- I'm not convinced that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas actually remember the film serials they watched as kids. Both men were born in the mid-1940's, which means that serials had pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur by the time they were teenagers. Same for radio plays. That may explain why Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars are so enjoyable. Both films give the impression of having been fashioned from a modicum of memory mixed in with a heaping helping of nostalgia. Thus we are spared the campiness, bad acting, lousy special effects, and predictable cliffhanger storylines of Commando Cody and Flash Gordon and are instead treated to action extravaganzas far more enjoyable than any accurate imitations would have been.
- In the case of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg delivered what is certainly the definitive adventure film of my lifetime. The plot, probably familiar to everyone, follows a race to discover nothing less than the biblical Lost Ark of the Covenant. Comprising one team are the Nazis, populated with the usual batch of thuggish colonels (Wolf Kahler) and sadistic torturers (Ronald Lacey), and assisted by a wonderfully corrupt French archaeologist named Belloq (Paul Freeman). On the opposing side, that epitome of heroism Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), his accidental accomplice and former sweetheart Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and the redoubtable Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). There are good guys and there are bad guys, and there is never any question about who's who.
- To discuss all of the great scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark would be pointless, both because it would take too long and because many of them have so pervaded the cultural consciousness that you've seen them, even if you haven't seen them. The internet movie database lists literally hundreds of films that reference Indiana Jones in some way or another, and to that list I would add movies like The Mummy or National Treasure series that never could never have existed without him. Just last week, I saw an episode of the Justice League cartoon series that visually referenced the opening of the ark: the film's reach is staggering. What then, remains for a poor reviewer to write about? Reluctantly, I must raise the bar and mention only those aspects of the film that I find to be perfect:
- --Cast: Ford, Allen, and Freeman are exactly right, and it is impossible to imagine the film without them. Allen, in particular, should have become the go-to heroine for every action film made in the 1980's, and one regrets that she was not discovered a few years earlier so that she could have bested Margot Kidder as Lois Lane in Superman.
- --Music: One of John Williams' best scores in a career full of great work. Is there anyone in the world who wouldn't recognize the "Raiders March"?
- --Stunt work: All excellent, but the truck scene may be the best action stunt since the silent film era, and that's saying something.
- --Set work: As far as I'm concerned, they filmed on location at an ancient Peruvian temple, Cairo, and a buried desert city (although the facts of the film's making tell us otherwise). Nary a green screen in sight.
- --Pacing: It is difficult to imagine a better combination of fast action punctuated by brief moments of respite. It's no wonder Indy falls asleep every time he stops running.
- --Humor: Can an action film be clever and funny? Watch for Dr. Todt's coat hanger or Indy's encounter with the swordsman, and try not to laugh. The film's final shot may be the biggest joke of all.
- There aren't many films that get so much right, and even fewer that were made in the 1980's. Raiders of the Lost Ark is one for the ages.
- I didn't even get to mention Alfred Molina or Denholm Elliott in smaller supporting roles.
- The Paramount logo dissolves into a mountain in Peru just before the titles.
