I love how the guy just can't help but smile after Indy gets away.

2:07, he's got that Harrison Ford smirk DOWN. River Phoenix was perfect to play young Indy.

My favorite scene in maybe the entire movie is when Indy escapes from under the train and the Fedora guy is like "Damn" but then slowly turns to a smile because of the respect for Indy's talent and cunning. Almost brings to mind a master seeing his younger self in one of his students. He sees the same qualities in Indy that he probably has himself, and indeed the more you look at the mannerisms of this character, whoever he is, it does seem more and more as if Indiana almost based his entire personality, his entire being off this man whom he only ever shared a few words with and who offered him the parting advice "You lost today kid , but that doesn't mean you have to like it" .... a line that practically embodies the very essence of Indys character.

"You lost today kid , but that doesn't mean you have to like it" ... the best line of the entire Indiana Jones franchise.

I love how this entire scene defines his life.

I just love hearing Indiana Jones say "Its only a snake"

That cross is an important artifact it BELONGS in a MUSEUM.

River Phoenix did a great job as a young Indiana Jones. Back when Hollywood knew how to cast roles.

R.I.P. River!!! He made such a good younger Indy.

Oh man those were the good days.......Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Jaws, James Bond, Jurassic Park....its a shame I was born after them.

This entire scene is perfect. Explains how Indiana is an archaeologist, his religious background, using a whip, his fear of snakes, receiving his name, and wearing the classic fedora all in 10 minutes.This is why I appreciate and enjoy these older movies. They could make great introductions like this without padding it out.

When that "Damn!" turns into a smile, it says it all. Powerful scene. Can't describe the joy. R.I.P. River Phoenix.

He reminds me of a young Leonardo DiCaprio. River would have been great as Jack in Titanic.

I’m amazed that they actually used a real train and had the actors perform and do crazy stuff on An actual train with no cgi or over the top stunts. Plus this movie has aged so incredibly well, it looks like it was made yesterday.

great acting! he matches Harrison Ford's expressions perfectly!

3:57 So they basically put Florida into a train car.

For me, the best part about this opening sequence is the character of Garth/Fedora in the fact that we don't know much about him. From what we know he was a grave digger for hire who was more interested in the thrill of the hunt rather than the money. In this scene he is the leader of the gang who steals the Cross and chases Indy but is the only one who has some respect for him in the end. He gave Indiana his fedora and gave him words of wisdom "You lost today kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it." because he saw himself in young Indy. It seems that adult Indiana took his sense of style and overall characteristics from this guy because he was himself from a different generation. Why he's so interesting is not what we see of him, but what we don't see. Fedora and his unknown adventures live on through Indiana Jones because of their determination and grit they both share. Without Fedora, the Nazi's would have discovered the ark, the child slaves at Pankot Palace would not have been freed, Indiana and Henry would never have gone after the grail and reconciled. That's just kind of how an unsung hero he is. Just my two cents.

River Phoenix was so accurate as a young Harrison Ford. Of course, he had the opportunity to study Harrison while on the set of The Mosquito Coast - also a great film!

Actually a ,lot of people didn't know this but SPIELBERG,LUCAS & FORD choose RIVER PHOENIX to be the next actor to perform INDIANA JONES in a new trilogy in the INDY'S youth...but because PHOENIX death that plans was canceled

7:18 - 7:31 gives me a huge smile, a sense of enormous adventure, and deep chills

Remember when Hollywood's main concern was entertaining people?

Thank you River

Wow, he got his Fedora, Whip, and phobia of snakes in this whole scene! Impressive! Damn, River nailed the role, it's a shame he had to leave us at his young age..

I had forgotten how good these films were.

7:29 I love that smirk As if he's saying "well played, kid. well played."

A few notes: I think they dubbed Harrison Ford's voice over Richard Young, the actor who played "Fedora." The opening scenes were shot at Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. The dig site was most likely a set. The Ford Model TT stake truck and the Saxon roadster were built for the film by Unique Movie Cars in Las Vegas. When they cut to Indy on horseback, the location is Colorado, where they had access to a working train. "Dr. Fantasy's Magic Caboose" is a nod to producer Frank Marshall, whose nickname is "Dr. Fantasy" (similar tributes can be found in "Poltergeist" and "Gremlins"). Bradley Gregg, the actor playing "Roscoe," the young man in white suspenders, was a friend of River Phoenix's and was with him the night he died - he previously played Eyeball Chambers in "Stand By Me" three years earlier. Jeff O'Haco, the dark-skinned man with the glasses and the black hat, appeared in "Back to the Future" as the Libyan driver of the VW Microbus in the early scenes; he's usually credited as a stuntman.

Indiana gets chased by Harisons double

The train is on its way to Jumanji!

The train scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were shot at the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama, New Mexico. The locomotive numbered 484, several pieces of freight equipment and a caboose were painted to make up the circus train shown in the film.

Too bad we won't have him playing a young Han Solo.

So I guess this is where Indy developed his fear/hatred of snakes?

If there was anyone that could play Young Indy this damn well, it was River Phoenix. He would have been the absolute BEST Young Indiana Jones in the TV Chronicles. He looks spot on just like him, it's incredible.

This origin scene works so well, it just sums everything up in one awesome action scene. I can appreciate brevity when done correctly. The slick transition when Indy gets the hat from teenager to adult is a wonderful touch also.

River was brilliant here. RIP.

Spielberg in his prime.

At the end, the man with the hat is smiling at Indy because Indy reminds him of himself. Ironically, Indy dresses just like him when he's an adult.

How to do an origin story perfectly in 7 minutes.

River Phoenix put a lot of truth and character into his role as young Indiana Jones. That's what made him a famous actor. So sad hearing that he died too young. May he RIP.

