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Bullwhip

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"Rule number one--never leave whip at home."
―Indiana Jones[src]

Indiana Jones was notable for his usage of a bullwhip, a tool made out of long braided strips of leather.

History[]

When Indiana Jones was seven years old, he first developed a fascination for the bullwhip after he saw a whip-act in a traveling circus.[1] The first time Indy used a whip was in 1912 aboard the Dunn & Duffy Combined circus train while fleeing from Fedora's Gang. After he accidentally fell into a wagon transporting a lion, he noticed a lion-tamer's whip and grabbed it to ward off the animal. Through his inexperience, the whip first struck Indy below the lower lip which left his chin with a permanent scar.[2]

WhipvonTrappen

Jones cuts Von Trappen.

A year later, Jones stumbled across a whip inside Tutankhamun's tomb which he used to cut Gustav von Trappen and disarm Von Trappen's guard.[3]

Jones also employed a whip Mexico in 1916, in Demetrios' house. After the thief found Indy breaking into his cupboard of archaeological artifacts, the two fought. Indy once again found a bullwhip there and tried to use it to fend off his attacker but Demetrios grasped it with his iron claw and pulled it away.[4]

During World War I, Jones employed a whip for missions in London, Cairo, Bombay and Lhasa. Not only did Indy use it as a weapon but Indy first used it to climb.[5]

Sometime in 1922 Indy acquired his own bullwhip.[6] Later that year, in Delphi, he resolved to take his whip with him on every archaeological dig after he had left it behind and realised it would have been ideal in saving his life from the perilous situation he found himself in whilst hanging over a chasm.[7] By 1925, Marion Ravenwood noticed how he practiced daily with it.

By 1935 he used to take it along with his adventures. He not only used it as a weapon against animals or adversaries, but Indy had acquired enough skill to use it in several makeshift or unorthodox uses. It saved his life from several dangers, such as helping him pull levers from a distance, or as a swing rope across chasms.[8]

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Bullwhip

Jones with his Bullwhip in 1938.

Jones still used his trusted tool in the late inter-wars years during the hunt for his Father, and the Holy Grail.[2] Even throughout the war, still using it to disarm his enemies whom in this instance was pulling a firearm on Indy during the encounter on the high-speed Nazi Loot Train in 1944.[9]

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Bullwhip Swing

Indy swinging from his bullwhip lashed around a ceiling light in Hangar 51.

Even in 1957, the archaeologist used his bullwhip to great effect after his confrontation with Russian Soldiers at Hangar 51 and his subsequent escape by lashing it around a ceiling light and swinging in an attempt to reach Spalko as she escaped in a jeep, though he mistimed his jump, narrowly missing and landing in a following truck.[10]

Then in 1969, he took up the whip again.[9]

Behind the scenes[]

Creation[]

David Morgan is credited with creating the whips used in the trilogy. Over thirty whips were supplied for the films, ranging from 6 feet to 16 feet. The most commonly used whips in the films were 8 and 10 feet, with the others being used for stunts. Harrison Ford mostly carried a 10 foot whip, but used 8 foot ones for some stunts.

The whip used in the film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was made out of kip hide, with kangaroo hide being used for the other films. At the time of Raiders, there was a problem importing kangaroo leather in to make bullwhips, so David Morgan used the leather made from young calves to make the famous whips.

Indiana Jones[]

Christies whip

Whip auctioned off at Christies in Sept. 2001

The whips were from David Morgan's 450 series, and were hand braided with a kangaroo overlay. For Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Terry Jacka was commissioned to create the famous bullwhips. While Jacka's were the ones cracked in the film, David Morgan and Joe Strain whips were also used. Morgan's for the whip swing and Strain's for Indy's belt. Morgan's were used for the "Crate" teaser poster.

Since the creation of the films, the demand for "Indiana Jones" style bullwhips have risen. Therefore, other whipmakers have done their "interpretation" of the Morgan whip, giving those who would want an "Indy" bullwhip, a way to own one.

Young Indy's accident with the lion tamer's whip was written in to provide an "in universe" explanation for Harrison Ford's distinctive chin scar.

Manufacture[]

Indy's whip was made with a core of twisted leather, then a plaited belly, then a bolster, then another plaited belly, then another bolster, then the final 12 plait overlay, also called "double bolster". The wrist strap is made of 6 plait overlay, and the fall is usually 30 inches long. Known substances for the cracker are nylon and poly.

Appearances[]

Non-canonical appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ Raiders of the Lost Ark novel
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  3. ↑ Young Indiana Jones and the Tomb of Terror
  4. ↑ The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal" → Spring Break Adventure
  5. ↑ Instruments of Chaos starring Young Indiana Jones
  6. ↑ Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
  7. ↑ Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi
  8. ↑ Raiders of the Lost Ark
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
  10. ↑ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
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