Bubblegum Card of the Week: Indiana Jones

The new Indiana Jones movie opened yesterday, and while I plan on seeing it in the theater, I'm not in any hurry.

Upon its 1981 release, Raiders of the Lost Ark was huge to me, as Indy's initial adventure was the first movie to seriously threaten Star Wars as my then-all-time favorite. The exploding heads and melting faces freaked me out (those were the most graphic onscreen images my eleven-year-old eyes had ever seen), but the opening sequence in the booby-trapped South American cave blew me away. It made me want to machete through jungles and swing from vines and flee giant boulders in search of ancient treasure. Or at least complete my 88-card Topps Raiders set, of which the above card is a sample.

I've seen the second and third movies just once apiece, both upon their respective releases when I was 14 and 19, but I wasn't especially impressed by either one. Compared to the original Raiders, they both fell short and seemed fairly unnecessary, as I imagine this latest installment will be. I'm far more excited about the new Batman movie.

Helpful hint: A length of kelp found on an ocean beach may be fashioned into a disposable bullwhip.