Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
7.92 /10
12700 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Indiana Jones
... Marion Ravenwood
... Dr. René Belloq
... Sallah
... Major Arnold Toht
User reviews
**Trailblazers of a Lost Art**
Little wonder James Cameron and Joss Whelon movies are the biggest box-office earners. They are masters of cinematic rhetoric. The unfolding dramatic situations and controlled dialogue are meticulously contrived. Cameron could probably have potted more if it wasn't for his earnest, simplistic messages (rich bad; nature good). All three movies (_Titanic_, _Avatar_, _Avengers_) plot along comfortably then suddenly spike spectacularly.
But no one has ever laid on the cinematic charm and cajolery like Stephen Spielberg. He was by far the craftiest manipulator of action and melodrama there ever was. He was the progenitor of summer blockbusters and all-ages, all-nations spectacles. At his best he had a gift for re-living and realizing that ethereal and irresistible childhood awe.
If _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (NOT the sequels... NO, not even the father- son one) was made today, exactly the same way, okay maybe in 3D with updated CGI, it would surely land at the top of the box-office heap. It is essentially the first comic book movie that wasn't a comic book (bespectacled mild-mannered Archaeology prof by day and globe-trotting whip-wielding action hero on sabbatical). _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (the first and only) is arguably the greatest adventure movie ever cooked up. And we, the abject audience, servile participants of the artifice, were licking its boots. We wanted Spielberg and his Indy to rope us in, reel us into the action, and completely have their way with us. We overlooked the emotional manipulation and contrived trappings because it was a pure freaking joy to watch, a Lucas produced godsend. Harrison Ford was born to play it just as Steven was born to direct it. It's really too bad they had to brand and knock off inferior sequels that, while making oodles of money, tarnished the shine of the unsurpassed prototype.
Indiana Jones was the perfect reluctant action hero on a selfless mission. A whip-snapping, truck-wrangling, swordster-gunning, Nazi- brawling adventurer who was matched only by his headstrong and sassy love interest, one pistol of a gal who could drink any man under the table. Not enough credit has been given to the great Lawrence Kasdan as the writer of this marvellous adventure. The script is as close to perfect as anybody could scribe. Even a dialogue-heavy expository scene (poisoned dates) was infused with a tense element of suspense. Yes, the story was hyper-fictional, completely contrived, shamelessly far-fetched... and altogether delightful. I wasn't expecting much when I went in to watch it back in 1981, but it had me wanting to do do back-flips on the way out. America's own Fab Four, Larry, Steve, Harrison and George, put on an action-adventure clinic.
Possibly the only weak spot in the movie is the climax which had our hero and heroine tied to a stake while God, the almighty Mcguffin from the Old Testament, magically wrapped things up for them. "Don't look" Indy warns, with his patented crooked grin. Are you kidding? We can't possibly take out eyes off of this. With respect to lost Teddy Bears from space and anti-Nazi machinators, Raiders is Spielbergs greatest achievement. It is one of the finest films ever made, of its or any kind. It is, hands down, my desert island movie.
Director:
Release Date:
1981-06-12
Run Time:
115 min
MMPA Rating:
PG
Reviews of
Raiders of the Lost Ark
**Trailblazers of a Lost Art**
Little wonder James Cameron and Joss Whelon movies are the biggest box-office earners. They are masters of cinematic rhetoric. The unfolding dramatic situations and controlled dialogue are meticulously contrived. Cameron could probably have potted more if it wasn't for his earnest, simplistic messages (rich bad; nature good). All three movies (_Titanic_, _Avatar_, _Avengers_) plot along comfortably then suddenly spike spectacularly.
But no one has ever laid on the cinematic charm and cajolery like Stephen Spielberg. He was by far the craftiest manipulator of action and melodrama there ever was. He was the progenitor of summer blockbusters and all-ages, all-nations spectacles. At his best he had a gift for re-living and realizing that ethereal and irresistible childhood awe.
