The DVD Dissection: Young Indiana Jones: Volume 3, The Years of Change

Posted by Chad Webb on 05.30.2008

Before the Ark or the Crystal Skulls, Indiana Jones was battling the Germans and hunting for diamonds.


Sean Patrick Flannery: Indiana Jones
George Hall: Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr.
Ronny Coutteure: Remy
Margaret Tyzack: Miss Seymour
Lloyd Owen: Professor Henry Jones Sr.
Ruth de Sosa: Anna Jones
Jay Underwood: Ernest Hemingway
Series Directed By: Carl Schultz, Simon Wincer, Rene Manzor, Michael Schultz, Bille August, and Mike Newell
Series Written By: Frank Darabont, George Lucas, Jonathan Hales, Jonathan Hensleigh, Jule Selbo, Matthew Jacobs, Gavin Scott, and Rosemary Anne Sisson
Series Air Dates: 1992 - 1993
Episode Running Time: 45 minutes
Box Set Total Running Time: 660 minutes
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008







Not Rated

For this DVD review, I have given a brief summary and opinion of the episodes, and then I listed the extras directly after that. In other words, I reviewed the entire disc together, and moved on to the next one, so as not to confuse anyone with all the extras at the bottom, like usual.

The Show

Originally titled The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, the television series based on the popular movie character explored his childhood. This was intended from the beginning as a form of “edutainment.” It was created and executive produced by George Lucas. It ran from 1992 - 1993, and following the cancellation, four straight to video films were released based on that series.

The development began during Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where so many crew members questioned Lucas on Indy’s childhood. River Phoenix was cast as a younger Indiana at the request of Harrison Ford in that sequel. Shortly after this movie, Lucas mapped out a timeline of Indy’s life for approximately 70 episodes. Apparently, had a third season been filmed, they would have introduced many of the characters he sees and refers to in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sean Patrick Flannery, Corey Carrier, and George Hall played the titular character during this run.

When this was being filmed, it was primarily shot on location around the world, for a budget of $1.5million almost each time. It took 3 weeks to finish an episode. The series was shot in three stages. Very young Indy and older Indy appeared randomly throughout the episodes of each season. The main theme song was created by Laurence Rosenthal, and much of the music in the storylines were created by Joel McNeely.

From 1992 - 1994, the series was nominated for 23 Emmy awards, and won 10 of them. It did garner mostly critical praise, but negative reactions can be found too. Sega Genesis games, trading cards, and spin-off novels can all be dug up.

The Discs

DISC 1

Tales of Innocence - In this opening episode, young Indy is infiltrating the Austrian forces disguised as a one-armed/one-eyed soldier trying to convince them to surrender. Meanwhile, he is attempting to court a local Italian girl with advice from his new best buddy Ernest Hemingway. The second half has Indy traveling to North Africa and investigating how weapons are being supplied to a group of rebels. He encounters Edith Wharton and Lowell Thomas along the way. This is the first Young Indiana Jones episode I have watched in awhile, and it is odd that two episodes have been connected as one. It makes for a disjointed effect. Jay Underwood is a neat Ernest Hemingway here. Underwood starred as The Human Torch in the original Fantastic Four film. The first section is a romantic comedy intermingled with war, while the second half focuses heavier on desert thrills. Overall the experience was average, but establishes the cool “Forrest Gump” style with Indy meeting various famous people. If taken as a 97 minute movie, it is weak, but this was a show, and as such, it is harmless adventure enjoyment. Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Extras

The Life of Ernest Hemingway (34:56) - This mini-doc talks about Hemingway’s depression in life, and touches on his time in World War I as an ambulance driver, which coincides with this episode. Of course it also goes over his writings, and contains readings from his various passages and books.

The French Foreign Legion: The World’s Most Legendary Fighting Force (28:22) - According to one interviewee, the rumor is that Legion members had to fill a boot with blood to prove themselves. This has the history of the legion, film clips, the conquest of Algeria, the legends, and so forth. This group started so the French could filter out all those who were not natives to take bad posts.

The Secret Life of Edith Wharton (30:35) - This one begins with a shocking revelation from one of the female author's stories about Lily Bart. Wharton was born in the upper class, and proceeded to write about them. It covers her childhood, her vivid imagination, marriage possibilities, how her intelligence ultimately hurt her.

