IS RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK THE BEST ADVENTURE FILM EVER MADE?

When it comes to adventure movies, few are as beloved and enduring as Steven Spielberg’s 1981 classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark. This movie has been hailed as one of the best adventure movies ever created, and it’s easy to see why. From its iconic cinematography to its thrilling script and unforgettable characters, Raiders of the Lost Ark has never really been rivalled in terms of its action-packed storytelling, pace and action. Could this be the best adventure movie ever made?

Lets take a look at the creative mix that brough this amazing movie together...

Cinematography

Let’s start with the cinematography of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg and cinematographer Douglas Slocombe created a visual masterpiece, combining sweeping vistas, dynamic action sequences, and intimate close-ups to create an immersive experience. The iconic opening sequence featuring Indiana Jones being chased by a massive boulder is an example of the movie’s superb cinematography, with the camera capturing the action from both wide and close angles to give the audience a full sense of the chaos. Other memorable moments include the fight aboard the thrilling truck chase, the escape from the Tomb snake pit, and the general use of close ups and framing shots to propel the films narrative.

Slocombe used a variety of techniques to capture the action and drama of the movie. For the more intense scenes, he employed a variety of camera angles and close-ups to draw the audience into the action. The use of light was another important element of his cinematography especially for scenes like the digging team shot at sunrise and where lighting was used to bring focus to lead characters such as Indy's entrance to Marrion's Raven bar and the use of light on Indy's face to highlight his eyes during intense closeups. By using shadows, silhouettes and reflections, he created a sense of mystery and suspense. He also used natural light to capture the beauty and grandeur of the exotic locations. Slocombe also employed a number of handheld shots to create a sense of immediacy and excitement. This technique was especially effective during the action sequences, as it gave the audience a sense of being right in the middle of the action. The use of wide angle shots was another important aspect of Slocombe's cinematography. By using this technique, he was able to capture the vastness of the desert and the grandeur of the ancient loations.

Lighting, framing and angles artfully help tell the story.

Screenplay

The Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay was developed by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The concept of the film was first proposed in 1977 by Lucas, who wanted to make a modern version of the 1930s action serials. The story follows Indiana Jones, an archaeologist-adventurer, as he searches for a powerful ancient artifact known as the Ark of the Covenant.

The screenplay was a collaborative effort between Lucas and Kasdan, who worked together to create a story that was both exciting and full of adventure. Kasdan focused on the dialogue and character development while Lucas crafted the action sequences. After a few months of development, the Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay was ready for production. 

The film was a massive success, earning 8 Academy Award nominations and grossing over $389 million worldwide. The Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the potential of great storytelling. It was actually Spielberg's enthusiasm for Kasdan's Continental Divide screenplay that got him the Raiders gig, Continental Divide had been bought by Paramount for $150,000 dollars at Spielberg's request, a script about a brash Chicago journalist who falls in love with a woman living in the mountains studying eagles, in the vein of an old Spencer Tracy / Katharine Hepburn flick. The film, released in 1981 would ultimately star the late John Belushi as well as actress Blair Brown who received her first Golden Globe nomination in the role.

George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan

It's perhaps testament to Lucas' own vision that he wanted to position Raiders as a film that revived the 1930's and 1940's adventure movies that ran in theatre matinee's. Films that blended action, wit and romance with cliffhanger moments of peril. Raiders is full of clever dialogue and witty banter that keeps the action moving swiftly, pace wise it's nigh on perfect with very little in the way of filler. Kasdan’s script is jam-packed with memorable one-liners, a great example being when Indy quips “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage” after Marion Ravenwood remarks that he looks older than she remembers. The script also features numerous twists and turns that keep the audience guessing, such as the surprise reveal of the Ark’s true location at the end of the movie.

