The Librarian: Quest for the Spear
Encyclopedia
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear is the first in The Librarian franchise
of movies which was originally released on American cable channel TNT
in December 2004, directed by Peter Winther and starring Noah Wyle
in the title role.
The series is produced by Electric Entertainment.
plays Flynn Carsen, a perpetual college student
who has 22 academic degrees. Carsen’s professor kicks him out of college, telling Carsen that he lacks real life experience
and needs to experience life outside of college. Carsen’s mother, Margie (Olympia Dukakis
) is constantly worried about her son and encourages him to get a job, find a bride, and be happy.
Carsen receives a mysterious invitation for an interview at the Metropolitan Public Library
. Shortly after Carsen’s odd but successful interview, he is shown the true duties of his new job by a doleful library employee, Charlene (Jane Curtin
), and library head Judson, (Bob Newhart
). The position of librarian, Carsen’s new job, is said to have existed for centuries. Its purpose is to protect historical and often magical items in a secret section of the library. Some of the items Carsen is responsible for are Tesla's Death Ray
, the Holy Grail
, the transmuted corpse of King Midas
, the Ark of the Covenant
, the Golden Fleece
, a live unicorn, the Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
, Pandora’s Box
, Excalibur, the original Mona Lisa
(of which the Louvre
version is said to be a copy), the original Little Boy prototype atomic bomb, a working jet pack, Ali Baba
's Flying Carpet
and the Spear of Destiny
.
Carsen finds that the job entails more than he expected when one of three parts of the Spear of Destiny is stolen by the evil Serpent Brotherhood (members played by Kyle MacLachlan
, David Dayan Fisher
, and Kelly Hu
). Whoever has the complete Spear of Destiny will control the destiny
of the entire world (it is said in the film that "Hitler had only one" piece of the Spear). Carsen must now track down the remaining two pieces of the Spear of Destiny to prevent the Serpent Brotherhood from possessing all three pieces and gaining control of the world. His only tools are his mind
and a book written in a previously untranslated language
called the "Language of the birds
".
Whilst on a plane Carsen is ambushed by the Serpent Brotherhood and is rescued by a woman who forces him out of the plane whilst in mid-air. Once they land he finds that his rescuer, Nicole Noone (Sonya Walger
), is a Library employee who blames herself for the death of the last librarian but who resists any friendly feelings for Carsen. They travel through the Amazon rainforest
where they encounter waterfalls, headhunters, bridge collapses, and Maya
death traps all with often tongue-in-cheek
comedy
and a touch of romance. They next travel to the Himalayas
, ending up in Shangri-La
, all the time proving that the years of Carsen’s book learning are useful.
series, Macgyver
, and Shane (primarily Jack Palance
as gunfighter Wilson). There are also comic references to Kill Bill
, Candid Camera
, and the U.S. Marine Corps. The entrance to Shangri-La
visually quotes the 1937 film Lost Horizon.
of 1:78:1.
The DVD features include deleted scene
s, English and Spanish subtitles, a selected scenes commentary, and a "Behind The Scenes" featurette
.
, aired on TNT on December 3, 2006. It was released on DVD December 19.
The second sequel released on December 7, 2008, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
"
The Librarian franchise
The Librarian is a series of made-for-TV original movies from Turner Network Television starring Noah Wyle as a librarian who protects a secret collection of artifacts.-Origin:...
of movies which was originally released on American cable channel TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
in December 2004, directed by Peter Winther and starring Noah Wyle
Noah Wyle
Noah Strausser Speer Wyle is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. John Truman Carter III in the Medical drama ER. He has also played Steve Jobs in the 1999 docudrama Pirates of Silicon Valley and Flynn Carsen in The Librarian franchise...
in the title role.
The series is produced by Electric Entertainment.
