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.

Where Eagles Dare 50th Anniversary

2018 marks the 50th Anniversary of Where Eagles Dare, the WW2 movie starring Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton about a daring commando mission deep behind enemy lines to rescue a captured US general from a fortified mountain top castle.
Filmed partly on location in Salzburg,Austria from January 1968 to July of the same year, the film has gained cult status over the years and one that places itself in the warm fuzzy cosy spot of many a mans heart. The films daring backstory of secret agents, a fortified Nazi outpost and an elite commando unit operating deep behind enemy lines is the stuff of cinematic legend.

At 50 years on the film still entertains as the ultimate adventure story set in World War 2, complete with a daring raid, sabotage and firefights all of which comes to a thrilling climax with a bus chase through an military airfield. Best of all though is that plot-wise, the movie shifts from a daring rescue / raid to one of weeding out traitors in British Intelligence and sabotaging Germany's high command, if you can keep up with who's who the film does have a dizzying start as you try to figure out who to trust.

The film is an absolute classic of epic proportions and thoroughly deserves to be digitally remastered or at least get an Anniversary edition steelbook version of what is quite possibly one of the greatest war movies ever made. Where Eagles Dare ranks highly with the Hollywood elite, its Steven Spielbergs favorite war movie and Quentin Tarantino's most loved 'men on a mission' movie of which he paid homage to in his own Inglorious Basterds.

WHERE EAGLES DARE

The Castle Adler Schloss (Hohenwerfen Castle), and Schloss Neuschwanstein - Schwangau are two different castles which actually make up the fortress in the film, the gothic towered Schloss Neuschwanstein makes up the dramatic exterior as Burton and Eastwood spy on the target location from a hilltop and Hohenwerfen castle was used for the interior shots including the courtyard shots where the Bell helicopter and AA gun were located. UK Studio locations made up the rest of the interior filming during the Spring of 1968. It's worth noting that Hohenwerfen isn't actually serviced by cable car but does have a rail lift these days. During WW2 it was used by the Hitler youth but little actually exists of its wartime history if you visit and surprisingly it makes no mention of its movie history for Where Eagles Dare either and disappointingly I think the cultural aspect of this is lost on the current caretakers of the castle. The town of Werfen is only a short drive away and the castle is bordered by some truly breathtaking scenery. At the rear of Hohenwerfen castle the ground slopes away into the valley, falconry days and flying Eagles and birds of prey are a regular event.

    1968 on location courtyard shot of the AA gun and Bell helicopter - below, present day.

    The breath taking view from the rear of the castle

The Reversible German Uniform 'Tan and Water'
In order to fool the German garrison, team Broadsword needed to look like traditional winter troops who at the time donned a camo tunic known as 'Tan and water'. The Germans, never ones to miss a good opportunity to be efficient created a reversible parka for their winter troops, white on one side to operate in snowy conditions and an olive drab and brown mixed camo pattern for everywhere else. A careful look at the hood and neck area shows the telltale white flash of the snow version and vice versa for the normal camo. The actors made good of both versions of the parka as they infiltrated the castle before ditching the outer clothing and posing as German officers in traditional service uniforms.
British actor Michael Cain also wore the famous Tan and Water camo smock in the film "The Eagle has Landed", again, this was also the reversible version featuring both winter and olive camo which you can see on the lapel area of the parka in the image below Richard Burton.

The Most Kills for Clint
Clint Eastwood was 38 when he made Where Eagles Dare, one of three films he made in 1968 which included Hang em' High and Coogan's Bluff. Eastwood's agent convinced him that the role would be good working alongside someone of seniority in Richard Burton. Eastwood wasn't a fan of the early draft of the script by MacLean and actually demanded less lines so in turn was handled more of the action scenes and all for a cool fee of $800,000.
It's no secret that Eastwood has killed many people on film but Where Eagles Dare remains the most kills the actor has racked up in a single scene, in the iconic double handed MP34 corridor siege Schaffer kills 18 German soldiers. In total his character kills 73 enemy combatants, 5 of which are shared with Smith and 10 shared with Mary.
The scene is relatively tense as approaching Germans locate the group in an upper part of the castle as they attempt to make their daring escape, Clint decides to buy the group more time and fends off the assaulting Germans by going on the offensive himself, tossing back stick grenades and blind firing in a narrow corridor that creates a lethal choke point. Stacked up on the stairwell the Germans look to throw even more men at the group to overwhelm them but Clint is having none of it, casually appearing at the head of the stairwell he mows the squad down in a blaze of machine gun fire emptying his entire magazine.

