In the interest of full disclosure, I was still in the womb when Raiders of the Lost Ark swept the country off its feet.  I was barely out of diapers when Temple of Doom revealed Indy's darker side.  And all that I remember of The Last Crusade was the colorful 64 ounce commemorative cups issued by McDonald's. Needless to say, I never "experienced" Indiana Jones as it was meant to be experienced-on the big screen.

If ever a more fitting venue for this monumental first, it is surely the executive screening room on the Paramount lot.  With row after row of spacious, stadium style seating, free of sticky floors and uneaten popcorn kernels, the execs at Paramount surely know that the best film-going experience is the one that offers the most comfort and least distraction.

As a big screen Indy virgin, I had the opportunity to experience Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in this very theatre.  The movie was nothing spectacular.  I could have done without the constant references to Indy's phobia of snakes and the obsession with his beloved fedora is tiresome and expected.  Besides, any movie that features Shia LeBeouf swinging from one tree vine to the next in a preposterous attempt to save the day comes off as well... more fantasy than fiction.

Still, the dark theatre, the quiet hush that came over the crowd from the opening credits and the thrill of witnessing the revival of one of America's most iconic movie characters reminded me of why I sat and watched for nearly two hours, even though I already knew what to expect. It may just be a movie, but it's a movie on the big screen.

For more on Indy, check out these articles by Matthew Sidney Long and Stanley Selwyn.

By James Famera