The
lowdown: 'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles' ran for two seasons
on the ABC network in the US between
4 March 1992 and 24 July
1993. A total of 24 one-hour episodes were made, and ABC subsequently sold
the series
to the Family Channel, which
broadcast a further four feature-length telemovies. The entire series has
since been
re-edited by George Lucas
as 22 feature-length episodes using the title 'The Adventures of Young
Indiana Jones'.
It has since been released
on DVD using this title. The series features the exploits of a much younger
Indiana Jones
than appears in the big-budget
films. Two actors play Indy at different stages of his life - Corey Carrier
plays Indy as
a 10-year-old, while Sean
Patrick Flanery stars as the teenage Indy, with many of Flanery's episodes
featuring the
exploits of Indy during
World War One. The series was devised as both a prequel to the films and
an "edutainment"
show providing an insight
into early-20th century history. As a result, Indy travels to many countries
and meets a
large number of historical
figures, including Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Pablo Picasso.
The
episode: 'Attack of the Hawkmen' was the third Family Channel
telemovie, and was first broadcast on 8
October 1995. It is set
in France and Germany in 1917, and sees Indy leave the Belgian army to
join the French
intelligence service. He
is assigned to the 124th Squadron as an aerial reconnaissance photographer.
Also known
as the Lafayette Escadrille,
this squadron comprises American pilots who had volunteered to fight in
WW1 even
though their country was
not yet involved. Indy's plane is shot down in Germany, where he is captured
by Manfred
von Richthofen (better known
as the Red Baron). Indy of course escapes and returns to France, but is
sent on a
mission into Germany to
try and convince Dutch aircraft designer Anthony Fokker to work for the
French instead
of the Germans. Indy meets
up with Fokker and pretends to be his valet. Meanwhile, Fokker and his
entourage
travel to Ahlgorn with General
Von Kramer (Jon Pertwee), who is seeking Fokker's opinion of a new German
superweapon - a state of
the art triplane that Von Kramer is convinced will ensure that Germany
wins the war.
Now disguised as a German
soldier, Indy takes photos of the new plane and inadvertently leads to
its destruction.
The
verdict: 'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles' nicely complements
the Harrison Ford films. The adventures
that take place during the
war tend to be the best, and 'Attack of the Hawkmen' is one of the best
of the series.
It does a good job of both
entertaining the audience and providing a history lesson on the First World
War - even
though it tends to take
a few liberties with history. Jon Pertwee is marvellous as General Von
Kramer, in what was
sadly to be his final acting
role. Doctor Who fans should note that the Red Baron was played by Marc
Warren,
who appeared as Elton in
'Love & Monsters'.
Trivia:
Colin
Baker also appeared in 'The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'. He featured
as Major General Harry
Chauvel in 'Daredevils of
the Desert' in 1992.
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