Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

As a child of the 80s, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was the epitome of movie making. Two big directors, a huge star, Nazis, the unknown, a spooky finale, action, adventure, humor, far away lands – this movie, this one singular film had it all. This film had something for everyone; man, woman, and child could all sit around and be amazed by Indy’s adventure. Everything about this film is addicting. Watching it then, and even today – Indiana Jones’ theme music stuck with me for hours afterwards. This film is more than just a casual view; it is a part of history in the making. The cult icon that Spielberg and Lucas created breathed a celebrity life into the world of archaeology, but also has handed the world a character that felt real and exciting. With that said, re-watching this staple of my youth today, in 2009, it became a far different cinematic experience. “Raiders” is an important film, it is still an amazing film to watch, it is still two hours of entertaining adventure, but does the DVD do it justice? Is “Raiders of the Lost Ark” only really meant to be enjoyed on VHS? These questions arise from crisper images shouting through my player at night, the lack of detail around the edges (don’t be ashamed of the VHS fuzz), and how bright this dusty hero should have looked. I am not judging quality here, but Indy will always remain a VHS protagonist in my book.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” as a stand-alone film works better than anything that could be released today. It takes the adventurous introduction of a man in search of a gold statue and juxtaposes it with an image of Indy as a teacher. It is a film that even after numerous viewings, the deadpan humor of Harrison Ford remains funny and repeatable in a group of friends. This, unlike “Crystal Skull” relies on Indiana’s skills, it takes us to places that actually could exist, and builds a mythology that is real. We were not overwhelmed with CGI or great effects, these were the days of stuntmen and real explosions – this was made during a time where realism took precedence over computer. Yet, isn’t that the mantra of Indiana? Isn’t the idea of this film to inspire youthful minds to become archaeologists, to make them aware that modern technology could take a backseat to a fedora and/or whip any day? There is this classic nature of both this character, but of the way Ford portrays him. Ford gives us this hero that is literally an everyman – he bleeds, he has fears, he punches when he should run – these are all great relatable features that still makes Ford’s Indiana Jones so iconic. The costume works, but it is the level of strength that Ford brings that makes me replay my VHS over and over.

What else makes “Raiders of the Lost Ark” perfect? The Nazi element, the idea that Hitler was searching for more than just total world domination was brilliant. Lucas and Spielberg took a trusted villain, a villain from the classic radio era, and made him search all over the world for this Ark of the Covenant. The spiritual element within this film is not overbearing, mostly explained, and it again gives us a task that may not be too out of reach for the average viewer. Watching it today, older, wiser, and somewhat more film skilled, I loved learning that Karen Allen could drink like it was her job. I never did catch the romantic twist forming between Belloq and Allen, but it seemed more relevant as I am older. Our man Dietrich was both hysterical and utterly evil; one of my favorite scenes was when he tricks us into hanging his coat. Brilliant. Proving again that “Raiders” takes you on this journey, a journey that could have been stale and caper-ish, and delivers a story that seems bold, refreshing, and new each time that you watch it – no matter what age you are.

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a timeless film. I cannot wait to watch it again – every element from the design, to the characters, to the finale is perfect. Despite the passion that I have for the VHS version, the DVD does thankfully make this film more accessible to the modern masses. This was created during the time where Ford was making skilled movies, a trait that he seems to have forgotten today. Do not watch this series backward, do not begin with “Crystal Skull” and expect “Raiders” to be the same. It is a retro film, a film about using skills sans computers. It is near perfection from everyone filming, writing, and acting within it. I would recommend this film to anyone looking for creativity, excitement, and/or a time where cinema was fun.

I miss these days.

Found in my "Time Out's 1000 Films to Change Your Life", this was a breath of fresh air. What a joyous film to take back to my youth, to see what made me excited about cinema, and about the creative possibilities. This was a near perfect film that I could recommend to anyone that walked by - in fact, I may even shout that from the streets. Ignore the "Crystal Skull" film, watch true movie-going experience. A solid green mark with blue stars for "Raiders". I cannot wait to watch this again.