Plot
Noah WyleNoah Wyle
Noah Strausser Speer Wyle is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. John Truman Carter III in the Medical drama ER. He has also played Steve Jobs in the 1999 docudrama Pirates of Silicon Valley and Flynn Carsen in The Librarian franchise...
plays Flynn Carsen, a perpetual college student
Perpetual student
A perpetual student, also known as a professional student , is a college or university attendee who re-enrolls for several years, typically more than what is necessary to obtain a given degree....
who has 22 academic degrees. Carsen’s professor kicks him out of college, telling Carsen that he lacks real life experience
Experience
Experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in or observation of some thing or some event gained through involvement in or exposure to that thing or event....
and needs to experience life outside of college. Carsen’s mother, Margie (Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck...
) is constantly worried about her son and encourages him to get a job, find a bride, and be happy.
Carsen receives a mysterious invitation for an interview at the Metropolitan Public Library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
. Shortly after Carsen’s odd but successful interview, he is shown the true duties of his new job by a doleful library employee, Charlene (Jane Curtin
Jane Curtin
Jane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s...
), and library head Judson, (Bob Newhart
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide...
). The position of librarian, Carsen’s new job, is said to have existed for centuries. Its purpose is to protect historical and often magical items in a secret section of the library. Some of the items Carsen is responsible for are Tesla's Death Ray
Teleforce
Teleforce was Nikola Tesla's charged particle beam projector, first mentioned publicly in the New York Sun and New York Times on July 11, 1934.-Introduction:...
, the Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
, the transmuted corpse of King Midas
Midas
For the legend of Gordias, a person who was taken by the people and made King, in obedience to the command of the oracle, see Gordias.Midas or King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold. This was called the Golden touch, or the...
, the Ark of the Covenant
Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant , also known as the Ark of the Testimony, is a chest described in Book of Exodus as solely containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed...
, the Golden Fleece
Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece is the fleece of the gold-haired winged ram, which can be procured in Colchis. It figures in the tale of Jason and his band of Argonauts, who set out on a quest by order of King Pelias for the fleece in order to place Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus...
, a live unicorn, the Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
Killing The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs is among the best known of Aesop's Fables and use of the phrase has become idiomatic of an unprofitable action motivated by greed.-The story and its moral:...
, Pandora’s Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
, Excalibur, the original Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
(of which the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
version is said to be a copy), the original Little Boy prototype atomic bomb, a working jet pack, Ali Baba
Ali Baba
Ali Baba is a fictional character from medieval Arabic literature. He is described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
's Flying Carpet
Magic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
and the Spear of Destiny
Holy Lance
The Holy Lance is the name given to the lance that pierced Jesus' side as he hung on the cross in John's account of the Crucifixion.-Biblical references:The lance is mentioned only in the Gospel of John and not in any of the...
.
Carsen finds that the job entails more than he expected when one of three parts of the Spear of Destiny is stolen by the evil Serpent Brotherhood (members played by Kyle MacLachlan
Kyle MacLachlan
Kyle Merritt MacLachlan is an American actor. MacLachlan is best known for his roles in cult films Blue Velvet as Jeffrey Beaumont, Showgirls as Zack Carey, as Paul Atreides in Dune, and Ray Manzarek in the Oliver Stone film The Doors...
, David Dayan Fisher
David Dayan Fisher
David Dayan Fisher is a British actor. He played Michael Sowerby/Raz in The Bill, he has also appeared in The Last Post, National Treasure, NCIS, Robbery Homicide Division, Charmed, 24, Numb3rs, and Stargate Atlantis, playing Baden in the episode, "The Game." He currently plays the recurring...
, and Kelly Hu
Kelly Hu
Kelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
). Whoever has the complete Spear of Destiny will control the destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
of the entire world (it is said in the film that "Hitler had only one" piece of the Spear). Carsen must now track down the remaining two pieces of the Spear of Destiny to prevent the Serpent Brotherhood from possessing all three pieces and gaining control of the world. His only tools are his mind
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
and a book written in a previously untranslated language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
called the "Language of the birds
Language of the birds
In mythology, medieval literature and occultism, the language of the birds is postulated as a mystical, perfect divine language, green language, adamic language, enochian language, angelic language or a mythical or magical language used by birds to communicate with the initiated.-History:In...
