Underthinking Raiders of lost ark

Let me begin, by saying my thoughts are with the people of Christchurch, and I would have written about this event, except as most of you are now aware my posts tend make fun of things, and there is no way I can make fun of such a tragic event. So hopefully I can bring a smile to someone's face, because that's what I do best.

Celebrating my victory at last years "Make someone smile" competition

So last night as part of the Trilogy Tuesday series that is continuing at my flat, we decided to watch Indiana Jones. Wait ,you say Indiana Jones has 4 movies it is not a trilogy.  But much like the other Hanson children when know they exist we just don't acknowledge them.

Not Pictured : Jessica Grace , Avery Laurel , Joshua Mackenzie , and Zoë Genevieve

So last night we watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, the one that started it all. This is a great film one of those that transcends genre as it contains, action, romance, comedy, and horror.

Tell me this isn't scary

I can imagine this film causes a lot of confusion for video store clerks trying to return it to the shelf, or for people coming in to rent it, I reckon it is why more people are using internet sites to rent their videos.

"Screw it I can't find it. Just get a FATSO account"

So from the first film of the series I just have a few questions.

 1/ Why does Indiana's team taste the arrow to see if it is poison?

I am no expert but it would seem to me that the number one rule of suspecting something is poisonous don't put it in your mouth.

"I wonder if this is poisonous?"

Because there are only two outcomes of this test method, it is not poisonous so you don't need to worry about it, or it is poisonous and you are dead. Not in this movie though, the character tastes the arrow and remarks it poison and casually walks away. Either it is the world's worst poison or he has spent years developing an immunity to it.

"Oh yeah I am immune to Iocane Powder"

2/ Who designed the security pedestal ?

In one of the iconic scenes of this movie, Indiana is trying to steal the golden statue at the start of the film.

"Gotcha"

To steal the statue Indy, replaces the statue with a bag of sand he has approximated to weigh the same as the statue. I mean this seems like a good security system especially for Incas, a weight based pedestal. Now the way I would design this security system would have it set at equilibrium with the statue on top, and if it is removed the trigger would rise killing the would be thief.
However the Incas have designed their system so that it sinks, meaning Indy must have overestimated the weight. I want to know why you would design the system to catch heavier weights? You are relying on thieves leaving things to replace what they stolen.

"Oh god, they took the tv, and left a bigger tv"

Presumably if Indy had just taken the statue and not left anything then he would have got away without having to run from a Boulder.


3/ Did all men in the 1930's have a dress in their possession in case they meet a woman?

This one is a wee bit obscure but the main female character Marion, like most main female characters is frequently captured. What is unusual though is that both times the male, has a dress in his possession for her to wear, and also it fits perfectly.

"I hope I meet a lady I have this delightful dress."

I mean admittedly Marion's dress sense is atrocious, so the men are doing her a favour.

"Seriously you are wearing that out tonight, what is that a curtain?"

But do these men just travel round with an array of female clothing in case they happen to find a woman, do they just carry clothes that will fit their ideal woman? Is this an old-fashioned pick up technique? Or is there something else going on?

"Just a delightful number"