Indiana Jones and the Star Wars Kid

The obsession started with the LEGO Wii Indiana Jones game.

Have you heard of LEGO or Wii? Well, lets just say they reside in a huge, colossal, all important, must-clock-too-many-hours, 100% boy world.

My Jr. Archeologist started with the Wii games and then began watching the movies to match. Yes, that's right. My six-year-old is watching Indiana Jones, AND Star Wars. Is it age appropriate? NO! Is it too scary? YES! Why do I let him watch it? I still don't know how it happened.

First it starts with a husband and a son who share an equal love for the heroes of these films. Then over time, in a group effort, they ask and ask and finally WEAR YOU DOWN.

First you say yes, that they can play the wii games. Then they say must own "the movie set," but promise they won't watch all of the films. Then they watch all of them but promise to "skip the scary parts." Before long you're hiding the DVDs from them because you know its gone too far! Now, my son is acting out every part, from every movie, word-for-word, in costume and with weapons!

Act I. Scene I. Armed with his razor sharp wit and a deadly accurate whip (amazon.com, whip with sound FX, , $14.95) my six-year-old overcomes all of the booby traps that an ancient civilization (my daughters pre-school) can throw at him. The scene begins with Indiana Jones (and his mom) going deep into the jungles of Needham Children's Center to pick up his sister at pre-K1. A statue of a golden idol (played by a LEGO C3PO head) must be recovered from the "Turtle Room."

Moving along the corridor floor, Indy tests each tile lightly with his toe to make sure it does not trigger a shooting poisoned-arrow. Wearing a brown corduroy coat (from the GAP), his Satchel (my pink fuzzy scarf? Hmmm… topic for another time perhaps), and "the famous Indy hat" (came with the whip).

I must mention he is very upset that he doesn't have "The Gun Pocket." Even without the gun pocket, there is no mistaking this character for anyone other than the handsome "Dr. Jones." Look out! He sets off a deadly trap, miraculously escapes, but then is chased down the hall by a giant blue yoga ball tumbling within inches of his Merrills.

As he slides into his sister's Turtle room, Indy coyly knocks his hat off, reaches back through the door and grabs it just in time to join the kids for a snack. The Pre-K teachers enjoy the show, but are giggling at the unbuttoned, open-shirt look of this four-foot Indiana Jones.

After going back to his regular job as a kindergartener at Mitchell, Indy finds out that they are now searching for the staff of R2D2. This blending of famous George Lucas movies (Indiana Jones and Star Wars) may seem strange, but it is common in the LEGO-Wii tribe. We often see Indiana Jones and Chewbacca together. We also learned that Darth Vader is from the Dark Side and Luke Skywalker is from "The bright side."

The movie Raiders of the Lost Ark was one of the most successful movies of all time. It came out in 1981 and was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five. I still remember the day I saw this film at the Wellesley Playhouse Theatre,as a 10th grader. Wow! I was totally stunned by the action, the creativity, the wit, and the special effects of this superb film.  

We are thrilled to relive these American classic movies again and again with our young Indy's and Jedi knights.  Our home has become roller coaster of entertainment and thrills living with these legendary characters. And despite all the hair-raising escapades, our little Indy still likes a good story and a snuggle at bedtime.

As my six-year-old likes to say, "Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?