Raiders of the Lost Ark

Andy BirkenheadAndy Birkenhead Posts: 13,450
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Still a brilliant film !
Why weren't Indy and Marion destroyed along with the Nazi soldiers etc ?
Was it simply because they didn't look at the Ark ?
Is that an eyeball on the top of the post Indy and Marion are tied to at the end of the film ?
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,482
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    Back to back iconic scenes.
  • mialiciousmialicious Posts: 4,686
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    Still a brilliant film !
    Why weren't Indy and Marion destroyed along with the Nazi soldiers etc ?
    Was it simply because they didn't look at the Ark ?
    Is that an eyeball on the top of the post Indy and Marion are tied to at the end of the film ?

    yes..
  • peroquilperoquil Posts: 1,526
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    It remains one of the best all-round films ever made. The opening sequence is worth it alone.
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    peroquil wrote: »
    It remains one of the best all-round films ever made. The opening sequence is worth it alone.

    The ending is the best to any film bar none!
  • BowmaniBowmani Posts: 188
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    As much as I love the first three Indy films, my favourite happens to be Crystal Skull. Great action scenes and witty one liners!
  • logansdadlogansdad Posts: 1,068
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    I went to collect a chinese meal tonight, they have a small bar/waiting area for the punters. ROTLA was playing and everybody (about 15 people) are just sitting in silence watching!!
    A couple of people got their orders and hung for a few minutes watching the screen. Can't blame em!
  • SteelEdgeSteelEdge Posts: 6,903
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    Is it just me that prefers Temple Of Doom? All the original trilogy are classics but I've always liked TOD best. Maybe it's because the first one I saw? Actually I think Raiders is the last one I saw...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 25,366
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    It's a friggin' awesome film!

    When we took a day trip from Luxor to Cairo on an internal flight (in a propeller plane, probably a Dash 7), I couldn't help but hum the theme from the scenes where you see the plane route transposed on top of a map.
  • AneechikAneechik Posts: 20,208
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    It's established in the Bible in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah that anyone who sees the wrath of God dies, so they escape by not looking at it (as Lot and family do in the Bible).
  • stripedcatstripedcat Posts: 6,689
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    It's the best film that Spielberg has ever made. The perfect blend of romance and adventure. So many iconic scenes - and probably the greatest chase scene of all time. Great characters : Marion, Indy's best love interest; Belloq, a slimy and charismatic villain played by Paul Freeman with a great French accent; Sallah, Indy's pal.

    It would have been great to have seen the recent IMAX conversion. Perhaps if it gets repeated again at the BFI IMAX that might be worth looking out for. Apparently, it is a good conversion for digital IMAX and also taking into the fact that it is an old film.
  • fluffedfluffed Posts: 1,791
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    Bowmani wrote: »
    As much as I love the first three Indy films, my favourite happens to be Crystal Skull. Great action scenes and witty one liners!

    Well that's .... unusual.

    Raiders is just an awesome film, l always end up watching it if it's on telly. 1, 3, 2 is my personal order of preference, but they are all good. Crystal skull is just bobbins though, I could list what was wrong with it but I don't think I've got enough time in the day. The red letter media review is better than the film itself.
  • mike65mike65 Posts: 11,386
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    Bowmani wrote: »
    As much as I love the first three Indy films, my favourite happens to be Crystal Skull. Great action scenes and witty one liners!

    Seriously that like saying Godfather Part 3 or Superman IV - Quest for Peace was the best.

    Raiders has a fizz, panache and a confidence which is as apparent now as when it was made, maybe more so in fact. A film that's very hard to get bored with.
  • Jon RossJon Ross Posts: 3,322
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    mike65 wrote: »
    Seriously that like saying Godfather Part 3 or Superman IV - Quest for Peace was the best.

    You can guarantee someone will think they are the best. Opinions are like ****holes, as they say. :D

    I agree with Frank Skinner when he pointed out that Indiana Jones was starting to look too much like Freddy Krueger by the time of Crystal Skull. Sadly that wasn't the only problem with it.

