I’m going to challenge Domenico Bettinelli to a duel (…er…maybe not, given the content of this post) over a totally mindless subject.

The greatness of the Indiana Jones films!

Here’s my gripe. I really think that Raiders of the Lost Ark was a benchmark in American pop culture, and not a good one. I was only 18 or so when it came out, and not squeamish or anything, but I still vividly remember sitting there in the theater, and watching the scene where Jones takes up a fight with a huge bullwhip, sees his disadvantage, pulls out his gun and just shoots the guy. HUGE LAUGH. And I thought ‘ “Wha-?????” I don’t remember ever seeing violence – no – killing used as a way to get people to laugh before that.

Which reminds of something that happened years later, perhaps related, perhaps not. I was showing a film to high school students which involved warfare of ages past. The battles between humans were met with “Cool” “Awesome” with nary a blink at the human carnage. A horse was injured and fell writing to the ground. A chorus of “Awwwws” rose from the class.

Again, I thought ‘ “Wha-??????”