If _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (NOT the sequels... NO, not even the father- son one) was made today, exactly the same way, okay maybe in 3D with updated CGI, it would surely land at the top of the box-office heap. It is essentially the first comic book movie that wasn't a comic book (bespectacled mild-mannered Archaeology prof by day and globe-trotting whip-wielding action hero on sabbatical). _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (the first and only) is arguably the greatest adventure movie ever cooked up. And we, the abject audience, servile participants of the artifice, were licking its boots. We wanted Spielberg and his Indy to rope us in, reel us into the action, and completely have their way with us. We overlooked the emotional manipulation and contrived trappings because it was a pure freaking joy to watch, a Lucas produced godsend. Harrison Ford was born to play it just as Steven was born to direct it. It's really too bad they had to brand and knock off inferior sequels that, while making oodles of money, tarnished the shine of the unsurpassed prototype.
Indiana Jones was the perfect reluctant action hero on a selfless mission. A whip-snapping, truck-wrangling, swordster-gunning, Nazi- brawling adventurer who was matched only by his headstrong and sassy love interest, one pistol of a gal who could drink any man under the table. Not enough credit has been given to the great Lawrence Kasdan as the writer of this marvellous adventure. The script is as close to perfect as anybody could scribe. Even a dialogue-heavy expository scene (poisoned dates) was infused with a tense element of suspense. Yes, the story was hyper-fictional, completely contrived, shamelessly far-fetched... and altogether delightful. I wasn't expecting much when I went in to watch it back in 1981, but it had me wanting to do do back-flips on the way out. America's own Fab Four, Larry, Steve, Harrison and George, put on an action-adventure clinic.
Possibly the only weak spot in the movie is the climax which had our hero and heroine tied to a stake while God, the almighty Mcguffin from the Old Testament, magically wrapped things up for them. "Don't look" Indy warns, with his patented crooked grin. Are you kidding? We can't possibly take out eyes off of this. With respect to lost Teddy Bears from space and anti-Nazi machinators, Raiders is Spielbergs greatest achievement. It is one of the finest films ever made, of its or any kind. It is, hands down, my desert island movie.
I think for a lot of people, Raiders is their favourite (x) movie. Be that their favourite adventure movie, favourite '80s movie, favourite Spielberg movie, whatever. None of those ring true for me, but it is my favourite Indiana Jones movie. I was a mad fiend for Temple of Doom as a kid, and I've managed to make multiple teachers put The Last Crusade on in class, so I'm quite a fan of the franchise, but Raiders is the most enjoyable to me... I've never even seen Crystal Skull... So maybe it's dishonest to say I'm a fan of the franchise... I'm a fan of the trilogy!
_Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time._
Good watch, could watch again, and can recommend.
For Spielberg's American Alan Quartermaine, I can certainly understand what the hype is about, but I've never been a big fan myself.
For starters, Nazis are boring. I'm sure they were all the rage once upon a time as a classic villain, but it doesn't do much for me.
Harrison Ford, of course, carries the movie, but Karen Allen plays really well with him throughout the movie and is amazing in her own right.
If nothing else, Spielberg is able to shoot a powerful atmosphere, and the movie is captivating and engaging.
It's not something I can watch over and over, but when I do watch it I know I'm going to get drawn in and have a great time.
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My favorite action film of all time due to one of the most iconic death scenes at the end being my personal favorite and being featured in my melt movie lists on many different websites!!!
This is trailblazing stuff - a great action film in the vein of earlier Technicolor swashbucklers. Harrison Ford is engaging and hugely charismatic and his battles with Karen Allen and Paul Freeman make for a considered, slightly dark but funny and memorable piece of cinema. So many great films have a depth in the cast that offers a multi-layered approach to storytelling. Spielberg cast John Rhys-Davies and Denholm Elliott excellently as Ford's stalwarts. John Williams has a golden baton when it comes to action-scores (akin to Korngold) and the story clearly has a tint of George Lucas' imagination to it. Historically, there is plenty of fiction but that spoils nothing. Not the best of the series, but a very good start...
