Someone in the CHUD message boards compared the American and International version of the movie trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Agent of Chaos discovered that a bunch of russian soldiers with guns had been removed from the American version. Check out the photo above. I’m pretty sure that this change was probably the result of an MPAA request.
Someone on AICN also noticed that the American Flag is mysteriously missing from the international version of the trailer. It always seemed a bit odd and out of place to me in the American trailer. I don’t think a movie blog is the place to explore why the American Flag and U.S. patriotism has become taboo in the shadow of the Iraq war (we’ll let the political blogs explore that, as that is not at issue here). The fact of the matter is that Indiana Jones has never been used a symbol of America Patriotism. The use of the flag in the trailer feels extremely out of place. Friends of mine brought up this point and I’ve played devil’s advocate, saying that the American Flag was probably used in the film to establish the location. But truth is, it feels way out of place in the trailer. And if the international version proves anything (other than Ray Winstone has Computer Generated pants) it is that the shot was not needed (at least in the teaser).
February 15th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
You have to wonder whose decision it was to prominently place the American flag in the U.S. trailer, and moreover who had it removed from the international trailer. This has nothing to do with the flag, but the way it blankets the entire screen in the pic above means it was there to convey a socio-political message, and not to identify location (that is a ridiculous argument in my opinion, but it can be argued Devil’s Advocate-wise as Peter stated).
It’s an odd misstep of several in the trailer, and Spielberg has become quite political as of late (see the Olympics boycott, Munich, Chicago 7, presidential endorsements), so the scene baffles with its ambiguity. And one can bet that when the next trailer arrives, this will be gone.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Isn’t it ironic that in the United States the MPAA can presumably tell filmmakers to edit out guns (oh my, guns!) out of a trailer for an adventure film, while the international trailer remained intact, but in addition the U.S. trailer has to have a huge U.S. flag inserted (I guess international viewers can spot locations better and faster, if that’s the argument for the flag)?
The more I think about this, the more botched it all is for such a huge and iconic summer film. Whoever is to blame has given Indy IV a lamed start, in the horse-racing sense.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I don’t understand why the appearance of the flag in the domestic trailer is such a big deal? Indiana Jones is an iconic American hero. I think people are looking WAY too into the appearance of the flag rather than taking it a bit lighter. Spielberg isn’t trying to convey some political message.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s not a big deal, but it is totally out of place, makes people think:
ohh noo.. socio-political message and American patriotism in Indiana, thats why they erase it from the International trailer
And why erase the guns? theres guns everywhere! its incredible how America love and hate guns at same time.. sick
February 15th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Good call on the missing guns. Because if you look at the pictures, you can tell that it’s obviously NOT different parts of the same scene. Only a complete fool would look at the two pictures, see the man in the background with his gun in different positions, and think that it’s anything but digital manipulation to enforce censorship.
Those censoring assholes!
And removing the *American* flag for the *international* release? Good lord! That would be as wrong as calling “G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero” something different, like, say, “Action Man” for release in a country other than America!
I tell you, our freedoms are being stepped on by censoring assholes and foreigners!
Damn them!
Damn them all to hell!
February 15th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Or, could the American flag with the date of May 22 be simply used as a tie-in to the Memorial Day Weekend, for advertising purposes? I can’t believe how much people nitpick things to death!
February 15th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Paul - I couldn’t agree more.
Memorial Day is first thing I thought of as well. What! What’s that you say? Memorial Day isn’t just the final day of my first 3-day trip to Panama City, FL where I’ve been able to get myself piss-drunk stupid all weekend? You mean it actually has some sort of Pro-American meaning and is not just another “paid day off!?” You mean people actually fly the American flag proudly through that weekend! What!?!?
Wow.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I think the American flag works in the trailer and the movie because this movie is suppose to be taking place during the cold war where there was alot of tension between America and the Soviet Union. Its really not about patriotism, but rather about the fact that there was alot of “jingoism” during that period in the country’s history.
I cant believe they removed the guns though. That is so ridiculous. And I think it suggests how far the MPAA has moved left since Dan Glickman took over. First theyve ‘banned’ smoking, now theyre trying to force gun control on movie trailers. Are movies themselves next? And Im pretty liberal saying that, but I have to admit, liberals can be … almost as bad a consevatives when it comes to free speech.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I feel this whole matter of the American flag’s presence in the trailer has been blown way of proportion. It’s fine if some people feeling it is out of place because normally we don’t see the
American flag in relation to Indiana Jones; however his
adventures have for the most part not taken place in the US.
