History Film / IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull

* ActorAllusion: Looks like HarrisonFord's gotten GenreSavvy about [[ANewHope whether somebody escaped or was merely let go]].

* ContinuityNod / MythologyGag: The hangar is the one that holds [[RaidersOfTheLostArk the Ark of the Covenant]].

** Thereby (inadvertently) making the film more accurate--Soviet intelligence personnel (whom are the only ones portrayed in the film) came from [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn multiple republics]], not just Russia, even in this time period, [[Georgia L. Beria]], who as interior minister before the film's setting. They would certainly be party members or Soviet citizens.

** Indy mentions to Mutt that he ran away from home and joined Pancho Villa's army Mexican Revolution when he was a teenager. This happened in the pilot episode of ''TheYoungIndianaJonesChronicles''.

* TakingTheHeat: RealLife example in an interview Steven Spielberg accepts blame for the "Nuke the fridge" moment saying it was his idea, not George Lucas'. Later in a New York Times interview with Lucas when the writer brings this up Lucas says Spielberg is only protecting him and that Lucas had to convince Spielberg:

-> In response to Spielberg’s fears, Lucas put together a whole nuking-the-fridge dossier. It was about six inches thick, he indicated with his hands. Lucas said that if the refrigerator were lead-lined, and if Indy didn’t break his neck when the fridge crashed to earth, and if he were able to get the door open, he could, in fact, survive. “The odds of surviving that refrigerator — from a lot of scientists — are about 50-50,” Lucas said.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Indy gets involved in a motorcycle chase that crashes into the library of the school he works at. The students only notice this in the context of "hey, there's the professor, let's ask him about that question on the homework".

* StanWinston: Creator of the titular Crystal Skull.

* TrilogyCreep: ''Film/TheLastCrusade'' ends with Indy & Co. RidingIntoTheSunset because Spielberg thought it would the end. Then came this.

* TrilogyCreep: ''TheLastCrusade'' ends with Indy & Co. RidingIntoTheSunset because Spielberg thought it would the end. Then came this.

* {{Area 51}}: It turns out that this is where the US government stores most of the dangerous ancient phlebotinum that Indy finds. And [[spoiler:[[BadassBookworm Indiana Jones himself]] was called in to help investigate the Roswell Incident.]]

* SequelGap /SavedFromDevelopmentHell: The fourth movie only took off after 19 years.

* GenreShift: Where the previous three films were heavily based on the pulp adventure serials of the '30s and '40s, this one is derived in part from the sci-fi fiction of the '50s.

* GenreShift: [[spoiler:Arguably what happens in the later part of the movie, but it somehow still works.]]

* AncientAstronauts: ''Crystal Skull'' has such an obvious example they don't even bother to explain it.

* BombproofAppliance: A lead-lined fridge in ''Crystal Skull''.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: In the Russian dub of the 4th movie, all mentions of "Russians" and "Russia" were replaced with "Communists" and "USSR". However, Russian names and backgrounds of the villains were kept intact.
* BusCrash: It's stated that [[spoiler:Henry Jones Sr.]] passed away sometime between the third and the fourth movies. This is because [[spoiler:SeanConnery]] was offered a cameo role, but didn't want to come out of retirement.

* ColdWar: ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''.

** In ''Crystal Skull'' we learn Indy was made a Colonel in the OSS during World War II.

* DarkActionGirl: Irina Spalko in ''Crystal Skull''.
* DinerBrawl: In the fourth movie, Indy and Mutt start a brawl in a diner in order to get away from the KGB.
* DirtyCommunists: The bad guys of ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''. Spalko actually states that her obsession with it is due to [[spoiler:the aliens possessing a HiveMind]]. Just as Belloq desired the Ark of the Covenant because it is "a radio for speaking to God", Spalko wants to find the Kingdom for a [[spoiler:Commie AssimilationPlot.]]
* EldritchAbomination: If the book is to be believed, the Aliens from the fourth film.
* FaceHeelRevolvingDoor: [[spoiler:Mac in ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'']]
* TheFifties: ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''.
* GainaxEnding: Reviewers of the 4th film have criticized the bizarre turn it takes after the first hour or so, including some bits of BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy.
* GenreShift: [[spoiler:Arguably what happens in the later part of the 4th movie but it somehow still works.]]
* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: When told to drop his gun in the fourth movie, Indy (purposely) manages to shoot one of the communists in the foot when it hits the floor.
* InevitableWaterfall: [[spoiler:Three of them in ''Crystal Skull''. One after another.]]
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: At least twice during the scene with the ants in ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls'', an ant is squished and the blood that shoots out lands on the camera.

* MaltShop: In ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''.

* OutrunTheFireball: Subverted in ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''--the bad guys try this, and get [[spoiler:nuked.]]
* PassingTheTorch: Subverted. At the end of ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'', a gust of wind blows Indy's hat to Mutt's feet, the idea being that Indy is going to retire from archaeology and Mutt is gonna take his place. But as Mutt is about to put the hat on, Indy scoops it out of his hands and puts it on; Indy's never gonna quit looking for treasures.
* QuicksandSucks: In ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'' Indy and Marion get caught in it, although Indy explains that it's actually "dry sand". It's also when [[spoiler:Marion tells Indy Mutt is his son]]. TruthInTelevision though as very dry fine sand is actually very fluid. It's only when wet or rough that sand will stick.

* RedScare: Irina Spalko and the Russians from ''Crystall Skull''.

* SlowElectricity: In ''The Crystal Skull'', in the warehouse scene, the lights turn on one at a time.

* SpecialEffectsBeefUp: ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''
* StanWinston: Creator of the titular Crystal Skull of the Fourth Movie.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Jim Broadbent's character stands in for Marcus Brody in ''Crystal Skull''.
* ThatRussianSquatDance: Done by Russian soldiers around a campfire in ''Crystal Skull''.

* UnderTheTruck: The motorcycle goes under a few library desks in ''The Crystal Skull''.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: In the fourth movie, Indy gets involved in a motorcycle chase that crashes into the library of the school he works at. The students only notice this in the context of "hey, there's the professor, let's ask him about that question on the homework".

!!Provides Examples Of: