I think this is great. Just get a load of this Spielbergian Hollywood BS. Tonight, I was watching the "Bonus Material" DVD for "The Adventures of Indiana Jones" boxed set, and I caught this statement courtesy of Anthony Powell, Steven Spielberg's costume designer for the latter two films in the "Indiana Jones" trilogy. And, boy, is it a whopper! 
Well, at least Mr. Powell is willing to share the credit for this "discovery," a downright incredible cache of "genuine" Nazi stuff. Why, the actual film sequence (said to be in Berlin) contains a shot of an obese actor playing Hermann Goering in his famous powder blue and gold ensemble. Genuine? Gee, I wonder how much they paid to get THAT!
An all-too-young-looking Fuehrer (or is it supposed to be Rudolf Hess?) is there as well to oversee a giant book-burning in what we are supposed to believe is early 1939. (Hmm... Were "degenerate" books really still a major concern in the lead-up to World War II? I tend to think not with plans for a major war afoot.) One also sees a veritable legion of Hitler Youth, and "genuine" SA standarten galore, borne by what appear to be Heer personnel.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't most of those pieces go to Russia in 1945, where they were summarily torched in Red Square? Oh, yes. Mr. Powell only referred to the uniforms as "genuine." I get a kick out of the way Hollywood insists on combat personnel wearing the NSDAP brassard (arm band). It's as if they're trying to tell the audience, "Okay, you ignoramuses. Now, THESE are the Nazis. THESE are the bad guys. Got it?"
But what a miraculous recovery of "genuine" Nazi uniforms! Thank you, Steven Spielberg! The "Bonus Material" (how about calling it "Bogus Material," instead?) sequence is in title 5 of chapter 1 on the DVD, under "The Last Crusade" on the main menu, if you want to see and hear it for yourselves. What's really funny is that the sequence ends with director/producer Steven Spielberg instructing his Nazi impersonators to cross their fingers behind their backs when giving the "Heil Hitler" salute. A fitting end, as one cannot quite see Mr. Powell's hands as he speaks to the camera.
So, all of you stalwart relic hunters: If you're wondering where all of the "good stuff" has gone, my guess is that you'll find it in a closely-guarded warehouse of the Paramount Studios backlot!
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"You know, we had a lot of Nazis in the film (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). All of those uniforms, I think, were genuine ones that I found in eastern Europe somewhere. Joanna Johnston worked with me on the two last Indiana Jones pictures. I would give her research pictures, and sketches, and drawings, and then she would go out and find it all."
Well, at least Mr. Powell is willing to share the credit for this "discovery," a downright incredible cache of "genuine" Nazi stuff. Why, the actual film sequence (said to be in Berlin) contains a shot of an obese actor playing Hermann Goering in his famous powder blue and gold ensemble. Genuine? Gee, I wonder how much they paid to get THAT!
An all-too-young-looking Fuehrer (or is it supposed to be Rudolf Hess?) is there as well to oversee a giant book-burning in what we are supposed to believe is early 1939. (Hmm... Were "degenerate" books really still a major concern in the lead-up to World War II? I tend to think not with plans for a major war afoot.) One also sees a veritable legion of Hitler Youth, and "genuine" SA standarten galore, borne by what appear to be Heer personnel.Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't most of those pieces go to Russia in 1945, where they were summarily torched in Red Square? Oh, yes. Mr. Powell only referred to the uniforms as "genuine." I get a kick out of the way Hollywood insists on combat personnel wearing the NSDAP brassard (arm band). It's as if they're trying to tell the audience, "Okay, you ignoramuses. Now, THESE are the Nazis. THESE are the bad guys. Got it?"
But what a miraculous recovery of "genuine" Nazi uniforms! Thank you, Steven Spielberg! The "Bonus Material" (how about calling it "Bogus Material," instead?) sequence is in title 5 of chapter 1 on the DVD, under "The Last Crusade" on the main menu, if you want to see and hear it for yourselves. What's really funny is that the sequence ends with director/producer Steven Spielberg instructing his Nazi impersonators to cross their fingers behind their backs when giving the "Heil Hitler" salute. A fitting end, as one cannot quite see Mr. Powell's hands as he speaks to the camera.
So, all of you stalwart relic hunters: If you're wondering where all of the "good stuff" has gone, my guess is that you'll find it in a closely-guarded warehouse of the Paramount Studios backlot!
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