Lowell Thomas: American Storyteller (29:18) - In addition to television clips, this contains thoughts on Thomas’ adventuresome spirit, his achievement of circling the world 5 times in one year, his days a WWI reporter, and of course his time with T. E. Lawrence.

DISC 2

Masks of Evil - In this adventure, Indy is in Istanbul as Nils Anderson, a spy posing as a Swedish journalist waiting for an all important red document, which could lead to possible breakthroughs with Mustafa Kemal. Since a female must be involved, he is seeing a teacher named Molly, and is also trying to avoid am ambiguous double agent. He is then given orders to travel to Transylvania where a weird little escapade ensues with an imitator of Vlad Dracula. The first half did not mesh at all with the second. As dumb as the plot was, the Dracula storyline was cool in a creepily preposterous sort of way. This episode all together was not as satisfactory, but there is some excitement to be had from the Transylvania mystery. At least the transition from mission to mission was not as jarring. Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Extras

For the People, Despite the People: The Ataturk Revolution (30:25) - This extra focuses mostly on Mustafa Kemal, how he became known as Ataturk, and how he influenced and changed Turkey. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire is touched upon, in addition to Kemal’s childhood and education, the Gallipoli victory, Armenian independence, a divided Turkey, and so forth.

The Greedy Heart of Halide Edib (28:23) - She was also a character included in this episode. She was a Turkish writer who contributed to the creation of that country after the Ottoman Empire. They go back to her childhood, and then cover her movement of resistance for a free Turkey, her problems with Ataturk, the New Turan, her sons, etc.

The Ottoman Empire: A World of Difference (33:05) - This empire lasted 600 years, and it was willing to tolerate difference in cultures. The interview subjects discuss the beginning of it all, how the name was confused, the method of conquering, leaders, the Balkans, ruling with a light touch, and go into detail on everything until it fell and was carved up.

Dracula: Fact or Fiction (24:53) - It’s a shame that one of the more interesting extras is also one of the shorter ones. This has the history of Vlad Dracula, the impact of vampires on society, the important films, and so on. This is a good one, especially if you like the history and myths. They also mention Buffy.

DISC 3

Treasure of the Peacock’s Eye - On the final stages of the war, Indy and his pal Remy stumble across a map which might lead to a 140 karat diamond called the peacock’s eye. It once belonged to Alexander the Great. With a barrage of clues, Indy and Remy encounter a variety of characters including an evil German villain with an eye-patch, sea pirates, and hostile natives in and around New Guinea. Remy is an engaging sidekick for our hero. He provides ample laughs, and nice set ups for action. This is the first smooth flowing episode of the set. It truly is one adventure, and not two adjoining ones. The treasure hunt recalls the fun filled elements of the feature films, yet has a somewhat surprising conclusion with an intelligent lesson. This also declined to have an excessive amount of meetings with famous people. There is one present, but that is fine with me. Rating = 8.5/10.0

The Extras

Bonislaw Malinowski (29:34) - Here is the man who revolutionized the field of anthropology. He landed on an island near New Guinea, and discovered new and more effective ways of studying cultures. Interviews about his childhood and various theories are inserted, as well as recordings and photos. He said that you needed to get your hands dirty in this field.

Anthropology: Looking at the Human Condition (23:49) - This explains that anthropology is the study of human beings, of communities, languages, and so on. One can see certain anthropologists studying the Pokemon craze, Low Rider groups, and donuts. This was a decent broad perspective.

New Guinea: Paradise in Peril (25:05) - This is the most undiscovered place containing around 8 million people and over 1000 languages. I never realized how little I knew about this area of the world, but we learn of the natural resources available, history of invaders, cannibalism, and so forth.

