Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory
Encyclopedia
Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory is a 2008
American
feature length
documentary fan film
written and directed by Brandon Kleyla to examine interest in the Indiana Jones films through interviews and profiles of more than 50 devotees of the Harrison Ford
character Henry Walton Jones Jr., Ph.D.
.
production of Evita
at Daytona Beach Community College
. In 1995 he played the character Bobby Fricker in the film Now and Then
, followed by his role as Josiah in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
(1996), the young version of the character James Whale
in Gods and Monsters
(1998), and the character of Young Kevin in Free Enterprise
(1998). In 2000 he partnered with his sister Alexis to form 'Red Dot Film Studios', and in 2005 his first project as writer and director was the comedy film
The Road to Canyon Lake. Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory became Kleyla's second project as writer and director.
, and it was the announcement of the fourth film of the series that acted as his impetus. As a self-professed fan of the Indiana Jones films, director Kleyla made note that while there are fan convention
s for Star Wars
and Star Trek
films, there are none for Indiana Jones films. In the summer of 2007, he began work to create a documentary about those he refers to as "the felt-hatted faithful". Stating that the film began "just for fun", Kleyla learned through his interview processes that the Indiana Jones films "have really gotten to people", just as he had himself become a fan of the films when as a child he repeatdely visited the Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World in Florida
.
The film's initial scenes were shot at New Haven, Connecticut
where the director had hoped to catch the filming of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, following which production went to San Diego Comicon for additional fan interviews, then interviews with designers of the Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World, interviews with some peripheral members of the Jones production team: whip trainer Anthony DeLongis, costumer Deborah Nadoolman-Landis, and stunt doubles Vic Armstrong
and Wendy Leech. The docmentary concluded with a trip to Las Vegas to attend an auction of film props which included Indy’s whip and the holy grail prop from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
.
made note of the film's interviews with fans and with industry professionals "marginally" associated with the Indiana Jones films or franchises, and wrote of the filmmaker's belief that the films made actual impact on people's lives. In panning the film, they wrote the they "threaten to be interesting on occasion, but the interviews do nothing to reinforce the filmmaker’s thesis, because he doesn’t have one." Writing that the interviews seemed more haphazard than properly planned, they wrote that it seemed the director "just sort of rounded up people who like the films, and a few people who were marginally involved with the films, got them to speak a bit, and then edited the footage together without much of a direction to it". The reviewer placed the lack of the film's focus directly on "the director’s choice of questions, his inability to draw the best anecdotes out of his interview subjects, and a lack of skill in the editing room."
USA Today
spoke of how films and film franchises achieve "greatness". In using David Lean
's Lawrence of Arabia
as a yardstick, they noted that films can accomplish this through "deft directing, stellar acting and breathtaking scenery", or achive it through the passion of fans toward certain films and their characters. They expanded that while films such as Star Wars
and Star Trek
series are famous for their fans, "Indy devotees politely and proudly separate themselves from folks who prefer films set in an era of intergalactic travel".
Blogcritics
make note that since filmmaker Brandon Kleyla since was born in 1983, he was too young to have seen the Indiana Jones trilogy original theatrical releases, but that after repeatedly watching the Indiana Jones stunt show at Disney's MGM Studios, he "fell in love with the character", and began what is "reported to be one of the largest Indiana Jones memorabilia collections in the world". They expanded that the common theme about the persons being interviewed: "the love of Indiana Jones". They concluded by writing that the documentary "is a fun film that looks at how the Indiana Jones character and films have left their mark on pop culture and how Indy is one of the more recognizable icons of the 20th century."
on April 27, 2008, and had its DVD
release on October 7, 2008 through Cinema Libre Studio.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
feature length
Feature length
Feature length is motion picture terminology referring to the length of a feature film. According to the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a feature length motion picture must have a running time of more than 40 minutes to be eligible for an Academy Award.The term may also...
documentary fan film
Fan film
A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been amateurs, but some of the more notable films have actually been produced by...
written and directed by Brandon Kleyla to examine interest in the Indiana Jones films through interviews and profiles of more than 50 devotees of the Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
character Henry Walton Jones Jr., Ph.D.
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
.
Background
Kleyla had been himself an actor since 1991 when he performed in an equityEquity
Equity is the name given to the set of legal principles, in jurisdictions following the English common law tradition, that supplement strict rules of law where their application would operate harshly...
production of Evita
Evita
Evita is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, rise to power, charity work, and eventual death.Evita began as...
at Daytona Beach Community College
Daytona Beach Community College
- External links :* *...
. In 1995 he played the character Bobby Fricker in the film Now and Then
Now and Then
-Film and television:* Now and Then , a 1995 comedy-drama* Now and Then, a 1979 Australian film starring Tony Barry* Now and Then Videoflow, a Canadian television program-Literature:* Now and Then...