    Raiders is a proper classic though. Like most of Spielberg's films, it's complete nonsense really, but it's brilliant in so many areas. And it was made in what I think was the golden age before CGI. It's got to be one of John Williams' best scores too.
  • Ancient IDTVAncient IDTV Posts: 10,120
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    I like Raiders, but think it's a bit flabby in parts.

    Don't like Temple much. A lot of it is just naff. Wouldn't want to re-watch it now.

    Am happy to re-watch Crusade and Skull.

    For me:-

    Crusade > Raiders/Skull >>>>> Temple
  • UlsterguyUlsterguy Posts: 3,306
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    Still a brilliant film !
    Why weren't Indy and Marion destroyed along with the Nazi soldiers etc ?
    Was it simply because they didn't look at the Ark ?
    Is that an eyeball on the top of the post Indy and Marion are tied to at the end of the film ?

    It's not an eyeball, it's R2-D2's head!
  • Jon RossJon Ross Posts: 3,322
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    I like Raiders, but think it's a bit flabby in parts.

    Don't like Temple much. A lot of it is just naff. Wouldn't want to re-watch it now.

    Am happy to re-watch Crusade and Skull.

    For me:-

    Crusade > Raiders/Skull >>>>> Temple

    Crusade is good but only a slightly funnier re-tread of Raiders. Almost exactly the same plot (fighting Nazis for Biblical treasure) but Connery adds a new dimension.

    TOD was an attempt to do something different, which appeared to fail, but they deserve some credit for at least trying.

    Crystal Skull - saw it once - left me completely cold. Maybe I was too old for it. Harrison looked bored as hell.
  • pburke90pburke90 Posts: 14,754
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    Why didn't Indy stay put when he noticed the big ball rolling towards him? There was so much space there he could easily have ducked and let it roll past him. That always bugged me!
  • Ancient IDTVAncient IDTV Posts: 10,120
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    Paddy C wrote: »
    Why didn't Indy stay put when he noticed the big ball rolling towards him? There was so much space there he could easily have ducked and let it roll past him. That always bugged me!

    Would the ball have blocked the tunnel exit, trapping Indy inside?
  • Pull2OpenPull2Open Posts: 15,138
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    Would the ball have blocked the tunnel exit, trapping Indy inside?

    Bingo!
  • Jon RossJon Ross Posts: 3,322
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    Pull2Open wrote: »
    Bingo!

    He'd have found a way out. He's Indiana Jones! :D
  • mike65mike65 Posts: 11,386
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    I think the hole point of the ball of rock was to block the entrance!
  • roger_50roger_50 Posts: 6,894
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    My favourite Spielberg film.

    It's perfection.
  • HissyMissyHissyMissy Posts: 85
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    I had to go out, but caught the first half hour or so on BBC1 last night! Still thrilling 30 years down the line. Temple of Doom bucks the sequel being as good as the original thanks to shreiking Kate Capshaw and that annoying kid. But brought back to form with The Last Crusade. Karen Allen is still the best heroine of all 3 though!
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    HissyMissy wrote: »
    Temple of Doom bucks the sequel being as good as the original thanks to shreiking Kate Capshaw and that annoying kid.

    Temple of Doom was just an inferior re-write of the original ROLA, designed to cash-in on the original's success quickly, like so many follow-ups. The ending, especially, was feeble compared to Raider's unforgettable mind-blowing climax. I remember the 'annoying kid', that south-east Asian lad. 'Ha-ha-ha, that's funny!' he goes, at the end, when Indy gets squirted by an elephant's truck, in a little bit of final light relief. He's lucky Jones didn't give him a good clip round the ear!
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    The ending is the best to any film bar none!
    Although the hero/heroine don't actually do anything - the FX team takeover.

    A very minor quibble though - overall it's a splendid piece of entertainment from start to finish.

    Of the sequels, 'Doom comes out on top, though an inert narrative works against it. 'Crusade brings back the location-jumping, but a shapeless plot, toothless action and some terrible FX spoil the light-hearted fun. And the money-grabbing, barrel-scraping 'Skull isn't fit to lick the boots of any of them.
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