The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 1 - Part 1

Well, I'm finally getting down to the good stuff that is on CBS/Paramount's long-awaited first DVD volume of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". While you know by now my stance on the decision of CBS, Paramount, and one Mr. George Lucas to release the series on DVD in its re-edited form from the late 1990's and not include the original telecasts with the original bookend segments intact (as seen on ABC during the series' initial run in the early to mid 1990's) - still a crime in my book - I'm going to focus on each respective chapter and the documentaries that complement the first seven chapters of the series.

(Before I go into my thoughts on those documentaries, I just want to put the word out there that if anyone has any of the original one-hour telecasts on video, send me an e-mail. Of this first set I have chapters 1, 2, 4, and 7 preserved to DVD+R, and I know that along the way I missed some of the other segments. I'd like to have all of the original telecasts, as well as the behind-the-scenes segments from the original 11 VHS tapes, preserved and archived on disc, so let's talk!)

Disc 1, "My First Adventure", is just that, young Indiana Jones' first adventures from birth and traveling the world. In the first five chapters, young Corey Carrier portrays Henry Jones, Jr., growing up just as any typical boy would. We learn of young Indy's humble beginnings and the journeys he undertakes with his parents Henry and Anna Jones (Alex Hyde-White, trying for all the world to channel Sean Connery, and Ruth deSosa, in an ineffective role that all but fulfills the perfunctory purpose of Indy's worrysome mother being around in his early years). Joining them on their travels is the crusty Miss Helen Seymour (Margaret Tyzack), Indy's tutor with an iron will all her own. The first half of "My First Adventure" centers on Indy's first trip to Egypt, encountering T.E. (Ned) Lawrence and Howard Carter, while exploring a possible curse centered around an Egyptian jackal - this has been lifted from the first half of the series' premiere "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal", which had a much more effective second half that tied in well with the first. The story then abruptly shifts gears to Cairo, where Indy learns of slavery and nearly winds up a slave as well. This second part of "My First Adventure", which was obviously filmed a few years after the first part, doesn't work as well. Why Luca$ decided to completely forego the original TV broadcasts still baffles many, including me, to this day. But the first part of the story does have a fun charm of its own that parents and Indiana Jones fans should enjoy.

Okay, onto the first four documentaries on Disc 1. First off is "Archaeology", a 16-minute feature that takes a look at how the real-life science of archaeology differs from the fascinating, adventurous, and sometimes romantic notions conveyed in the three (soon to be four) "Indiana Jones" theatrical films. According to modern-day scientists, archaeology is tedious and unsung, as the documentary profiles two such expeditions into remote parts of the world. For generations it was seen merely as looting and graverobbing, but it was not until 1922 that Howard Carter emerged as the benchmark by which archaeology is measured. This is continued in the 22-minute documentary "Howard Carter and and the Tomb of Tutankhamen", which profiles Carter's life-long love for archaeology and Egyptian history, the discovery and research of King Tut's tomb, and the meticulous and precise methods Carter used to archive and document every detail of the mysterious boy king's life and death. Carter's methods continue to be seen as the standard by which all modern archaeology must be measured.

From there we turn to the 36-minute program "Colonel Lawrence's War", a look at the life of British soldier Thomas Edward Lawrence, best known to many as Lawrence of Arabia. This documentary reveals untold aspects to Lawrence's life that, if you're only familiar with the 1960's David Lean epic with Peter O'Toole in the title role, you're in for a rude awakening. Ever in love with the Arabian way of life, Lawrence studied the Arab culture in the early 1900's and lived among them years before his service in the British military and his revolutionary methods of uniting the Arabs against the Turkish Empire in the closing years of World War I. But Lawrence's actions led to unforeseen circumstances that continue to reverberate in today's times, with all of the current troubles in Iraq and Pakistan. Others saw Lawrence as a romantic war hero and leader; Lawrence saw himself as a failure. In his epic chronicle Seven Pillars of Wisdom, how much of what Lawrence writes is truth and how much is fiction?

Finally we have the 30-minute program "From Slavery to Freedom", which looks at many cultures' attempts to enslave people of seemingly lesser quality into a lifetime of slavery. No mention is made of the Egyptians' enslavement of the Israelites, as seen in the Book of Exodus, which is a shame. The program, however, traces the roots of slavery back to ancient China and looks at the brief enslavement of the Greek philosopher Plato; the Roman execution of 400 slaves as the result of the murder of a prominent Roman official; Pope Gregory's desire to use slaves to till his fields in the 6th century; and, of course, the British and American slave movements from 300-400 years ago. However, slavery still continues to occur in parts of the world today, though in more brutal and horrific forms than we can conceive. But the program, which includes interviews with historians and people dedicated to educating and ending slavery, does give a positive note: this could be the generation that finally sees the end of slavery.

So ends my look at the first disc of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". Next time I'll take a look at Disc 2, "Passion for Life", which cobbles together young Indy's adventures in 1908 and 1909, and the six documentaries that comprise Disc 3. See you then!