DISC 4

The Winds of Change - With the war over, Indiana has taken a job in Paris with the American delegation as a translator. He witnesses the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles meetings first hand. T.E. “Ned” Lawrence is also there arguing that Arabia deserves freedom. Along the way, Indy meets Gertrude Bell, and the man who would become Ho Chi Minh. Following those negotiations, he heads back to the USA, Princeton specifically, and catches up with college pal Paul Robeson, works for rocket scientist Robert Goddard, and argues with his father incessantly. Another installment where two become one, kind of like the annoying Spice Girls song. The first part, set in Paris, is riveting political drama that makes you consider a lot regarding post-war activities. The Princeton story focuses on racism and rockets, and is only mildly interesting. These are packed with noteworthy people, and shockingly, it is handled rather proficiently. Plus, this history is more accurate than you might imagine, except for Indy’s contribution of course. Rating = 7.5/10.0

DISC 5

The Extras

The Best Intentions: The Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles (33:15) - Much to my amazement, one of my college professors provides interviews on this mini-doc. His name is David Silbey, and he was a cool teacher. Anyway, this targets the three main players from the United States, Britain, and France, and how they were trying to reorganize the world. It also talks about the German delegation train, and how it was slowed to a crawl.

Woodrow Wilson: American Idealist (28:41) - Everyone describes him as a great legislative President that had a bunch of intelligent ideas. One man raises the question of whether he should have gone to Paris, and how he receives a glorious celebration when he arrived. His childhood, and thoughts on the 16th Amendment are also expressed.

Gertrude Bell: Iraq’s Uncrowned Queen (33:07) - This commences with how our invasion of Iraq and subsequent problems matched what the British faced decades prior. Bell was a mapmaker that took part in many of the decisions on what would become Iraq, including the actual border lines. Her childhood is also touched upon, but this is mainly about Iraq’s formation issues.

Ho Chi Minh: The Price of Freedom (31:07) - It is a true story when Ho Chi Minh showed up at the Paris Peace Conference as a waiter defending Vietnam. This exposes how he was turned away, his traveling around with aliases, and through jail to rise again and join the Communist party. He is an intriguing individual, and his story is stranger than fiction I must say.

Paul Robeson: Scandalize My Name (32:32) - I’ll admit, I knew nothing of this man, but figured he was of note in the episode. James Earl Jones actually contributes an interview here and chats about his deep singing voice. For as talented as Robeson was, his race caused an endless struggle for him. He was a lawyer, singer, actor, and who knows what else. This is really worth watching.

Robert Goddard: Mr. Rocket Science (31:34) - All those times you say something isn’t rocket science must have stemmed from this man. He was a fan of Jules Verne as a boy, and from then on, strove to construct a rocket with liquid chemicals that would go into space. His childhood and design of the rocket are included in this mini-doc.

DISC 6

Mystery of the Blues - This little treat is told via flashback by a middle-aged Indy, also known as Harrison Ford. He is sporting a beard because he couldn’t shave in time from The Fugitive. Anywho, this is set in 1920’s Chicago where our hero is working at Colisimo’s restaurant to help pay for college. His roommate is Eliot Ness, the up and coming reporter Ernest Hemingway is poking around, and he has befriended musician Sidney Bechet. It turns out Indy loves jazz, and attempts to learn the saxophone. A murder occurs, and these three are dedicated to solve it. They are a humorous trio to watch, that’s for sure. This episode has so many soon to be famous people that your head will spin. The beauty is that all of those minor storylines are woven into one fluid slice of this active time. Among those who pop up are Al Capone, Louis Armstrong, and Ben Hecht. The cast includes Jeffrey Wright as well. I thought the flashback was handled wonderfully with Ford, and this was easily shaping up to be one of my favorite episodes as it dealt with gangsters and racism, but the plot which concluded with middle-aged Indy was so insanely lame that it tarnished everything we saw previously. Rating = 8.5/10.0

DISC 7

The Extras

Jazz: Rhythms of Freedom (31:55) - This form of music was born in the USA, and sprouted from the slave ships. It was meant as liberation through music for the African Americans. They spend a good bit of time talking about New Orleans, and how that melting pot helped to shape the jazz genre. Billy Taylor and Jelly Roll Morton are also discussed.

Al “Scarface” Capone: The Original Gangster (27:55) - From his days as a small time crook, to his rise as one of the most feared men, this min-doc exposes the well-known killings, the mafia bosses, and how Capone eventually went down to tax evasion. I have always been fascinated by Capone’s life and celebrity status, so this was tubular...yes I said that.

Prohibition: America on the Rocks (32:45) - The 18th Amendment began for a variety of reasons, but one of the main ones was the women’s suffrage movement, and Carrie Nation who hacked up a bar with an axe because of her abusively drunk husband. At that time we were drinking 5 gallons per person each year, which is a lot. This is another interesting topic.

