The Return of Karen Allen

Karen Allen was a beautiul woman and a fine actress, most notably in the first "Indiana Jones" movie and "Starman." But to judge from her bio on imdb.com, she's always been dubious about movie stardom. Every time she had a hit, she'd retreat into indie obscurity, or motherhood, or her fabric store in Great Barrington, Mass. So it was great to see her back in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." She looks her age, 56, and women who look their age don't get the same leading parts that men who look their age do. Like Harrison Ford.

Still, it was good of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to cast Allen, and to work her into the story in such an integral way. What they lost in stereotypical va-va-voom sex appeal, they gained in dramatic crediblity, political correctness (strirking a blow for the older actress, especially one who doesn't seem to have subjected herself to Botox or plastic surgery) and simple nostalgia. And they got that megawatt Allen smile, undimmed.

The movie itself has its ups and downs. Cate Blanchett, or more accurately the Cate Blanchett cartoon character, is rididulous. Shia LaBoeuf doesn't have much of a part, either. But the movie is worth watching for Ford and Allen, at least one chase scene and the special effects (the nuclear explosion!). Not all of us have a taste for big, noisy pop summer spectacles. But as far as they go, this one goes far enough.

And then, you can go out and rent "Starman." It has a terrific srory, a wonderful performance from Jeff Bridges, and Allen at her radiant youthful peak.  

June 1, 2008 1:10 PM | | Comments (5)

5 Comments

just thought I'd say, in response to that last comment to Elizabeth, Karen Allen was the hottest, most refeshing thin I ever saw. I loved Indy as a kid. Though I didn't own it, I would catch parts of it on t.v. Some how, I seen to clearly remember a (deleted?) scene from Raiders... which made it all the more a treat. I had a crush on Marion then, but coming back to it, I forgot how great she was... Not because, like todays actreses, she seems bred by va va voomness and lip gloos/glamor agencies, with all the depth of the next politically correct or mock taboo statment, but because........well, shoot, she was just so fresh, so real, so beautiful and cute and irish. You look at her and think, there, thats a face I'd like to wake up to... and if I were middle aged, well, I'd probably rank her as hotter then most of todays "hot stuff."
In certain shots, the camera wasn't kind to her. She looked better in interviews AFTER the film and damn fine at the premier.. so I wish spielburg had iven her a few re-takes... though, I don't know what thatt guy was smokin', what with Lucas's c.g. monkeys and prarie dogs... when there are real prarie dogs everywhere, but anyway. Overall, she still looks damn good for her age, espeacially since she's not all botoxed und cut up.
Wish Harrison would dump ALly McBeal and just go be old and happy with Karen. But for all I know she's married. Damn, what a sweet heart. Lucky guy. Shame on you Lucas and Spielburg for not giving them a better script. As the story in Last Crusade was as much about the relationship between father and son as it was the Grail, I would have like it if the search for the skull had been just as much about Indy (up in years) working his way back to Marion. Maybe take a few tips from Mutt, since they warmed up first. Myabe he could take care of her for once, like she did him on the boat in Raiders. Oh well, suppose we should be glad with what we got. I thought we'd never see her agian so better now then ten years latter. I'm suprised George and Steven S. ever got off thier damn asses. Escuse my Frence.

Speaking of Karen Allen, I wrote an unsolicited script for a Starman sequel back in 1998. It was my first script and I quit college to finish it. It’s been gathering dust ever since. I sent it to Jeff Bridges and John carpenter, although I would prefer if Carpenter didn’t direct a sequel. I wrote some good f/x sequences and some interesting characters. I’m pretty sure I’ll never be involved, but I’d to see the f/x scene from the beach being incorporated, (Jeff’s manager Neil will know the one, totally plagiarised from another movie, but it would look great on film today). If anyone has any questions, email me at hansenfilm@yahoo.ie and I’ll answer them. (Although I won’t give away any plot points. And yes there is a son and indeed, I actually have the perfect casting suggestion!!

Jeff Daniels was excellent in Something Wlld. Jeff Bridges was the outstanding title character here.

I just wanted to say that I think Karen Allen is one of my all time favorite female action icon because of the way she can handle herself at her age but taking charge will definitely get Indiana Jones sort of jealous even especially when she told him that Mutt Williams was his son during the middle of the entire movie in which it was totally funny . If she's going to do another film project it would be like this very young woman who just happened to graduated from high school, wanted to pursue her career as being as a hip-hop graffiti artist but her parents couldn't afford to pay her tuition eventually she went off to her long distance cousin's uncle whom owned a night club as being a sort of hip-hop dancer and can pay a very good decent deal if she knows how to learn every dance moves there is also compete into certain battles on the floor even. I think this one will be totally perfect for Karen Allen who could play the lead role of this one as well.

Cate Blanchett was the best thing about this movie.
Karen Allen, yes it was good to see her return, but she was far from impressive. Maybe you should get over your nostalgia and watch the movie.

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This page contains a single entry by John Rockwell published on June 1, 2008 1:10 PM.

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