George Lucas' The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Three—The Years of Change features the last seven feature-length globe-trotting double episodes from the Emmy-winning 1990s TV series, as young Indy (Sean Patrick Flanery) wraps up his World War I service and slowly transitions to civilian life at an interesting time in American history: the Roaring Twenties. Before that happens, however, the fedora-wearing hero has some final adventures as an ace spy. In "Tales of Innocence," the future Dr. Jones goes undercover as a German officer, persuading German soldiers to surrender in the waning days of the battle. During his time off, Indy woos a lovely Italian girl without much success—until an ambulance driver by the name of Ernest Hemingway (Jay Underwood) offers him some advice. Hemingway also turns up as a reporter in "Mystery of the Blues," helping Indy and his college roommate—an annoying, nerdy guy by the name of Eliot Ness (Frederick Weller)—solve a murder that might have something to do with an upstart criminal named Capone (Nicholas Turturro). In the same episode, Indy strikes up a friendship with jazz clarinetist Sidney Bechet (Jeffrey Wright), who helps our young hero understand the nature of jazz and blues against the tense backdrop of race relations in Chicago (Harrison Ford appears as Dr. Jones in 1950, looking back on events), and later goes undercover in the French Foreign Legion while playing escort to American novelist Edith Wharton (Clare Higgins). "Masks of Evil" revolves around efforts by France to help Turkey negotiate its way out of war, and features a visit to Dracula's castle in Transylvania (as well as Indy's engagement to a lovely schoolteacher). In "Scandal of 1920," Indy gets to meet members (such as Dorothy Parker) of the famed Algonquin Round Table, while "Hollywood Follies" introduces one of the most beloved and influential of producers, Irving Thalberg. Like the first and second volumes, the amazing DVD extras here—which have genuine curriculum value as well as being entertaining—include over two dozen in-depth companion documentaries on the various historical figures and events featured in the series, with insights from scholars, historians, and luminaries. A bonus DVD-ROM disc features an interactive historical timeline. Highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Three—The Years of Change
Paramount, 9 discs, 660 min., not rated, DVD: $129.99 August 4, 2008
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Three—The Years of Change
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