Raiders of the Lost Ark

Year Released: 1981

Runtime: 115 minutes

Directed: Steven Spielberg

Produced: Frank Marshall, George Lucas, Robert Watts, Howard G. Kazanjian

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies

Oscars: Won: Best Art/Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Special Achievement Nominated: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score

IMDb Plot Summary: In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before Hitler’s Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.

Context, Context, Context: What Created Raiders, and Why it’s Still Relevant

Spielberg and Lucas. In the 10 years before Raiders was released into theaters, both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had announced their names with a bang in the form of American Graffiti, Jaws, Star Wars, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The two filmmakers were friends who shared a passion for creating blockbuster entertainment, pulling from the kinds of stories that they grew up with. They also have a history of collaborating on each other’s projects, whether working to develop stories together or stopping by the set to give some advice. Raiders is an example of the former; a passion project of Lucas’ that he worked into a script and brought Spielberg in to direct before the ink was even dry. Working off both a stringent budget and a desire to evoke old-fashioned filmmaking, the table was set for Spielberg to do something truly timeless – but who to play the newly-created hero? The answer: Harrison Ford, who broke onto the scene in Lucas’ American Graffiti, then stole the show as lovable rogue Han Solo.

The legacy of Raiders. Far and away the most commercially successful films of 1981, and one of the most critically adored, the film was the definition of a hit upon release. Nearly 40 years on, this remains one of the most iconic American films of all time. It combined with Star Wars to influence an entire generation of moviegoers, and later moviemakers – and like the original Star Wars, remains incredibly watchable today despite dated effects. John Williams’ score, like always, became as iconic as the film that it scores, and Harrison Ford created one of the most enduring characters in popular culture. This film established Spielberg as a master of popcorn adventure movies; he would follow this film up with E.T. before stepping into the realm of drama films beginning in the late 80’s. He would later return to adventure in the form of 1993’s Jurassic Park, which thrilled another generation of young moviegoers, but has remained in the dramatic sphere for most of his career after the 80’s. But when you reach such great heights with a film like this, how can you expect to top it? The sequels, which were also directed by Spielberg, never reached the level that Raiders sits on; this is considered not just one of the best action films ever, but one of the most well-made films ever. Every adventure movie that came after this is pulling at least one page from its book on pace, storytelling and tone, and the ones that pulled multiple pages have never, and will likely never, top what the original was able to achieve.

The Story and its Characters

Personal escapism. Both Lucas and Spielberg were influenced by the serial films of the 30’s and 40’s when creating the story, atmosphere and look of the film. In these serials, an adventure scene (For example, this film’s first temple scene), would play out in a series of 5-10-minute scenes. Each new section would air in an episodic format, but in the age before every home had a television, audiences would return to the move theater to see them play out. These serials would play alongside news reels and previews for other films. Lucas set out to create a feature-length version of a story like this and found a kindred spirit in Spielberg. The timing for releasing a thematically simple throwback and escapist film could not have been better; the 70’s marked a dark time in American politics. We had withdrawn from Vietnam in defeat, Watergate had destroyed America’s faith in its leadership, and in 1979 President Jimmy Carter publicly despaired at the state of the world and America in his “malaise” speech. Having the American Indiana Jones fight Nazis for possession of a religious superweapon was the kind of morally simple, “America is Best” that audiences were pining for. Having the Ark be a Jewish icon that ultimately kills all the Nazis that were vying for it is just icing on the “Punish Nazi” cake.

The performances. The performances perfectly match the tone of this film; self-seriousness paired with self-awareness, realism with supernatural, suspense and humor. The Nazis are portrayed as almost cartoonishly evil, which is exactly what this film needs – a stand out is Ronald Lacey as Toht, a sadistic Nazi and perceived torture expert (the guy who gets his face melted). John Rhys-Davies is wonderful as Sallah, a big man with a big heart and Indiana’s contact in Egypt. Paul Freeman is excellent in the role of Belloq, a rival archaeologist who allies himself with the Nazis to find the Ark. However, he stands out from the Nazis by recognizing the historical and cultural significance of what he is chasing; in this regard, he’s like Jones – a fact he forces Jones to acknowledge time and again. However, he is presented as caring less about “fair play” than Jones is. Karen Allen is super memorable as Marion Ravenwood, a former lover of Jones who is pulled into the film’s action. She is tough-talking, self-assured, and an incredibly fun character that drives the emotion of whatever scene she is in. However, Harrison Ford’s performance as Indiana Jones was one of the biggest puzzle pieces to creating an iconic film: creating an iconic character. He is a realistic, flawed hero: he admits he’s going after the Ark for the glory, but also comes to acknowledge that he must stop the Nazis from using it in their quest for global dominance. He is brave and pulls off incredible feats of physicality but gets worn down by the experience. He is very smart but not all-knowing, and fully serves to reflect the film’s tone by admitting to the ridiculousness of his situation, but still committing to getting the job done. This is the charm that Harrison Ford brings to many of his roles; look no further than this role to understand why he is so beloved.