On the Trail of Eliot Ness (29:21) - The Valentine’s Day Massacre was the big incident that caused the President to send in Ness and his "Untouchables." He was a new type of detective, a completely clean one, and this covers his childhood, the Capone phase, and his cases afterwards which are hardly ever discussed. Ness had a frustrating career, and many do not realize that.

Louis Armstrong: Ambassador of Jazz (31:55) He was called the ambassador of good will, and was always viewed as a great man by all. When he spoke up about his problems with Eisenhower, the President himself addressed those protests. This spans his youth, his tours, his hits, and his maturity as the new jazz emerged.

Ben Hecht: The Shakespeare of Hollywood (31:15) - Hecht was a very respected screenwriter in Hollywood, who got his start as a reporter. He wrote His Girl Friday, a bonafide classic, and many others which he was not given credit for. Leonard Maltin and Richard Schickel are two of the film historian that offer thoughts on Hecht’s amazing achievements.

Hellfighters: Harlem’s Heroes of World War I (29:15) - Colin Powell greets us and says that this group was serving a nation that didn’t serve them at all. This focuses on how highly decorated they were, the pride of Harlem, and the discrepancies that arose from “blacks being trained to kill whites.”

DISC 8

The Scandal of 1920 - Indiana Jones arrives in New York City to stay with friends, but meets a number of women in his travels. First he encounters Peggy Peabody on the train and schedules a date. As he is searching for a place to stay, he stumbles upon Kate the poet, whom he becomes involved with conveniently for a room. Indy eventually lands a job on a Broadway production managed by George White. While there, he finds a new buddy in George Gershwin, and this leads him to Gloria, an upper class girl whose father must be lured for his money to save the production budget. At this point, it is no secret that Young Indiana Jones relies heavily on romance to fill episodes. This doesn’t bother me, but to some, it might stupid. What we have in this storyline is Indiana Jones in a romantic comedy tale. I thought it was executed with some inventiveness because it is three women he’s juggling. Plus, this was one episode, not two, and it was not loaded with famous folks just for the heck of it. As a matter of fact, and this might shock some, I found this to be one of the most satisfying experiences of this volume. The acting was solid, the premise was engaging, and the ending was perfect for a television series. Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Extras

Tin Pan Alley: Soundtrack of America (31:15) - So many songs became hits because of tin pan alley composers. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is just one, and the people that wrote it never attended a real game. Scott Joplin, Daisy Bell, and George Gershwin are some of the names mentioned. Ragtime music, the various dance steps, and the changes based on the mood of the country are all areas explored here.

Wonderful Nonsense: The Algonquin Roundtable (26:00) - This was a group of writers who found ways to be witty, and grew names for themselves because of the regular columns and one-liners. They would meet for breakfast all the time. Many clips and readings are given, which are quite funny, at least for the time period.

Broadway: America Center Stage (29:58) - This is a history of Broadway compacted into 30 minutes. George M. Cohan, Florenz Ziegfeld, and George White are the three big names this concentrates on. The number of Broadway shows that were up and running during the peak was astounding. Unfortunately, the craze would die down significantly when The Jazz Singer and talkie pictures in general came out.

DISC 9

Hollywood Follies - I appreciated this premise since I am an avid film historian, and a huge follower of the silent era. In this episode, Indy has been fired from the Broadway production, but since he did save the day, George White sets him up with Carl Laemmle, who then sends him on a mission. What would this story be without a mission? Indy will receive a generous payment towards his tuition if he stops the shooting of a movie called Foolish Wives. The problem is, he must contend with the writer, director, and star who is Eric Von Stroheim. Meanwhile, Indy falls in love yet again, with an aspiring female screenwriter, and meets Jack Ford, a western filmmaker, in his travels through the studios. The Von Stroheim to Ford shift is very obvious, but based on the accuracy and adeptness in crafting this dull love story around Hollywood’s most exciting time, I will say this is a fantastic way to kill 90 minutes. Stephen Caffrey and Dana Gladstone, the actors who portray Ford and Stroheim respectively, are spot on. Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Extras

Eric Von Stroheim: The Profligate Genius (32:53) - This is a man I knew only from Sunset Boulevard, but truthfully, I am fascinated by him and his work now. He was a writer. director, and star that was fired by virtually every major studio, came to this country with a fake biography, and proceeded to make a career by demanding things. There is a scene in this min-doc from The Heart of Humanity that WILL make your blood curl.

