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It’s a different kind of web that has snared Indiana Jones in his latest cinematic adventure. In his first three films, he was always lurking through some spiderweb-draped cavern of one sort or another, and he managed to survive each one. But now (cue John Williams music)...will he live through the danger that is the World Wide Web?

Its US premiere is May 22nd, but “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is screened at the Cannes Film Festival this weekend and the high-speed lines will be on fire as soon as the last credit rolls on the screen at the Salle Lumiere Palais. It’s the latest example of media conglomerates vs. the 21st century as they find themselves once again at the mercy of anonymous bloggers and web-based critics. Already there have been several traditional-media stories about negative early reviews of “Indy 4” at Harry Knowles’ Ain’t It Cool News website - the pioneer in Internet influence on the media - and how those reviews may have influenced Paramount’s Cannes plans for its Steven Spielberg blockbuster.

A UK Telegraph story has this quote that encapsulates Hollywood’s frustration with this Internet thing:

Frank Marshall, a producer on all four films, said: “It has been insane. I’ve spent a great deal of time on this movie just trying to keep things off the internet. That’s totally new for us. There seems to be some kind of sport out there now to see who can put up a spoiler, which is not fair to the audience. We really tried to keep the lid on the story just for the audience’s sake.”

Sure, the audience for this film would like to experience all the special effects set-pieces and story revelations firsthand. But what Marshall is really venting about is a studio’s slowly-loosening grip on movie marketing and media management, thanks to the very same processor-based technology that allows Iron Man to fly, Prince Caspian to battle fantastic creatures...and Indiana Jones to cheat death. 

Read [Daily Mail] Read [Telegraph]

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