When you think of movie adventurers who travel the world, the brave archaeologist Indiana Jones certainly comes to mind. Sure, there are characters like James Bond and the Fast and Furious family who excel at exploring different parts of the country, but no one does it with the same style as the iconic hero he portrays. Harrison Ford, which has explored countless mysterious locations during its 42 years of existence.
Created from imagination George Lucas, Jones first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, and immediately became an icon of the film world. The sequel followed in 1984, when the character's name joined the title of the sinister adventure "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", a film that even Spielberg himself admits as "too dark and too scary".
The realization of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" closed the original trilogy in 1989, with the hero saying goodbye in style, before being resurrected 19 years later with the hugely disappointing installment "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." . Therefore, while the public is in the spotlight due to the premiere of Ford's final performance as Indiana Jones in the film "Dial of Destiny" directed by James Mangold, Farout Magazine decided to go through the most exciting journeys of this archaeologist.
From the jungles of Hawaii to the sandy historical sites of Jordan, embark on a journey with our guide, says Farout Magazine.
Huleia National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii, USA - "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
The opening scene of the 1981 movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is a piece of cinematic history, showing the title character traversing a deadly tomb where he must overcome a series of elaborate traps. The iconic opening chapter is said to take place in Peru, South America, but the moment was actually filmed in the “Huleia” wilderness reserve in Hawaii, where the production team used the jungle to evoke the Peruvian wilderness.
Spielberg's opening scene perfectly introduces the brave, loyal and ruthless title character, giving us plenty of reasons to love Indiana. However, travelers cannot get as close to the area as Indiana, as the wildlife sanctuary is closed to the public, although kayak and helicopter tours are still offered.
Kairouan, Tunisia - “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Don't draw a sword against a gun. That's the main lesson we can take from the Cairo scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Indiana Jones faces an impressive swordsman in a one-on-one duel, where he can only take him down with one nonchalant shot from his pistol. . However, these scenes were not filmed in Cairo, Egypt, but actually took place behind the scenes in Kairouan, Tunisia.
Kairouan is a city in the northern Tunisian desert region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains the Great Mosque of “Sidi Uqbah”, a key landmark of the city that attracts Muslims and tourists from all over the world.
Kandy, Sri Lanka - “The Temple of Doom”
Indiana Jones' second journey raised the stakes and the budget, taking the character to India where he battled an insidious religious cult. Although Spielberg and his production team applied for permission to film in northern India and Amer Fort, they were denied because the government found the material exploitative and offensive. Instead, the production went to Kandy, Sri Lanka, where they used models and painting techniques to create an Indian setting.
The most impressive location is the "Victoria" dam, over which the production team built a rope suspension bridge. Unfortunately, that bridge no longer exists, so if you are looking for a similar height, the best option is the “Ruvanvela” suspension bridge.
Tolumin River Rapids, Yosemite National Park, California, USA - “The Temple of Doom”
For anyone who has seen Steven Spielberg's adventure, The Temple of Doom, you know that a large portion of the film takes place underground, in a deep cave that was actually filmed at Elstra Studios in Hertfordshire, England. This means that most of the film, apart from the intro and the ending, was not actually shot on location. The raft scene at the beginning of the film was shot in Yosemite National Park, California.
With over 40 named rapids spread over more than 18 miles, this location was perfect for a thrilling introduction to the film. If you want to follow in the footsteps of Indiana Jones, rafting adventures can still be organized down the same site today.
Al-Kazne, Petra, Jordan - “The Last Crusade”
There is an argument that there is no location in the Indiana Jones franchise more impressive than Al-Kazna in Petra, Jordan. It's a huge structure carved into the side of a rock that offers a stunning glimpse into the past. This location hosts the finale of the third Indiana Jones movie, and the ancient city of Petra, which has been declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, has quickly become a popular tourist destination.
The city is estimated to date back to 9000 BC, and was the perfect setting for the mysterious ending of "The Last Crusade," in which Indiana Jones must pass through a deadly network of caves and passageways to reach the famous Holy Grail.
Grand Canal, Venice, Italy - “The Last Crusade”
The imposing size of Al-Kazne in Petra, Jordan, may get most of the attention as the best location in “The Last Crusade,” but Spielberg used carefully selected locations throughout the film, filming a boat race on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. The Church of San Barnaba di Venezia was used as the exterior of the library in the film, providing an outstanding backdrop for the epic action scene in which Indiana evades capture on a speedboat.
While much of this scene was shot on the Grand Canal, like many of the iconic locations on this list, many of the more complex moments were filmed at Elstra Studios in Borewood, England.
Hilo, Hawaii - “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
Although the hype for the movie “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was extremely high when it was released in 2008, few could deny that it ended up being one of the biggest disappointments of all time. Made at a time when the "CGI" company had a significant influence on modern film productions, many real locations were replaced by those created with the help of green backgrounds.
That said, the film wasn't entirely bad, and Spielberg used several real-life locations, including Hilo, Hawaii, whose jungles stood in for the film's Amazon rainforest. Spielberg had originally planned to film the fight scenes at a nearby waterfall, but due to an impending hurricane, another crew was sent to film the Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Argentina instead.
Yale University, Connecticut, USA - The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
"Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is a unique film in the action-adventure franchise that was shot entirely in the United States of America. This is mainly due to the fact that Spielberg did not want to be separated from his family, so the director decided to film where his son Teo studied, at Yale University.
Although part of the university's facade was changed to fit the context of the 1950s film, much of it remained the same, and the world-famous college played host to the climactic chase scene of the 2008 film.
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