The Rise of the Moguls: The Men Who Built Hollywood (25:40) - The men responsible for creating these “dream factories” were primarily Jewish immigrants. Of course, it took awhile for them to break through the barrier set up by the Edison trust, a group created by Thomas himself to oversee and rule all things regarding moving pictures. This is basically a history of the whole process began. Very neat and educational.

Irving Thalberg: Hollywood’s Boy Wonder (32:30) - He was a neighbor to Carl Laemmle coincidentally enough, and was born with a defective heart. He spent his whole life haunted by the fact that he could die at any second, yet he gradually propelled himself to the master seat at Universal. He dealt with Eric Von Stroheim a great deal, and a prestigious Oscar award in his honor is only given to the best filmmakers.

The World of John Ford (33:19) - As number 10 of 11 Irish children, Ford grew into a tough, no-nonsense, yet beneficial director through his brother Francis. This features interviews with Martin Scorsese, and many clips from The Grapes of Wrath, and its impact. John Ford is a legend, and this will show you why.

DISC 10

Interactive Timeline - This extra can only be accessed through a computer. It displays the years of this volume, and so forth.

Historical Lecture: New Gods for Old (1:04:05) - This is given by H.W. Brands, a professor, and it is fairly straightforward, and meant for students only. To make an overly long lecture short, he discusses almost all the points previously touched on in the documentaries of the other discs. Nothing against Mr. Brands, but that makes this pointless.

Hunting for Treasure: Interactive Game - Another bonus that you must enjoy via a computer. This is pretty self-explanatory right?

The Video

Surprisingly, the picture quality of this volume is a mixed bag. At times, the transfer gleams and sparkles as if it was given the royal treatment, but then sporadically, several random shots will emerge that are grainy, and seem to be soft and unpolished. It is odd. The transfers on the special features are fabulous. Many of the images are extremely old, so I expected grain in those cases, but the main issues stem from the actual episodes, which are far from perfect considering how much detail went into every other aspect of this release. I will say though, that more than enough sequences exist to marvel, such as Indy in Hollywood with John Ford, in the Middle East, or hunting for the Peacock’s Eye on wild islands. What shame that this was not afforded just a tad bit more attention. This region 1, dual-layered DVD, is a full screen format.

The Audio

I had no major complaints from the audio, however, it is not spectacular by any means. These episodes contain more dialogue than you would imagine, but a hefty amount of gunfire and explosions can be found. All emanates from the speakers as satisfactory in my book. All the characters are lucid, clear, and totally understandable. The musical theme sounds at an appropriate level as well. This has English subtitles and a Dolby Digital track.

The Packaging

Young Indiana Jones: Volume 3, The Years of Change is distributed in a cardboard box with a dig pack foldout case inside. The episode titles and extras are listed on the casing and the discs. Pictures and a contents summary sheet are given as well. The menus are fairly basic and laid out as pages of a map unfolding. They are easy to navigate.

The Episodes: 7.5/10.0
The Video: 7.0/10.0
The Audio: 9.0/10.0
The Packaging: 10.0/10.0
The Extras: 9.0/10.0

The 411: Young Indiana Jones needs to be viewed in a different light than the movies. This is a show, so expect it to be corny, goofy, and somewhat lame. However, it was meant as educational entertainment, and as such, it succeeds on numerous levels. In addition, it serves as a fulfilling glimpse into the childhood and upbringing of an iconic action hero. Those watching these as movies, and those comparing them to the installments of the theatrical releases, will be disappointed. Sean Patrick Flannery is the actor that portrays Jones 99% of the time in this volume, and he does brilliantly in my opinion as a gutsy, immature, and easygoing kid. This set is jam packed with extra material. The mini-documentaries are mesmerizing, and on some occasions, better than the episodes. The technical specifications possess both positive and negative traits. The absence of commentaries was not a shock knowing Lucas, but still a letdown. I enjoy this show for all it’s silliness, all of the acutely placed celebrities, and the extension of an endlessly capable premise with the character. Is it worth the money is what it all boils down to. Sadly, that must count in weighing the pro’s and con’s. For the price, this is only ideal for schools to purchase, but unless you are a die-hard fanatic, I say wait for a sale price, or rent it.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]