October 02
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“I’m Making this Up as I Go”: A Family Outing
“I’m Making this Up as I Go:” A Family Outing
By: Meg Humphrey
Say what you will about the trend of re-releasing movies on the big screen. Yes, I did go to a midnight showing if The Phantom Menace 3D; no, I didn’t go see Finding Nemo 3D (even though I love Nemo way more than Episode I). For me, there has to be something different or special for me to drop some cash on movies that I own on DVD. …something special like seeing Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark on a REAL IMAX screen. I promptly bought three tickets for myself, my boyfriend, and my dad (who I lovingly refer to as Pa).
Let me talk a little about where we saw the movie. The Pacific Science Center is a Seattle staple, not just because of its origins with the World’s Fair, but because of the fact that it’s ABOUT SCIENCE and awesome and was always the best field trip destination while I was growing up. I went there about four years ago and still had a great time reading about dinosaurs, touching sea life, and being ultra paranoid that I’d step on something in the butterfly house. To make it even better, Raiders wasn’t playing in the shiny and new Boeing IMAX screen, it was over in Building 5 where all of the 45 minute science themed movies played and where we all got a taste of the IMAX for the first time as elementary school kids. Going there left me wrapped in nostalgia and fuzzy feelings.
I won’t go into detail about the movie because it’s Indiana Jones. If you haven’t seen it, shame on you!! Go watch it now!!
I will say that Indy is fantastic on the big screen. I paid more attention to the camera work and artistry than I ever had before. The stunts felt more outrageous and the locations much more grand. Plus, who doesn’t want to see a giant version of the young, roguish Harrison Ford? Dreamy actor aside, the best part was not just experiencing the movie with my boyfriend, but having Pa there as well. Pa is the one who instilled the geek in me. My very last trick-or-treating Halloween costume was Indiana Jones. I had the fedora, the whip, and even a homemade clay fertility idol. Pa helped me craft every single piece of that costume. He even lent me his old brown leather jacket to complete the look. This is because Pa loves Indy. We throw quotes back and forth. We sit down and watch it together (especially if it happens to be on TV during the holidays). His favorite ride at Disneyland is the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. He regularly wears the Indiana Jones t-shirts my sister and I have given him as presents.
As we watched the movie and shared a large bag of popcorn, I kept glancing over at Pa. His eyes were glued to the screen except at the occasional times he’d look over to check if I was enjoying myself. No one laughed louder than Pa when Sallah started majestically singing or when Indy was pointing out the places that weren’t hurt so he could receive smooches from Marion. He was smiling the entire way through. He told us afterwards that he hadn’t watched Raiders since before I had moved out 2 years ago. I smiled and said that’s because Temple of Doom is always the one on TV and The Last Crusade is his favorite (mine too). It was too cold to stand around and chit-chat so we went off in opposite direction to our cars. I owe a big “thank you” to Indy for being something that Pa and I can share through the years and the mileage.
Your sharing Indy with your dad reminds me of sharing Star Trek with mine. My father and I saw all of the Star Trek movies together (starting with IV, the whales!) until I moved out here. When JJ put out his shiny new Trek we scheduled a time to see the movie and have a chat afterwards. Heck yes for nerd dads!