Never get tired of seeing young Indiana Jones casually picking up a snake and tossing it away while saying "It's only a snake".

6:49 Can we appreciate the single take that Spielberg has crafted?

The score absolutely made this scene

I liked "Star Wars: Solo," but why is this eight minutes better than that whole movie?

3:37 Noone will talk about this scene? How perfect it is, what a long shot, no camera shake, while awesome stunt performance happens in front of our eyes?

Seriously this whole train sequence is masterful. It really explains the character of Indy without it being cheesy or stupid. If you never saw the movies before this one you are getting a crash course on the character and as a teenager no less and if you were a fan of the other films it's just a nice reminder on why you love Indy with a fun look at his life before becoming a rough and tumble intellectual/adventurer.

Holy smokes hes attractive in this movie.

I just realized that the rhino makes the same noise as the bantha from star wars

I'm not here for any real reason, just came to get some nostalgia. These movies were a huge part of my childhood and they really do hold up all these years later.

I love how fun these movies are and how much of that is owed to the genius of John Williams.

I don’t know why but the line “Everybody’s lost but me” Gets me everytime lol

Man, I thought Indy was badass in his younger years just by watching this, but after watching the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Which I HIGHLY recommend) i found out he goes off to fight in the Mexican Revelation THEN WW1 after this. In doing so he ends up becoming a secret service agent for the french, becoming a POW about 3 times, coming face to face with figures like the "Red Barron", serves in the trenches, survives countless battles, dogfights, car chases (even ANOTHER train chase...with...a giant mobile German cannon strapped to it.). Hot DAMN Indy, JESUS! I mean, there's even more, I just haven't watched all of the chapters yet, but yeah...he's seen some shit.

Interesting detail in Williams' score here. At 6:46 as Indy enters the 'magic' car, we hear a four note melody that sounds a lot like the main musical motif in Gustav Holst's 'Uranus the Magician', from 'The Planets'. We know Williams was heavily influenced by Holst, so it's probably Williams making a little homage to one of his favourite works.

I remember first seeing this as a child on TV. I’d always been fascinated by trains ever since I was a toddler, so this was practically the only scene I remember, but at least I know I didn’t just imagine it.

long live river pheonix I looked up to him...so sad

as a kid, this scene was mesmerizing

“It’s only a snake.” Riiiiight, we’ll see Indy.

The best Indy film!!

4:17 he even has Indy's scream down pat!

I honestly feel that this film is a great example of being better than it’s original

I love how Indy based his adult look off that one guy whom he lost to in his youth

4:16 Well that explains the whole snake phobia thing

7:23 is so great because he goes from frustrated to happy because Indy’s cunning and wit reminds him of himself

I love how his dad is stuck in his office studying and isn’t involved in the action sequence 😂

I've seen this movie 1,000 times and I still straight up jumped out of my seat and cheered when Indy/River jumped off that train and was running down the tracks!!!

River was incredible

One of the greatest movie openings ever.

I absolutely adore how they showed a lot of small details that we see in other films like indys scar and his fear of snakes. It is brilliant.

Casting River Phoenix to play as Young Indiana Jones was a pretty good casting choice in my opinion!

Fedora Man reminds me a little bit of Hugh Jackman.

The opening sequences of this clip (as well as the scene that follows--"You lost today kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it") comprise the overture to what is, without question, the greatest movie in cinematic history to date. And, if there are any dissenters out there that object to the truth of this fact, then Dr. Tyree's Philosophy class is right down the hall.

Rest In Peace, River.

just love the sound of the whistle on that train.

This is why the nazis did not win the war Some kid beat them

The scene where the boy falls through the car and his hair completely covers his face blocking him seeing the lion is an absolute classic. Very cute!

"I....I brought the Sheriff!"

Indiana jones is 117 years old :)

He would’ve been a great Peter Pan river Phoenix

Best indy opening scene, and possibly the best opening action scene to a movie ever made

RIP River Phoenix such a loss. He could have been the next Leonardo DiCaprio!

Honestly this is one of the best train chases ever made. I can even go as far to say that it's better than the train fight in spider man 2 or matrix or even Speed (Don't get me wrong, i love those as well they are awesome)

The fact that the door wasn’t actually locked but thinking it was allowed him to escape in the most Indy way possible. Perfect

That adventure on the train, changed the life of Indiana Jones forever.

I never knew that young indi was river Phoenix. It makes me extra sad to watch this scene. He would have made a great actor just like Joaquin

All we had to do was follow the damn train, Indy!

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is in this! Yes!

Greatest opening scene of all time. It perfectly matches the adventure/action/humor of the indiana jones movies, and river phoenix does young indy perfectly

5:43 - 6:18 Epic; my favorite part of the scene.

Everyone's lost but me

so i am sing along to the opening chase music to indiana jones and the last crusade feel free to join in.

R I P RIVER PHOENIX 💓

Each of these movies started off with an awesome opening

I love how the dog was a set up for a great punchline and origin story, and yet such a nice little detail too of how our hero had a dog too like any lucky kid :)

smiiiiileworthy... River Phoenix

Rest in peace river phoenix

I love how John Williams synchs the soundtrack to characters falling over. It really suits the adventure vibe of the films.

one of my favorite scenes because my dad was an artist on the train and painted those wonderful animal pictures

these films had so much heart, its hard not to smile watching these

River actually loved animals❤❤❤. He was a vegan.

That moment where he almost trips at 7:33. River Phoenix nailed what it's like watching Harrison Ford run.

*Fun Fact:* the man who attempted to grab Indy at 3:55 was played by stuntman Jeff o’Haco, who played the Libyan van driver in the first Back to the Future movie.

River was so cute :-)