Technicalities

Get the basics right. Budgetary and time constraints forced Spielberg to not film his sequences in too flashy a way, which is something that works to the film’s benefit. It works to evoke the way these serials were filmed in the 30’s, and it also forced him to focus on using every shot to communicate something important, a lesson today’s action films would be wise to revisit. He stages every frame in a way that creates continuity from one shot to the next, and serves to highlight character notes, create tension, or advance an action sequence (very often, it’s more than one of these). There are a few opportunities Spielberg takes to remind us that he is one of the most talented artists in this craft, including a gorgeous silhouette shot of Indiana and his Egyptian digging crew framed against the sunset. There has also rarely been a film as better edited than this; no moment is wasted, but the audience still knows everything they need to. There’s a reason why Steven Soderbergh was able to turn this film black and white and silent and have it still make sense to the viewer; this is the definition of doing visual storytelling right, which is one of the largest reasons why the film is still as watchable today as the day it came out. However, my favorite and one of the most enduring parts of this film is what’s absent from Soderbergh’s project: John Williams’ iconic score. From Jaws to Star Wars to this, he is responsible for the catchiest and most lasting theme music ever made, and the music in this film is a perfect example as to why.

John’s Highlight Reel

· Entering and escaping the Temple. The first 15-20 minutes of the film has nothing to do with the plot – there is no Ark, there are no Nazis. What we’re treated to is a wordless introduction to how capable Jones is as an explorer, fighter, and problem-solver. This is one of the most memorable sequences of film ever created: Jones dodges booby traps, gets betrayed, and ultimately outruns a rolling boulder as he attempts to retrieve an unnamed golden idol. At the conclusion of this sequence, the audience has been shocked, thrilled, and is ready to follow this hero on whatever his next adventure will be.

· Nepal. Marion’s brilliant introduction (beating a much larger man in a drinking contest) is the perfect complement to Jones’ introduction as an adventurer. Spielberg brilliantly uses shadows against the wall during both Jones’ arrival to the scene and the ensuing fight, and the red-orange lighting is perfectly used. The shootout introduces us to the nuance of lightheartedness and seriousness this film uses to treat its action while delivering clever thrills along the way.

· Cairo. This section of the film is memorable for showcasing the film’s perfect pace and elegant use of exotic locations. In a span of about 20 minutes, were treated to a brief but necessary expository conversation, a budding romance, a very tongue-in-cheek action scene, a terrific explosion, a moment of sadness and character development, and suspense. These are all the things that we want in our entertainment, tightly packaged.

· Digging in the right place. The scene where Indiana uses the staff and the room with the miniature version of the city to find the location of the Well of Souls has belatedly become one of my favorite parts of the movie. Using no words, we watch him piece together where to place the staff compared to where the Nazis placed it, and the light moves past the location that they had picked as the music swells. The music comes to its climax as the correct place is illuminated, and the look of joy on Indy’s face is perfect. Movie magic.

· Well of Souls. This makes up another semi-lengthy stretch between Indiana and Sallah recovering the Ark, and Marion being thrown into the chamber followed by her and Indiana escaping. If my previous highlights have described how this movie helps us fall back in love with movies, the design of this tomb made us love this movie. This set, which was physically built for the movie, and the way Spielberg uses it continues to stand in great contrast to today’s CGI-generated environments.

· The plane. I think this shorter action sequence is one that will live forever in film history, and another perfectly paced and edited scene in this movie. With a couple of moving parts (Marion in the plane using a machine gun and Indy boxing a massive Nazi), we never lose track of who’s where or what they’re doing, and the scene perfectly builds tension to yet another practically-filmed massive explosion.

· The trucks. This sequence is more extended than the plane scene, but the fact that it comes immediately afterward is stunning on its own – once the action begins, the ante is only upped. This is by far the best action scene in this film, which is really saying something. The truck itself is used in very imaginative ways, and you can feel Indiana’s exhaustion as the relentless scene just goes on and on. Most modern car chases (except for Fury Road) lack the attention to continuity and ability to tell exactly where every car is at every time.

· Opening the ark. This part freaked me the hell out when I was 9, but that’s ok. This is the only time the movie really embraces CGI for ghosts and lightning bolts flying around, and while that aspect feels a little dated, it’s still perfectly watchable. There’s a feeling of satisfaction in watching the film’s villains and some of their other Nazi henchmen meet brutal ends, but man are they brutal. The effects of our main villains’ deaths – including a head shriveling, a face melting, and a head exploding – were done practically, and are burned into the brain of everyone who watches this. Thanos getting dissolved has nothing on this.

· Top. Men. The interaction with the shady U.S. government agents to end the film is the perfect touch, as it introduces a Cold War-era morality and mystery surrounding our government. The film throws in a final touch of romance with Indy and Marion, but its final moments are legendary. The ark is placed is in a box, then wheeled into a massive warehouse full of boxes. What’s in the rest? And then it just ends – phenomenal.

Came for _____, Stayed for ______ (this time around, not when I was 9)

The Adventure. This movie is fun, and that’s just the truth. Nearly 40 years on, this film inspires the imagination of new generations that discover it and serve as a source of comfort and nostalgia to the generations that have already encountered it. It is still supremely watchable and remains one of the perfect escapist films, with enough clever action sequences with breaks in between them. It also has a sense of wonder but lightheartedness throughout the whole thing that continues to delight.

The Filmmaking. There are technical reasons why the above paragraph continues to be true. This is incredibly well-written, edited, and paced. The actors all embrace their roles and create memorable characters. Spielberg built this film from the ground up technically, and then used simple camera techniques to let every other aspect take center stage. Whenever you watch this film and wonder why they don’t make them like they used to, look to the practical yet masterful filmmaking.