A One Mann’s Movies review of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981).
I first went to see “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with my then fiancée Sue, now the Illustrious Mrs Movie Man, when we took an afternoon off our torrid job in a Highlands hotel in the summer of 1981. It was in a little fleapit cinema in the middle of Inverness (whatever were we doing in such a nasty place?). We knew nothing much about the film: “Indiana Jones, what an odd name for a character!”. But the film blew us away. It’s just astonishing how many of our day-to-day sayings derive from the script!
Now, thanks to an Everyman “Thowback” screening, we got to see it again on the big screen. And yes, we had a blast yet again.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is once again thwarted in the field by his arch-nemesis Belloq (Paul Freeman). But while licking his wounds, two CIA operatives approach him to inform him that the Nazis have discovered the resting place of the Lost Ark of the Covenant. They task him with obtaining it before Hitler can get his evil hands on it.
Certification:
UK: 12A; US: PG. (From the BBFC web site: “Moderate violence, threat, horror”.)
Talent:
Starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Freeman, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davis, Denholm Elliott.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
Written by: Lawrence Kasdan. (Based on a story by George Lucas & Philip Kaufman.)
Twitter Handle: #RaidersOfTheLostArk; #IndianaJones.
Running Time: 1h 55m.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” Summary:
Positives:
- A classic, adrenaline pumping, action film from start to end.
- Harrison Ford’s iconic, tongue-in-cheek performance was to lead to another 4 films.
- Dialogue that has gone down in movie folklore.
- A rip-roaring score from John Williams that has multiple memorable themes.
Negatives:
- If you’ve seen this film as many times as I have, I have a long list of tiny but niggling goofs!
Review of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”:
It’s a solid gold classic.
When George Lucas shared with Steven Spielberg the idea of recreating in movie form the Saturday morning ‘popcorn’ action serials of the 1940s the director was immediately on board. They devised a number of set pieces (though Spielberg doesn’t get a writing credit?) and hired Lawrence Kasden to tie them together into a coherent story. It was Kasden who introduced the Ark of the Covenant as the ‘McGuffin’ at the heart of the plot.
The rest is legend. From the opening fade of the Paramount mountain into the first scene, you know you are in quality territory as Indiana Jones (initially veiled) hacks his way through the South American jungle (actually Hawaii). The ‘reveal’ as Harrison Ford steps out into a shaft of sunlight to show his stern face is a magical movie moment and still makes the goosebumps come up.
Can you now imagine anyone other than Ford occupying the role? A number of actors though were allegedly considered for the role. These included Jack Nicholson, Tim Matheson, Nick Nolte, Peter Coyote, with (bizzarely) comedians Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray also being considered. Tom Selleck actually got offered the role, but he was unable to get out of his “Magnum P.I.” contract.
A seamless flow from action set piece to action set piece”
What sets Raiders apart is the seamless way in which we flow from scene to scene, with the action barely letting up. Yes, there is a plot set-up scene with the two CIA men (“didn’t you guys ever go to Sunday school?”) suitably sped-up by the huge bible happening to fall open on exactly the right page! But after this exposition we race from country to country (with John Williams’ terrific ‘traveling theme and the plane moving across the map) and the action doesn’t let up. We zip from South America to “Marshall College” in the States to Nepal to Cairo to a Mediterranean island where the finale takes place. Phew!
A pitch perfect cast
Harrison Ford is pitch perfect in the role but so is the wonderful Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, a long lost love (we will gloss over how much of a “child” she was when they first met and why it was so “wrong”!). Allen displays just the right balance between sexy maiden in distress and confident, self-reliant woman who can look after herself too.
Memorable Dialogue
As I said in the intro, the film is stuffed full of snippets of dialogue that we habitually use in our day-to-day life chez Mann. Here are some of our favourites:
- “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
- “Didn’t any of you guys ever go to Sunday school?”
- “I don’t know. I’m making this up as I go.”
- “Whatever are you doing in such a nasty place?”
- “Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?”
- “Asps… very dangerous. You go first.”
- “Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya!”
- “Give me the whip / Throw me the idol.”
- “We are… hehe… not thirsty.”
- “W..w..w…whiskey”
- “Truck? What truck?”
- “Top… men.”
Williams on top form
Raiders has one of my favourite scores of all time. As well as delivering us the iconic Raiders march, John WIlliams bashes out magical themes for Marion and the Ark as well. Several of the scenes in the movie – the map room scene and the ‘angels’ following the ark-opening – can consistently deliver goosebumps to me even on repeated viewings.
It’s a 5* classic… but it’s not perfect
I must have watched this film more than any other over the last 43 years. So much so that I can probably write down a storyboard for the film with all the dialogue from memory! But having seen a film so many times I am very tuned to all of the little flaws (that I bet Spielberg sees while watching the film again himself). Here are some of the things that niggle at me on each and every rewatch.
- Forrestall is firmly attached to the spikes in the opening but then Satipo gets spiked. What happened to Forrestall’s body?
- How exactly is a light-sensitive trap supposed to work in an age before photo-voltaic cells?!
- When Indy is being chased by the Hovitos in one shot they are a field away; in the next they are right behind him; and then they are a good distance away again. It’s really annoying!
- When Indy rides his horse down the sand dune, the dune is full of hoof marks where they’ve obviously done many takes before.
- When the truck explodes in the marketplace, there is a large length of telegraph pole protruding from the bottom. (This was a failed special effect that was left in the film. A cannon was supposed to fire out of the bottom of the truck to flip it end over end. It misfired.)
- When Ford and Belloq are having their “radio for talking to God” talk in the Cairo cafe, there is a ceiling-fan blade flickering at Ford’s eyebrow that is very distracting.
- Why if you’re trying to surreptitiously dig into a temple on the skyline would you keep going at dawn in full sight of the Germans. And then put your distinctive Fedora on too!!!
- Indy and Salah are able to raise at least a ton of sarcophagus lid!
Summary Thoughts on “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
A stone cold classic that has weathered well. Unlike many 80’s films, there is nothing non-PC that makes you go “ooh, really”!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xQSIdSRlAk.
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