Indiana Jones = Metallica

[raskal66]

I have recently had a moment of clarity and wanted to state my discovery so that the rest of the world would know. While this will not have the importance of the Theory of Relativity's impact on humanity and physics, I do think that as far as cultural debates go this one might have some resonance. Even if it doesn't, I'm hoping it's at leat an entertaining read.

In a recent meditative state, I think I discovered why there is so much lively debate on whether Indy 4 was a worthwhile installment in the franchise. While we will obviously have our own opinions, I was able to draw comparisons of my disappointment with the film to the "Summer of '96." This was the year that Metallica's "Load" album came out. What comparison to Indy Jones is there? Well here we had a band whose prior greatness is more or less unchallenged up to that point in time. Metallica had it's first four albums, Indy had it's first two movies. Whether or not you liked the first four albums or the first two movies, they are what established these acts and initiated the legions of fans they would carry.

Then Last Crusade came out. The Metallica album of equivalence here would be the self titled Black album. Indy went for more star power in pulling in Sean Connery, Metallica went for a larger audience by hiring Bob Rock to be their producer. Last Crusade still delivered a solid action adventure still mostly enjoyed by old fans as well as recruiting new. The Black album, still was liked by older fans by and large (though the older were less receptive at first) while new ones were brought into the fold. Both were forays into new stuff while retaining the qualities that made these properties.

Then Load came out. This was a radical departure from what millions of fans had come to know and love. It was still a commercial success as fans who had never heard of Metallica or had never liked them before now had something they could pick up and listen to, but in doing so also had sent many older fans packing. The decline of Metallica had begun and continued with Reload, and all vital signals were flat aftert St. Anger. (I'm only counting original releases and not re-releases with new songs ala "Garage, Inc.") By this point, the base had left, and the new fans gained with Black and Load had moved on. Even the critics stopped giving Metallica a free pass for less than premium recordings being made under their name.

Indy 4 is the Load album. It was a commercial success making over $200M domestic box office. It brought new fans into the franchise. It was a departure from what established fans of the franchise had come to associate with the name. This was justified by saying things like "We had to move off Bible artifacts and Nazis." (As though Temple of Doom somehow involved these things.) Another was "This Indy Jones is supposed to feel like a 50's adventure serial along the lines of the Masked Marvel instead of a big Hollywood blockbuster. To which I ask, if it was intended to be a serial, why wasn't it presented like one with a series of episodes, instead of having the look and feel of a blockbuster? This is very reminiscent of the time Metallica (particularly Lars Ulrich) started telling their older fans, "Hey if you don't like it, if you can't make the change with us, then perhaps you shouldn't continue to follow us and buy our music." Well, Lars got his wish. After successive bad albums, the original fans left and only the incidental "newest is best" crowd remained and the once most successful touring band became a joke.

Indiana Jones is presently on this course. There is nothing wrong with liking this new film, though I don't share the opinion that this new one is good but somewhow misunderstood. Old fans and new watched this and have expressed the entire range of opinion possible. What I am curious to see is that if the producers of Indiana Jones continue to hemmorhage older fans (as it appears that newer fans seemed to like Indy 4 more than older) will the franchise be able to continue on it's present course without becoming a parody of itself. Making Shia the next Indy protege would appear to be a step in that direction becoming a Reload or even a St. Anger, should this be made.

Maybe redemption is in the works. After realizing that fans are where the money comes from, Metallica has appeared to want to end the suicidal track they were on reverting to the sounds that originally brought them their fans in Death Magnetic. They haven't all come back and they might not ever after being alienated for a long time and insulted for being stuck in the past, but Metallica as a band regardless of sales is getting their credibility back. The Indy franchise is at the same crossroad as Metallica after Load. Do they continue to call different better? Or do they find a way to appease both old fans while recruiting new? Only time will tell.

(I might have a little too much time on my hands to come up with this banality, but the figures do seem to add up.)

Do you think the comparison apt? I'm curious.