Where was the whip?

I only saw him use it once, it the warehouse. And I don't think he used his revolver at all!

 

Maybe this is in part due to the fact that he was a captive through much of the movie, and kept disarmed by the Soviets?

 

Admittedly disappointing, the lack of whip use and gun by Indy. After the first trailer premiered, people on the IMDB were going nuts about Indy seemed to be going the Spider-Man route with whip useage, just from the trailer. Well, it turns out, he really only used it that one time, outside of that awkward first useage, where he disarms a guy, if I remember corectly. By awkward, I mean, it didn't seem like Ford knew how to use it anymore. The shot of him going for the guy with the whip is pretty bad. It's really lethargic, with no real snap. And then, there's the gun thing.

May not be a big deal to some, but those are major Indy trademarks, to be underutilized.

I forgot about, I think he uses the whip to launch that guy through the window in the wharehouse scene, which was cool. That was pretty much the last we saw of it, though.

 

Honestly, I enjoyed the movie so much (several times now, too) I never even noticed the minimal use of the whip. The movie was entertaining and held my interest to the point I never once questioned, "gee, how come he's not using his whip more?" Didn't care.

 

He uses it to try to save Mac at the climax.

 

Yeah, it was a shame it wasn't used more -- and the revolver was only used to scare off one of the Doomtown zombies. Certainly wasn't Chekov's gun...

Also, he didn't even use the whip to knock Russian Roach through the window in the silo; it was a chain hanging from the ceiling.

 

So he used it three times in the new movie: Once to disarm the Russians in the warehouse; once to swing from the light fixture after Spalko's truck; and once to try to save Mac at the end. This compares to I think four times in Raiders, so I for one don't find it disappointing at all.

 

He kills only when he has to and shoots only when he's the one being shot at or threatened first.

Kind of like Han Solo.

 

Doesn't he technically use it 4 times. Once to disarm the Russian. Once to swing from the beams where he crashes into the front of the truck, once to swing out of the vehicle onto the upper beams, and once to try to save mac at the end.

 

He grabbed a light fixture to swing up to the beams.

 

^ ^ ^ Yes, he grabbed onto a lamp and climbed it. I noticed that the second time around.

But I also remembered another one from Raiders, which makes five uses in that movie. So we are seeing somewhat of a deficit in CS. The Raiders uses are:

1. once against the gunman, Satipo's partner;
2. once over the pit (swung twice, but only whipped the beam once);
3. once against the oncoming thugs in Cairo;
4. once in the Well of Souls, up the statue of Anubis;
5. and once to climb back up the back of the truck.

Can someone with a photographic memory of Temple and Crusade give us a whip-count for those films?

 

There wasn't really room in the film for the whip.

I think there's some images that back that up. Indy walking through the test sight houses and how colorful they were but, he looked out of place. I think this film was like that it was about sort of moving ahead.

Like Indy had had his day and now this was Mutt's world. Not the same as it was in the 30's.

 

Never ever thought about it until I saw this thread.

 

And with good reason.

 

Have you forgotten that Indy hardly uses his gun in Temple of Doom either? Willie throws it out of the car in the beginning of the film. Besides, Indy mostly uses his fists in all the films rather than the whip or gun.

Like Indy had had his day and now this was Mutt's world. Not the same as it was in the 30's.

So does that mean that Mutt's switchblade is the new whip?

 

All the Jones boys have a "male" symbol, appropriate to their age and style:

Henry Jones Jr. - whip
Henry Jones Sr. - umbrella
Mutt Jones - switchblade

Lucas always makes sure his main male characters have a phallic symbol of some sort.
Such as a light saber.

 

You're looking a little too hard for some "phallic symbol", I think. All weapons used throughout history could conceivably be interpreted as some sort of "phallic symbol" -- swords, cannons, rifles, carbines, guns, bazookas, knives, blowguns, bats, machetes, etc.

Why single Lucas out, when all characters in all movies who carry weapons are basically in the same situation?

 

I don't think JWD is 'singling anybody out'. He's merely pointing something out. And (for the record), the three symbols in the Indiana Jones series take on more importance than weapons usually do.

 

Exactly right, Hammurabi. That's along the lines of what I meant. I'm not singling Lucas out, I'm praising him for thinking in more detail.

Because within the Indy series of films, you can connect those symbols very specifically to those characters. Princess Tina, I don't think I was looking at it too hard, those are obvious connections. It's a part of the design of the characters. When Sean Connery tries to shoo away the birds on the beach, he doesn't say, "hey junior, throw me your whip I want to crack it and scare away the birds", Sean uses his umbrella. It's a more elegant device for an older and more conservative character. This stuff is well thought out.

 

So why point out some assumed connection with "phallic symbols"?

 

Uh, because this is a discussion thread about THE WHIP?

Is it okay with you if I make an ASSUMPTION or contemplate possible psychological connections? You seem to be under the mistaken impression I'm "accusing" Lucas of something or something negative. He's well-known for his interest in psychology/sociology and so forth, so it's certainly not beyond the pale. I'm sorry you're "confused." I'm merely admiring the craftsmanship of the writing and the way things have been thought out for the characters.

GOD ALMIGHTY, TINA I'M SORRY I EVER EVEN BROUGHT THIS UP. I'm out of here.

 

You still haven't answered my question. When, in the history of humanity, have people used anything for combat that couldn't be taken as a "phallic symbol"? To point this out in the context of one single fictional series seems a bit bizarre, to say the least.

It's not that it isn't OK to make an "assumption", it's just that I can't see how any storyteller or filmmaker could have people engaging in combat without using such weapons - whether it be a knife or a bat or a knife or an umbrella or a gun or rifle. You might as well conclude that practically all weapons may be construed as a sort of "phallic symbol"

No need to get defensive, I just asked a question. It's not an accusation or anything.

 

You know, I'm pretty sure that part was a joke.

 

Not using the revolver and the whip was pretty disappointing, but then again hariiso Ford couldn't do as much; he's aged a whole lot since the last film.