The beauty of the Double Agent Double Cross
If you haven't seen the movie, then skip this bit, its got a spoiler in it. In one of the best scenes in the film, Burtons character, Smith offers to prove his identity in an attempt gain the trust and effectively fool the other double agents in the room who are siding with the Nazi's so that he can obtain the names of the agents working against the British.Smith identifies himself as Sturmbannführer Johann Schmidt of the SD of the SS intelligence branch. As proof, he discreetly shows the name of Germany's top agent in Britain to Kramer, who silently affirms it. Further proof is provided when he gets Kramer to call a German officer, Major William Wilner who reveals that if Schmidt / aka Smith is the man he claims to be he'll have no problem showing some tell tale scars on his right forearm, Kramer asks to see Smith's forearm which reveals two parallel scars 3 centimeters apart, Wilner then asks Kramer to ask Smith how he got them. 'I was born with them" replies Smith.
Wilner jokingly remarks 'tell him he's a traitor", Smith overhears and retorts 'Tell him he's a renegade" At this point Smiths so called German spy credentials are confirmed " Yaah, that is Schmidt, no question about it."
After the call of course is where it transpires the whole thing was a front, Smith has bluffed the Germans all along for years, got the names he needs and is firmly a British operative,Yay!

Filming
Its estimated that the production of Where Eagles Dare used in the region of 30,000 rounds of blank ammunition during filming, 20,000 of which was allocated to the sub machine guns which are used by both the main actors in their escape from the castle as they are pursued by the Germans and in the fire fight scene with Clint in the stairwell as he holds off the advancing soldiers.
Weather hampered shooting on many occasions and it took the actors hours of travel for a shot that only lasted several seconds on screen.Due to filming in Winter and early spring, the harsh conditions proved challenging for cast and crew, blizzards, avalanches and cold temperatures would also hamper the production.
Stuntman Alf Joint who would double for Richard Burton for the film lost three teeth jumping from one cable car to the other in the pivotal fight scene because Burton had knocked himself out from drinking too much (rumor has it 4 bottles of Vodka a day). if you're old enough and British enough to remember Alf Joint was actually the mystery man dressed all in black in the famous 70's TV ad for Milk Tray when he cliff dives into the shark infested sea to deliver chocolates to a boat, needless to say he broke his shoulder doing that stunt.

Aside from the challenges of weather, the shoot was also hampered by the notorious drinking habits of Richard Burton who took  it upon himself to go off and party in Paris for several days with his drinking chums and fellow thespians Peter O'Tool and Richard Harris.

While many of the exterior shots were filmed on location in Austra, Interior scenes were filmed at Borehamwood in the Spring of 1968.

    Stuntman Alf Joint takes the leap in MilkTrays 1972 TV advert.

    Clint Eastwood shares a joke with fellow cast members on set.

              Clint Eastwood on set on his new toy which he test drove around Brands Hatch while filming in England.

   Waffen SS Officer Major Von Hapen played by the brilliant Darren Nesbitt
The Tragedy of Mary Ure
Mary Ure played Mary Ellison in Where Eagles Dare,and was part of the SOE infiltration team in the raid on the castle. A stage actress by trade her film career was limited to only 9 appearances in film but 11 plays, the last of which, the Exorcism with Brian Blessed in 1975 would be her last acting appearance, Ure committed suicide by barbiturate overdose after a disastrous opening night of the play in London in 1975. Ure had suffered from poor mental health during the early part of the 70's and also suffered from alcoholism. At the time of her death she was married to Jaws actor Robert Shaw, who had discovered her body at home. Ure's captivating looks complemented her extremely well spoken and delicate voice.

Broadsword Calling Danny Boy 

If Where Eagles Dare is famous for anything its the film that coined the cult phrase "Broadsword Calling Danny Boy" as Col Smith attempts to establish radio contact with British HQ. The phrase has become a cult of its own appearing in tv sitcoms, dance music, tshirts and even a phone hacking scandal.
The trial into alleged phone hacking by senior staff at the News of the World newspaper heard that former editor Rebekah Brooks instructed her personal assistant, Cheryl Carter, to retrieve seven notebooks from the News of the World's newspaper’s archive, two days before the tabloid was due to close. The jury was also told of text between the security men hired to protect Brooks’, which read: “Broadsword calling Danny Boy. Pizza delivered and chicken is in the pot” in relation to the notebooks and phone hacking scandal that closed one of Britains infamous tabloid newspapers.
Broadsword Calling Danny Boy tshirts, mugs can be found all over the internet and Tom Craft  and Jimmy Pop released a Techno remix track called Broadsword Calling Danny Boy (Kosomo Records). In popular sci-fi Doctor Who, (series 5, episode 3) 'Victory of the Daleks' which features Winston Churchill the call names Broadsword and Danny Boy are references to Where Eagles Dare in which the line 'Broadsword calling Danny Boy' is repeated by a character who shares the name the Doctor occasionally adopts - John Smith. In Video-games  'Broadsword Calling Danny Boy is an unlockable achievement for completing the 4th mission in Chapter 3, called The Keep in the Zombie Army Trilogy.