, followed by his role as Josiah in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering is the fourth film in the Children of the Corn horror series. It was released in 1996, and directed by Greg Spence...
(1996), the young version of the character James Whale
James Whale
James Whale was an English film director, theatre director and actor. He is best remembered for his work in the horror film genre, having directed such classics as Frankenstein , The Old Dark House , The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein...
in Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters is a 1998 drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director James Whale, whose homosexuality is a central theme. It stars Ian McKellen as Whale, along with Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, and David Dukes...
(1998), and the character of Young Kevin in Free Enterprise
Free Enterprise (film)
Free Enterprise is a 1999 romantic comedy film starring Eric McCormack and Rafer Weigel, and featuring William Shatner, directed by Robert Meyer Burnett and written by Mark A...
(1998). In 2000 he partnered with his sister Alexis to form 'Red Dot Film Studios', and in 2005 his first project as writer and director was the comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
The Road to Canyon Lake. Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory became Kleyla's second project as writer and director.
Production
Kleyla had been wanting to create a documentary about Indiana Jones fandomFandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
, and it was the announcement of the fourth film of the series that acted as his impetus. As a self-professed fan of the Indiana Jones films, director Kleyla made note that while there are fan convention
Fan convention
A fan convention, or con , is an event in which fans of a particular film, television series, comic book, actor, or an entire genre of entertainment such as science fiction or anime and manga, gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and...
s for Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
films, there are none for Indiana Jones films. In the summer of 2007, he began work to create a documentary about those he refers to as "the felt-hatted faithful". Stating that the film began "just for fun", Kleyla learned through his interview processes that the Indiana Jones films "have really gotten to people", just as he had himself become a fan of the films when as a child he repeatdely visited the Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
The film's initial scenes were shot at New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
where the director had hoped to catch the filming of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, following which production went to San Diego Comicon for additional fan interviews, then interviews with designers of the Indiana Jones attraction at Disney World, interviews with some peripheral members of the Jones production team: whip trainer Anthony DeLongis, costumer Deborah Nadoolman-Landis, and stunt doubles Vic Armstrong
Vic Armstrong
Victor Monroe Armstrong is a BAFTA winning British film director and stunt double -- the world's most prolific according to the Guinness Book of Records...
and Wendy Leech. The docmentary concluded with a trip to Las Vegas to attend an auction of film props which included Indy’s whip and the holy grail prop from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry...
.
Critical response
Film ThreatFilm Threat
Film Threat is a former print magazine and, now, webzine which focuses primarily on independent film, although it also reviews DVDs of mainstream films and Hollywood movies in theaters. It first appeared as a photocopied zine in 1985, created by Wayne State University students Chris Gore and André...
made note of the film's interviews with fans and with industry professionals "marginally" associated with the Indiana Jones films or franchises, and wrote of the filmmaker's belief that the films made actual impact on people's lives. In panning the film, they wrote the they "threaten to be interesting on occasion, but the interviews do nothing to reinforce the filmmaker’s thesis, because he doesn’t have one." Writing that the interviews seemed more haphazard than properly planned, they wrote that it seemed the director "just sort of rounded up people who like the films, and a few people who were marginally involved with the films, got them to speak a bit, and then edited the footage together without much of a direction to it". The reviewer placed the lack of the film's focus directly on "the director’s choice of questions, his inability to draw the best anecdotes out of his interview subjects, and a lack of skill in the editing room."
USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
spoke of how films and film franchises achieve "greatness". In using David Lean
David Lean
Sir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...
's Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia (film)
Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely...
as a yardstick, they noted that films can accomplish this through "deft directing, stellar acting and breathtaking scenery", or achive it through the passion of fans toward certain films and their characters. They expanded that while films such as Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
series are famous for their fans, "Indy devotees politely and proudly separate themselves from folks who prefer films set in an era of intergalactic travel".
Blogcritics
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site—a self-proclaimed "sinister cabal of superior writers"—was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn...
make note that since filmmaker Brandon Kleyla since was born in 1983, he was too young to have seen the Indiana Jones trilogy original theatrical releases, but that after repeatedly watching the Indiana Jones stunt show at Disney's MGM Studios, he "fell in love with the character", and began what is "reported to be one of the largest Indiana Jones memorabilia collections in the world". They expanded that the common theme about the persons being interviewed: "the love of Indiana Jones". They concluded by writing that the documentary "is a fun film that looks at how the Indiana Jones character and films have left their mark on pop culture and how Indy is one of the more recognizable icons of the 20th century."
Release
The film premiered at the Newport Beach International Film FestivalNewport Beach Film Festival
The Newport Beach Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Newport Beach, California, that showcases more than 350 films to more than 30,000 attendees annually....
on April 27, 2008, and had its DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release on October 7, 2008 through Cinema Libre Studio.
External links
- Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- USA Today video Meet the 'Indyfans