I give a big thumbs up to Indiana
Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg
neatly tied up the series with another cinematic thrill ride that was plausible
if you suspended disbelief and cancelled your subscription to ARCHEOLOGY magazine.
Indiana Jones is one of thousands
of mythical heroes who pursue a quest for the ages. We want to believe the hero-myths because we
all want to be the hero. My well-read friend Keenan tells me that all of the hero-myth
stories derive from the same basic plotlines. He gives full credit to Joseph Campbell - the scholar who decoded mythology
and heavily influenced George Lucas’ creation of both Star Wars
and Indiana Jones.
Does this plot sound familiar?
The reluctant hero is presented with a
challenge.
The hero encounters tests and finds helpers.
The hero seizes the prize.
The hero is chased by enemies.
The hero returns transformed.
Substitute “entrepreneur” for “hero” and you have the story
elements for a real world blockbuster. Who needs Hollywood when we’ve got
Silicon Valley? The successful entrepreneur is a true hero of mythical
proportions.
The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the last in the Indiana Jones series.
Or is it? The rumor mill hints that
Lucas has registered other working titles for Indiana Jones (“The City of Gods”,
“The Destroyer of Worlds”, “The Fourth Corner of the Earth”, “The Lost City of Gold”). They all
sound predictable. For my money, if you want real heroes and box office gold, go
see “Entrepreneurs and The Quest for Venture Capital”!