".
Whilst on a plane Carsen is ambushed by the Serpent Brotherhood and is rescued by a woman who forces him out of the plane whilst in mid-air. Once they land he finds that his rescuer, Nicole Noone (Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger
Sonya Walger is an English actress known for her roles in the ABC series Lost as Penelope "Penny" Widmore, and as Olivia Benford on ABC's FlashForward.-Education:...
), is a Library employee who blames herself for the death of the last librarian but who resists any friendly feelings for Carsen. They travel through the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
where they encounter waterfalls, headhunters, bridge collapses, and Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
death traps all with often tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
and a touch of romance. They next travel to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, ending up in Shangri-La
Shangri-La
Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton. Hilton describes Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains...
, all the time proving that the years of Carsen’s book learning are useful.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Noah Wyle Noah Wyle Noah Strausser Speer Wyle is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. John Truman Carter III in the Medical drama ER. He has also played Steve Jobs in the 1999 docudrama Pirates of Silicon Valley and Flynn Carsen in The Librarian franchise... |
Flynn Carsen |
| Sonya Walger Sonya Walger Sonya Walger is an English actress known for her roles in the ABC series Lost as Penelope "Penny" Widmore, and as Olivia Benford on ABC's FlashForward.-Education:... |
Nicole Noone |
| Bob Newhart Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide... |
Judson |
| Jane Curtin Jane Curtin Jane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s... |
Charlene |
| Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck... |
Margie Carsen |
| Kyle MacLachlan Kyle MacLachlan Kyle Merritt MacLachlan is an American actor. MacLachlan is best known for his roles in cult films Blue Velvet as Jeffrey Beaumont, Showgirls as Zack Carey, as Paul Atreides in Dune, and Ray Manzarek in the Oliver Stone film The Doors... |
Edward Wilde |
| Kelly Hu Kelly Hu Kelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during... |
Lana Lana Lana \l-na\ is a female given name, pronounced LAN-ah, LAW-NA, or LAHN-ah.Although a name in itself it may be short for Svetlana, Ruslana, Allana, Elana or Ilana.... |
| David Dayan Fisher David Dayan Fisher David Dayan Fisher is a British actor. He played Michael Sowerby/Raz in The Bill, he has also appeared in The Last Post, National Treasure, NCIS, Robbery Homicide Division, Charmed, 24, Numb3rs, and Stargate Atlantis, playing Baden in the episode, "The Game." He currently plays the recurring... |
Rhodes Rhodes Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within... |
Influences
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear draws from several classic action movies and westerns, such as the Indiana JonesIndiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
series, Macgyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
, and Shane (primarily Jack Palance
Jack Palance
Jack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
as gunfighter Wilson). There are also comic references to Kill Bill
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
, Candid Camera
Candid Camera
Candid Camera is a hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as Candid Microphone June 28, 1947...
, and the U.S. Marine Corps. The entrance to Shangri-La
Shangri-La
Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton. Hilton describes Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains...
visually quotes the 1937 film Lost Horizon.
DVD
An unrated, Region 1 NTSC DVD was released for this film on August 30, 2005, using an aspect ratioAspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
of 1:78:1.
The DVD features include deleted scene
Deleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
s, English and Spanish subtitles, a selected scenes commentary, and a "Behind The Scenes" featurette
Featurette
Featurette is a term used in the American film industry to designate a film whose length is approximately three quarters of a reel, or about 20–44 minutes in running time - thus midway between a short subject and a feature film; thus it is a "small feature"...
.
Sequels
A sequel, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's MinesThe Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines
The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines is the second in The Librarian franchise of movies starring Noah Wyle as a librarian who protects a secret collection of artifacts. Gabrielle Anwar, Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin and Olympia Dukakis co-star. It is a sequel to 2004's The Librarian: Quest for...
, aired on TNT on December 3, 2006. It was released on DVD December 19.
The second sequel released on December 7, 2008, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice is the third in The Librarian franchise of movies starring Noah Wyle as a librarian who protects a secret collection of artifacts...
"