The Emmy-award winning series THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES made its long-awaited DVD debut on Oct. 23 (VOLUME ONE, $69.99) from Lucasfilm Ltd., CBS Home Ent. and Paramount Home Ent., with an impressive array of all-new bonus materials, which allow viewers to dig deeper into the real-life events behind young Indy's globe-trotting coming-of-age. THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES was the first TV series to use digital production, pioneering processes that would pave the way for George Lucas' own STAR WARS prequels.
VOLUME TWO will follow on Dec. 18, with VOLUME THREE scheduled for release in Spring 2008. The complete three-volume collection will contain 22 feature-length movies and 94 documentaries, interactive games developed by River Deep, an interactive timeline produced by Terra Incognita Prods., and an historical overview by noted author and University of Texas history professor H.W. Brands.
"I've always been fascinated by the people and events of history," said Lucas, creator of the series that ran on network TV from 1992 to 1994. "YOUNG INDIANA JONES gave me the chance to explore issues and ideas that had so much to do with the emergence of the modern age we live in today."
The first 12-disc set includes seven feature-length episodes as well as 38 in-depth companion documentaries, an historical overview, an interactive game and an interactive timeline.
The 38 historical companion films are original works from the Lucasfilm documentary unit, headed by CBS News veteran David Schneider. The documentaries complement the episodes with insights from scholars, historians and luminaries from a wide range of disciplines, bringing remarkable and fresh insight into THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES. They include interviews with Gen. Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, Gloria Steinem, Martin Scorsese, Barbara Boxer, James Earl Jones, Hal David and Deepak Chopra, along with some of the nation's pre-eminent academics.
A critically acclaimed combination of adventure, romance and history, THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES was shot in 35 countries and utilized the talents of the industry's most distinguished actors, directors and writers, earning 11 Emmy Awards and 26 nominations over the course of its production.
"YOUNG INDIANA JONES was one of the most ambitious and complex projects that had ever been attempted for television, and the result was an amazing series that showed a completely different side to Indy," said series producer Rick McCallum, who also produced the three STAR WARS prequels and the Special Editions of the original STAR WARS Trilogy. "Over the years, the fan support for Young Indiana Jones has swelled, and I'm asked about it everywhere I go. So, I'm really happy that people who grew up with it can at last have it for themselves, and that a new generation will be able to discover the brilliant acting, directing, writing and storytelling that has always been the hallmark of an extraordinary venture."
The feature-length episodes star Sean Patrick Flanery (BOONDOCK SAINTS, THE DEAD ZONE) as teenaged Indy and Corey Carrier (Nixon) as 9-year-old Indy. The cast of guest stars includes Christopher Lee, Vanessa Redgrave, Max von Sydow, Anne Heche, Lukas Haas, Elizabeth Hurley, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright and Daniel Craig.
THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES films also feature the work of directors Bille August (LES MISERABLES), Mike Newell (HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE), David Hare (STRAPLESS, screenplays FOR THE HOURS and DAMAGE), Terry Jones (MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL and THE LIFE OF BRIAN), Deepa Mehta (WATER), Joe Johnston (THE ROCKETEER, JURASSIC PARK III), Nicolas Roeg (THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, DON'T LOOK NOW) and Michael Schultz (CAR WASH, TV's EVERWOOD). Writers include Rosemary Anne Sisson (UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS), Frank Darabont (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) and Jonathan Hensleigh (DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE).
The VOLUME ONE breakdown is as follows:
Disc One:* My First Adventure: While on an archeological dig in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, Indy uncovers an ancient mummy and fresh corpse. With the help of T.E. Lawrence, the legendary Lawrence of Arabia, Indy solves an intriguing murder mystery only to find himself thrust right back into danger when he is kidnapped by slave-trading brigands. Dragged on a terrifying journey across the burning sands of North Africa to the slave markets of Marrakech, Indy finds that he must rely on his courage and wits to survive the brutal ordeal.
* Companion Historical Documentaries:Archaeology: Unearthing Our PastHoward Carter and the Tomb of TutankhamunColonel Lawrence's War: T.E. Lawrence and ArabiaFrom Slavery to Freedom
Disc Two:* Passion For Life: The beautiful Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya is the locale as Indy goes on safari with former President Teddy Roosevelt. When he becomes lost in the savage African bush, Indy finds that he must fight for his life against all manner of exotic and dangerous wildlife. Exotic wildlife of another kind awaits him in Paris when he accompanies a young Norman Rockwell on a rollicking tour through the bohemian world of Parisian fine art. Wild parties, wilder women and artist temperament are on full display as Pablo Picasso and Edgar Degas clash over their contrasting styles of painting, while painting the town red at a gaudy late-night soiree.
