted to avoid that and go with a father/son relationship story, and as we both know, these two masterminds combine these ideas to create what is, in my opinion, the best sequel to the original. They talk about casting Connery, working with him on set, and the chemistry he and Ford shared instantly. Again, lots of great info, with almost too much to cover. Another must watch.
The Making of The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – This feature runs at just under 30 minutes in length and talks about why they chose to take it in the direction of aliens, and about how it felt like no time had passed once the old team got back on set. While we see it in the movie, it’s still crazy to see just how good Ford looks still, and even Spielberg mentions that it just blew his mind to see that Ford looked just as good now as he did in the original. Some great information and fun inside stories about the latest installment in the series, and another must watch for fans.
Behind the Scenes – There are 12 behind the scenes featurettes, which can’t be viewed all at once. However, they are pretty solid in their length (with most ranging around the 10 minute mark, with one going as high as 22 minutes total.) The featurettes are as follows:
The Stunts of Indiana Jones – This featurette is just under 11 minutes in length, and goes over the big stunts from the first three films, while also showcasing the stunt crew, and trying to make things bigger and better with each sequel.
The Sound of Indiana Jones – This piece is just over 13 minutes in length and takes a pretty solid look at the sound effects and sound recording for the original trilogy. This is great stuff, especially for those interested in this sort of thing.
The Music of Indiana Jones – Coming it at just over 12 minutes in length, this is the piece that talks about the epic score of John Williams, and the history behind it.
The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones – This piece also comes in at just over 12 minutes in length, and touches on more of the effects found in some of the more memorable scenes throughout the trilogy.
Raiders: The Melting Face – This is the shortest featurette, which comes in at just over eight minutes in length, and gives an in-depth look at one of the most famous scenes from Raiders.
Indiana Jones and the Creepy Crawlies – This featurette comes in at just under 12 minutes in length, and is a look at all the different things they’ve used throughout the trilogy (from spiders and snakes, to rats and bugs). Lots of neat information to be found here.
Travel with Indiana Jones: Locations – This featurette comes in at just under 10 minutes in length and shows the various places that Indy has traveled to throughout the series. There’s an option to turn on a trivia bit that will give tidbits of information about locations and shooting, if that interests you.
Indy’s Women: The American Film Institute Tribute – This featurette comes in at just under 10 minutes in length and sees the three leading ladies from the films all together under one roof being interviewed by AFI’s Jean Firstenberg. They discuss filming, and their characters, and if you watch all the way through, there’s a special guest that they get to meet.
Indy’s Friends and Enemies – This one comes in at just over 10 minutes in length and while it does cover Indy’s friends and enemies, pretty much 50% of it focuses on the ladies once again. Of course, they did all play vital roles in the films, so this makes sense.
Iconic Props – This piece comes in at just under 10 minutes in length and is mainly there to highlight props used in Crystal Skull. Of course, the beautifully placed cameo of the Ark is also touched upon, which was definitely a great touch to the film for fans of the series.
The Effects of Indy – This is the longest feature, which runs at just over 22 minutes in length and focuses on Industrial Light and Magic’s work on Crystal Skull, and all the major effects upgrades they used in the latest installment.
Adventures in Post Production – This is the last featurette, and it comes in at just under 13 minutes in length and it once again focuses on Crystal Skull. They talk about the sound effects, the theme song, as well as editing the film together and so forth. Fun stuff!
Paramount Home Entertainment presents Indiana Jones: 4-Movie Collection. Directed by: Steven Spielberg. Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, Denholm Elliott, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Jim Broadbent, John Hurt, Ray Winstone, Cate Blanchett, Paul Freeman, Alfred Molina, Ronald Lacey, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan, Amrish Puri. Running time: 481 minutes. Rating: 14A/PG. Released on 4K Blu-ray: June 8, 2021.