Characters

Finally, Raiders of the Lost Ark features some of the most iconic characters in movie history. Harrison Ford brings his trademark wit and charm to his portrayal of Indiana Jones which was only a year after The Empire Strikes Back had graced cinema screens, a swashbuckling archaeologist who is equal parts hero and rogue. Ford had pretty much cemented his hero status with both Star Wars films, making him hot property and a bankable star. Karen Allen is equally captivating as Marion Ravenwood, a tough-as-nails adventurer who is just as capable of getting out of tight spots as Indy but spends much of the time being rescued by him. And then there’s the villainous Belloq, played with sleazy panache by Paul Freeman. All of these characters come together to create a memorable cast that is essential to the movie’s success. Throw in the Nazi scourge in search of supernatural treasure for Hitler and that just heaps on the ultimate baddie group you could ever want. 

Belloq played by Paul Freeman

Stunts

Raider's has some of the best and most iconic stunt work in cinema history. Vic Armstrong was the stunt coordinator for Raiders of the Lost Ark and was responsible for some of the most eye opening stunt sequences in the film including the incredible truck chase. Indy gives chase on horseback to intercept the Nazi convoy and jumps from his horse to ambush the driver, in the ensuing fist fight, the Nazi soldier (played by stuntman Sergio Mioni) throws Indy through the windshield, and in a stunt that has never been topped in cinema for sheer thrill, Indy goes under the truck and hand over hand towards the back of the truck via the driveshaft and axel towing himself with his bull whip. Director Steven Spielberg and stuntman Terry Leonard designed the truck chase with Armstrong helping to coordinate Indiana Jones being dragged behind the truck, having to make it look like Harrison Ford was actually the one being dragged as he clings on to dear life with his bull whip.

Truck Stunt

Fightwork in Raiders was also another well crafted accomplishment with some great choreography work including pivotal scenes such as the Flying Wing fight at Tanis between Indy and the shirtless German mechanic played by the late Pat Roach. This fight was choreographed by Glenn Randall, Jr. The scene mixes some great humor (Indy looking at the sand to distract the Mechanic before he kicks him) and shows us that as a hero character, Indian Jones isn't invincible, far from it, since the Mechanic is only taken down once and for all by his lack of attention as to where the Flying Wings propellers were as the plane circles out of control in its hangar area.

The man mountain - the late Pat Roach (his second character in the film)

Production

Overcoming budget constraints, not to mention the heat of Tunisia which also saw 150 crew members fall sick to amoebic dysentery and the added challenges of working with animals such as reptiles and spiders added many lost hours to the films production. Another problem was the complexity of the stunts. Many of the action sequences featured elaborate stunts that had to be choreographed perfectly. This was a difficult task, and there were many instances where a stunt went wrong, leading to costly delays.

Film making at this time utilised primarily practical effects and sets with only minimum VFX work and Raiders is perhaps a great example that it still provides one of the best adventure thrills now as it did 40 years ago as a primarily practically shot movie. You only have to look at the massive Tomb set which was shot on Stage 4 at Elstree and the Well of Souls set filmed on Stage 3 at Elstree, both were large complex sets.

Larger vehicles such as the Nazi flying wing was a full size prop, designer Norman Reynolds created the plane using inspiration from actual aircraft that the Germans had in development, such as the Horten Ho 229. The plane was constructed out of fibreglass and wood and pieces of the plane have been found (and auctioned off) in Tunisia as recent as 2001.

The Flying Wing under construction at Elstree built by Vickers Co

Practical horror effects - melting faces

In conclusion, Raiders of the Lost Ark has to be the greatest adventure movie ever made. From its stunning cinematography to its witty script and unforgettable characters, this movie has never been rivalled in terms of its action-packed storytelling. It is a timeless classic that just doesn't age.

Did you Know?

There were repeated delays while filming the Well of Souls scene: there were too few snakes, a lack of anti-venom, and Stanley Kubrick's daughter Vivian —who was visiting Kubrick on the set of The Shining —called the Royal Society of the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) about the treatment of the snakes.