I just finished watching the past trailers for the other Indy flicks
(thanks for posting those Peter) and then I watched the teaser
trailer for Crystal Skull again and it occurred to me perhaps the
flag pops up in that scene as a marker of where this film’s primary
adventure will take place? We know already part of the movie will
take place in Roswell, NM.
It could simply be symbolic of location as people have said.
It’s not even that long of a shot. I didn’t get the feeling of
forced patriotism. I didn’t feel any prominent reaction
to it one way or another. Could it be we we’re now reading into
this way too much? Hell, maybe Indy is working for the US
government in this movie, so we have a quick shot of the
flag. Goodness, I’ve wasted too much time thinking about this.
For it being taken out of the International trailer that’s likely
political and I won’t go into my opinion on that subject.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Good lord people, it’s just a device to establish that we are at an American military base (probably area 51.) Get over it.
Consequently, I also think those are US soldiers in the above scene, not Russian. Heck, you can see USAF on the hangar right behind them!
February 15th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
The Americans love their guns, but cannot stand the sight of it ? That is hilarious!
February 15th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I can’t say anything about the guns, but the movie is going to be released for memorial day weekend. Maybe the date combined with the flag are suppose to hint at this?
Just a thought…
February 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I’m finding the reaction against the American flag in the trailer embarrassingly amusing.
February 15th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I’d like to point out that yes, those are American soldiers pointing guns at Indy. Hence the us army uniforms and the American guns.
February 15th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I am thinking the russians have snuck into a US military base wearing US army uniforms, thats my take on the whole scene. Indy was in the boot of the car as a prisoner perhaps? Not too sure. We’ll find out soon enough come May.
I’m from New Zealand, think I must’ve seen the american trailer though as I remember the US flag being there. My take on the flag is just that Indy is sort of an established american hero and there is a bit of patriotism going on there for the trailer but it doesn’t bother me too much. Plus like someone else said in the context of the movie, they seem to be entering a military compound of some kind so thats another reason for its placement in the film.
As for gun removal, that does bother me somewhat. Hopefully the guns are actually there in the movie when we see it and its only for the trailer’s sake they have been removed. I seem to recall Speilberg removed guns out of scenes in E.T as well when it went to DVD and lets not forget Lucas playing around with Han Solo and Greedo willy-nilly everytime he re-releases star wars so its not too surprising they might start doign this sort of thing either. Wish they’d stop it though and go with what felt right on the day they filmed the scenes.
February 15th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I thought the whole opening sequence of the trailer was weird and out of place, including the flag. I get why they used it, but I think the whole thing could have been edited together much better.
February 16th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Flag was an establishing shot. Whether it stays or goes in international versions is possibly political, but no one will find out.
What I don’t get is the weird lighting as Indy picks up his hat. Feels totally fake. The weird feel of the delivery of ‘Part Time’ at the end after Shia’s blatantly edited question about him being a teacher. The awquard score editing at the end. Did they really have to squeeze it to within a particular run-time? Then drop the references to the first 3 that no one needs and show us the Fedora to a few notes of Williams and everyone on the planet that gives a rat’s ass will get the intended rush without the history lesson.
And why no Karen Allen, other than a brief shot with Shia and Indy in the truck?
Some things reminded me of the feel of the earlier films, and that has me excited. Will be fun.
February 16th, 2008 at 2:24 am
The flag was a bit weird wasn’t it?,very GI-Joe all-American hero.I don’t understand why it wasn’t a real flag anyway, and not a CG one.Im going to personally assassinate Lucas if this movie is bad ;) .Strange teaser.Looking forward to seeing what the full length trailer is like.
February 16th, 2008 at 3:40 am
I think the flag to affiliate the area 51 ;)
February 16th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Ooh, Norwegian subtitles, so at least we get more guns :)
February 17th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Maybe he should be masturbating into the flag to show just how much he loves america?
There is no need for a flag; any flag, not just american. It’s reminiscent of the moments in spiderman when he jumps onto a flagpole, the ‘ol flag flapping magestically behind him. Frankly I wouldn’t have been overly surprised if he had saluted it, crying, and said “God Bless America”.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Wow. I guess the only thing I have to add, is that I thought it lent a strong vintage feel to the trailer.