Excavating Indiana Jones

<p> With his signature bullwhip and fedora the rousing sounds of his orchestral anthem and his eventful explorations into the arcana of world religions Indiana Jones--archeologist adventurer and ophidiophobe--has become one of the most recognizable heroes of the big screen. Since his debut in the 1981 film <I>Raiders of the Lost Ark</I> Indiana Jones has gone on to anchor several sequels and a fifth film is currently in development. At the same time the character has spilled out into multiple multimedia manifestations and has become a familiar icon within the collective cultural imagination. </p><p> Despite the longevity and popularity of the <I>Indiana Jones</I> franchise however it has rarely been the focus of sustained criticism. In <I>Excavating Indiana Jones</I> a collection of international scholars analyzes <I>Indiana Jones</I> tales from a variety of perspectives examining the films' representation of history cultural politics and identity and also tracing the adaptation of the franchise into comic books video games and theme park attractions.</p>