Disc Three (Passion For Life bonus disc):* Companion Historical Documentaries:Theodore Roosevelt and The American CenturyEcology: Pulse of the Planet American Dreams: Norman Rockwell and the SATURDAY EVENING POSTArt Rebellion: The Making of the ModernEdgar Degas: Reluctant RebelBraque + Picasso: A Collaboration Cubed
Disc Four:* The Perils of Cupid: In beautiful Vienna, Indy falls for the lovely young daughter of soon-to-be assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. But the course of true love does not run smoothly and he must seek advice from two of the founding fathers of psychology, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Romantic complications of another kind turn up in Florence, Italy, when Indy and his mother meet the great opera composer Giacomo Puccini. Dismayed to find his lonely mother succumbing to the sensuous charms of the charismatic Puccini, Indy frantically looks for a way to reunite his parents and rekindle their love before it's too late.
Disc Five (The Perils of Cupid bonus disc):* Companion Historical Documentaries:Giacomo Puccini--Music of the HeartIt's Opera!The Archduke's Last Journey--End of an EraPowder Keg--Europe 1900 to 1914Sigmund Freud--Exploring the UnconsciousCarl Jung and the Journey of Self DiscoveryPsychology--Charting the Human Mind
Disc Six:* Travels with Father: A trip to Russia takes Indy from the opulent palaces of the aristocracy to the fetid villages of the peasant class when he runs away from home after an argument with his parents. Joining up with novelist Leo Tolstoy, the two go on the road, engaging in philosophical discussions and clashing with colorful Gypsies and ferocious Cossacks. Realizing that there's no place like home, Indy rejoins his mom and dad and travels with his father to an isolated Greek monastery perched high on the peak of a mountain. The arduous journey, including a harrowing trip in a tiny cage up a thousand-foot mountainside, brings father and son closer together.
* Companion Historical Documentaries:Seeking Truth--The Life of Leo TolstoyUnquiet Voices--Russian Writers and the StateAristotle--Creating FoundationsAncient Questions--Philosophy and Our Search for Meaning
Disc Seven:* Journey of Radiance: A jaunt through the mystical Far East takes Indy to the Holy City of Benares where he befriends the lonely and isolated young leader of the Theosophy movement, Jiddu Krishnamurti. Surrounded by supplicants and hangers-on, Krishnamurti struggles to have faith in himself and to fulfill the destiny decreed for him by his worshippers. In the process he shows Indy just how strong the power of faith can be. Indy's mother also learns a lesson in faith and trust when she must rely on some poor Chinese villagers and their traditional medical techniques to save the life of her son who lies perilously close to death with typhoid fever.
* Companion Historical Documentaries:Jiddu Krishnamurti--The Reluctant MessiahAnnie Besant--An Unlikely RebelMedicine in the Middle KingdomEastern Spirituality--The Road to Enlightenment
Disc Eight:* Spring Break Adventure: Indy and his girlfriend Nancy Stratemeyer, whose father created the Nancy Drew mystery series, visit the fascinating laboratory of inventor Thomas Edison. The two must contend with dangerous German spies as they struggle to keep Edison's top secret new invention out of the hands of hostile enemy agents. To keep him from getting into any more trouble, Indy is sent to visit his Aunt in New Mexico. While there, he is kidnapped by Pancho Villa and swept up into the Mexican Revolution. Chaotic, free-wheeling border towns, a WILD BUNCH style train robbery and a colorful barroom encounter with a young George Patton make for thrilling entertainment in this action-packed movie.
Disc Nine (Spring Break Adventure bonus disc):* Companion Historical Documentaries:Thomas Alva Edison--Lighting up the WorldInvention and Innovation--What's Behind a Good Idea?The Mystery of Edward StratemeyerWanted: Dead or Alive--Pancho Villa and the AmericanInvasion of MexicoGeneral John J. Pershing and his American ArmyGeorge S. Patton--American Achilles
Disc 10:* Love's Sweet Song: Landing in Ireland right before the Easter Rebellion, Indy mixes romance and revolutionary politics when he falls for a beautiful young colleen whose brother is mixed up in the Irish resistance movement. Across the waters in England he encounters a similar problem when his love affair with a strong-willed young woman is derailed by her fervent belief in the women's suffrage movement and her need for independence. Violent street brawls, a terrifying Zeppelin raid and a seriocomic dinner party with Winston Churchill provide plenty of thrills.
Disc 11 (Love's Sweet Song bonus disc):* Companion Historical Documentaries:Easter Rising--The Poets' RebellionThe Passions of William Butler YeatsSean O'Casey vs. IrelandIreland--The Power of the PoetsWinston Churchill--The Lion's RoarDemanding the Vote--The Pankhursts and British SuffrageFighting for the Vote--Women's Suffrage in America
Disc 12: (Interactive Disc)Special Features:* "Revolution" Interactive Game, based on Spring Break Adventure allows players to become Indy and make their own decisions based on Indy's adventures. As well as entertaining, this game has educational elements.* Extensive Interactive Timeline that details the history and locations of Indy's adventures and previews footage of the companion documentaries.* Historical Lecture: The Promise of Progress is an exploration of the people and events of the Industrial Revolution, spanning the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
CBS Home Ent. manages the worldwide DVD business for the CBS Corp. across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD label.
Paramount Home Ent. (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corp., a unit of Viacom, a global entertainment company that produces and distributes filmed entertainment through the Paramount Motion Picture Group. PHE is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties, including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Ent.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems and PC; Lucasfilm Animation, founded in 2003 to create animated television productions; and Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
