A Look Back: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Posted by Nathan Deen (nathan@filmschoolrejects.com) on May 18, 2008

Where It Came From…

After the success of the first two Star Wars films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, it only seemed only natural to have Steven Spielberg and George Lucas collaborate on a film. The two had developed a story about a swashbuckling archeologist while on vacation following Lucas’ success of Star Wars and Spielberg’s success of Close Encounters. The film was meant to be an homage to the adventure films and Saturday matinee serials of the 1940s. It became one of the most popular film series of all time.

The Story

Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones is an archeologist who takes perilous journeys to discover rare artifacts. One day he is approached by two government officials who tell him that Hitler has become obsessed with archeology and has a special excavation in progress. They intercepted a message from the Nazis that reads: “Tanis development proceeding. Acquire head piece to Staff of Ra. Abner Ravenwood , U.S.” Indy realizes that this means that the Nazis are close to discovering the lost Ark of the Covenant, in which the Hebrews put the shattered pieces of the original Ten Commandment. It is said an army which carries the Ark is invincible, which could give Hitler invulnerability. They ask Jones to recover the Ark before the Nazis do. To do so, he has to reunite with an old acquaintance, Marion Ravenwood (the daughter of Indy’s old colleague Abner) who is in possession of the head piece, as well as old friend and digger Sallah. Meanwhile, Jones has to take on not only the Nazi baddies, but his old archeologist rival, Dr. Rene Belloq.

The Characters

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), archeologist extreme and scoundrel hero.

Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), daughter of Indy’s old college professor and the girl in Indy’s past whom he loved and left.

Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), Indy’s Egyptian contact and loveable sidekick, providing plenty of humor throughout the film

Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot), the clumsy department head and Indy’s longtime friend.

The Bad Guys

Dr. Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman), Indy’s archeological nemesis who often steals what Indy finds.

Toht (Ronald Lacey), the Peter Lorre-inspired Nazi maniac with a fondness for torture and long walks on the beach.

Colonel Dietrich (Wolf Kahler), a somewhat forgettable Nazi military leader who heads the excavation.

What It Meant to the Fans

There have been a lot of great movie franchises over the years; too many to count really. But if you were to ask me who my absolute favorite character is, I would tell you none other than Indiana Jones. After the success of Star Wars, Lucas could pretty much make any movie he wanted and have it be a hit, but this movie arguably outdid his sci-fi masterpiece. This is the kind of movie that fans eat up. It’s the kind of movie that reminds us why we love them in the first place. You have an adventure concept so awesome it makes your mouth water, and a courageous and interesting hero who is vulnerable but never fails to kick ass and even make you laugh while he does it, gets the girl, and saves the world from annihilation. What more could a fanboy ask for? Don’t take it from me, just look at the 8.7 average rating on IMDb, which ranks as No. 17 on the all-time Top 250 list.

How It Impacted American Cinema

For starters, we wouldn’t be discussing a third sequel if it didn’t have an impact. What Lucas and Spielberg created is an untouchable masterpiece that currently has a solid spot on AFI’s Top 100 list. It was the dawn of a truly unforgettable character that we will be able to share with our children, our grandchildren and our grandchildren’s children. With the sight of a giant boulder chasing our hero as he tries to escape a cave, a legend was instantly born. We’ve seen films try to emulate Raiders of the Lost Ark, but their only purpose is to remind us of how great it is. Stephen Sommers came the closest with The Mummy, but that’s not saying very much at all. It’s not even in the same ballpark. This is the ultimate adventure movie, the ultimate summer blockbuster, and they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Hopefully, that’ll change a little as the fourth installment to the franchise, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, hits theaters on May 22.

Additionally, Raiders of the Lost Ark won Oscars for Best Set Decoration, Visual Effects, Film Editing and Sound, as well as a Special Achievement Award. It received nominations for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and Score. Its budget was $18 million, with a domestic gross of $245 million and a worldwide gross of $384.

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