** 3RD POST **
So here we go then. This is how I would have much preferred the 'BEGINNING' of the movie to have ACTUALLY started, as this would have set a very different, more serious 'tone' overall, compared to the current version.
'INDY 4' could have started off in a more dramatic, suddenly explosive way....
We start to hear the short, steady 9 seconds long 'mysterious'-sounding John Williams 'cue' now begin sometime DURING the previously silent 'LUCASFILM' logo, which continues for the DURATION of a now slightly-shortened 'PARAMOUNT' logo....
....until the 'cue' fades into sound of the vehicles in the following shot....as we bypass the whole EXISTING 'credits' intro. involving the 'gopher' and 'hotrod racing convoy' opening altogether (although we'd sadly lose the 'main title' also....or happily lose it, depending on your point of view....but more on that shortly), and INSTEAD 'fade'-out from the 'PARAMOUNT' logo DIRECTLY to the long-shot of the 'convoy approaching the US base checkpoint'....starting at the point IMMEDIATELY AFTER the 'credit' saying 'Directed by Steven Spielberg' completely fades-out....
(And again, a DIRECT 'fade'-out from the 'PARAMOUNT' logo into this new 'opening' shot would be nice, but a brief 'fade' to black between the logo and this first shot would be equally good, especially if the 9 seconds long 'mysterious' cue can be timed to 'fade'-into the initial sound of the 'convoy' vehicles)
....there is no music 'score' at this point, as we hear only the sound of the convoy entering the frame and slowing to a halt, before the establishing words 'NEVADA 1957' appear....
....and we continue (as per the movie) onto a scene involving the Army Police guards advising the 'US convoy' that the area is restricted for the next 24 hours and cannot be entered. As the 'US Colonel' in charge of the convoy approaches the guards, we unexpectedly see him kneel down as various other 'US soldiers' suddenly open fire behind him....
At this point, I would have preferred to have seen the shot cut HERE on the 'close-up' of Dovchenko's face at the exact point seen above, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE the camera then 'panned downwards' to show his hands tying his bootlace....as I just reckon this would have been a far better, more striking image to finish on.
We'd INSTEAD cut DIRECTLY to the beginning of the very next shot which then shows Dovchenko just beginning to get up.
(Note: We start to hear the first few notes of a short but atmosperic John Williams' 'cue' begin during the 'bootlace tying' moment, but the same notes repeat at the very start of the shot below anyway, and gradually build nicely from there onwards, so we are not losing anything of importance. It's no biggie to keep the 'boot tying' at the end of the day, though I just don't think it's such a good visual.
....as this first section of John Williams' score builds nicely from this point, we carry on (as per the movie)....
....until the camera 'pans upwards' to reveal the appearance of the 'main title' at this point, which lasts for 5 seconds onscreen (the same length as the actual one)....
....until it eventually 'fades'-out BEFORE the shot (and the 'cue') suddenly end HERE....
....as we then cut to the shot below of the 'car boot' being opened (as per the movie)....
WHATEVER 'main title' for 'INDY 4' that anyone prefers, I would ideally have liked to have seen it superimposed over the 'convoy passing the flag' shot shown above in this alternative 'opening' sequence (WITHOUT any additional 'credits' over the rest of the footage), where it would have tied-in nicely with the short accompanying John Williams score at this point.
As a Brit, I see 'Indy' as one of the ultimate all-American action heroes, and would have been more than happy to see that highlighted during the 'stars and stripes' moment. For the purposes of this rough 'mock-up' (thanks again doubleofive), I've now decided my own personal favourite 'title' is definately 'INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE SKULL'....since it sticks closely to the actual title, but isn't such a mouthful, and also doesn't give away the 'crystal' nature of the skull involved.
My own preference would have been to see the actual 'INDIANA JONES' logo fonts being used once again in this fourth movie, as I really like the imagery of that. However, the EXISTING plain font (seen in my 2nd post) would work well enough with this more serious 'opening' too, I guess. Either way, I'd ALSO be more than content to do WITHOUT an actual 'main title' for 'INDY 4', and settle for just seeing the establishing 'Nevada 1957' wording at the beginning, as long as I could see the movie start with this footage instead!
(Note: In the current opening, the 'main title' appears onscreen 26 seconds after the 'PARAMOUNT' logo 'fades'-out, whereas in this alternative 'opening', it would appear 1 min. 05 seconds after the 'PARAMOUNT' logo ends. However, I'd have been happy to wait longer for the 'main title' to appear at this point anyway, rather than over the 'hotrod'....)
So this brings us up to where the 'car boot' is opened....but you'll have to wait till I find enough time to properly finish up my NEXT post showing my preferred alterations to the rest of the 'Spalko' sequence, right up until we enter the 'US warehouse'.
(This will show exactly how I'd like to have seen the 'Mac's legs' and 'raised / dropped arms' continuity errors sorted among other things)
And AFTER that, I'll eventually post my 'ending'. :)