Cast & Crew of
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Cast
... Indiana Jones
... Marion Ravenwood
... Dr. René Belloq
... Sallah
... Major Arnold Toht
... Colonel Dietrich
... Gobler
... Dr. Marcus Brody
... Satipo
... Barranca / Monkey Man
... Col. Musgrove
... Major Eaton
... Katanga
... Jock
... Mohan
... Messenger Pirate
... Bureaucrat
... Australian Climber
... 2nd. Nazi
... Ratty Nepalese
... Mean Mongolian
... Giant Sherpa / 1st Mechanic
... Otto
... Imam
... Omar
... Abu
... Fayah
... Arab Swordsman
... German Agent
... Pilot
... Young Soldier
... Sergeant
... Tall Captain
... Peruvian Porter
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Soldier (uncredited)
... German Lieutenant (uncredited)
... German (uncredited)
... Gobler's Gunner (uncredited)
... Driver of German Truck (uncredited)
... Driver of German Truck (uncredited)
... Nazi Spy on the Airplane (uncredited)
... Flying Wing Mechanic (uncredited)
... U-Boat Captain (uncredited)
... Special Vocal Effects (voice) (uncredited)
... (uncredited)
... Archivist (uncredited)
Crew
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Casting
... Director
... Casting
... Sound Designer
... Producer
... Supervising Sound Effects Editor
... Editor
... Original Music Composer
... Director of Photography
... Production Design
... Editor
... Casting
... Assistant Art Director
... Assistant Camera
... Gaffer
... Rigging Supervisor
... Dolly Grip
... Stunts
... Stand In
... Property Master
... Stunts
... Music
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Second Assistant Director
... Stunts
... First Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
... Construction Manager
... Assistant Production Manager
... Second Assistant Camera
... Assistant Art Director
... Production Illustrator
... Second Unit Director
... Stunts
... Continuity
... Scenic Artist
... Draughtsman
... Production Artist
... Apprentice Sound Editor
... Art Department Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Wardrobe Assistant
... Foley Editor
... Dialogue Editor
... Supervising Music Editor
... Researcher
... Production Accountant
... Assistant Art Director
... Wardrobe Supervisor
... Wardrobe Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Armorer
... Sound Effects Editor
... Unit Publicist
... Assistant Art Director
... Accountant
... Accountant
... Administrative Assistant
... Production Manager
... Gaffer
... Animation Supervisor
... Negative Cutter
... Production Coordinator
... Production Assistant
... Production Coordinator
... First Assistant Director
... Production Coordinator
... Still Photographer
... Assistant Accountant
... Production Accountant
... First Assistant Director
... Production Accountant
... Animation Supervisor
... Pyrotechnician
... Assistant Art Director
... Location Manager
... Production Accountant
... Production Manager
... Location Manager
... Accountant
... Second Assistant Director
... Production Artist
... Sound Effects Editor
... Stunts
... Associate Producer
... Stunt Coordinator
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Art Direction
... Costume Design
... Driver
... Production Intern
... Set Decoration
... Assistant Costume Designer
... Stunts
... Location Manager
... Stunts
... Driver
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Makeup Artist
... Additional Photography
... Stunts
... Hairstylist
... Stunts
... Visual Effects
... Makeup Artist
... Camera Operator
... Orchestrator
... Production Supervisor
... Story
... Story
... Screenplay
... Costume Assistant
... Orchestrator
... Special Effects Technician
... Special Effects Technician
... Special Effects
... Special Effects
... Set Buyer
... Special Effects Technician
... Special Effects Supervisor
... Modeling
... Painter
... Construction Foreman
... Property Master
... Special Effects Technician
... Special Effects
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Special Effects Assistant
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Dolly Grip
... Supervising Dialogue Editor
... Boom Operator
... Sound Recordist
... Special Effects
... Camera Operator
... Special Effects
... Assistant Dialogue Editor
... Construction Manager
... Property Master
... Assistant Camera
... Second Assistant Camera
... Production Sound Mixer
... Assistant Editor
... Camera Operator
... Camera Operator
... Sound Effects
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Accountant
... Special Effects Assistant
... Assistant Editor
... Visual Effects Production Assistant
... Visual Effects Camera
... Animation
... Animation
... Special Effects Makeup Artist
... Visual Effects Art Director
... Animation
... Animation
... Continuity
... Animation
... Visual Effects Assistant Editor
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Assistant Editor
... Visual Effects Assistant Editor
... Second Assistant Director
... Visual Effects Coordinator
... Visual Effects Camera
... Visual Effects Camera
... Animation
... Production Supervisor
... Matte Painter
... Second Unit First Assistant Director
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Visual Effects Editor
... Animation
... Animation
... Visual Effects Camera
... Makeup Artist
... Location Manager
... Color Timer
... Production Coordinator
... Still Photographer
... Assistant Art Director
... Transportation Captain
... Key Hairdresser
... Stunts
... Assistant Editor
![Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Original Trailer [FHD]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2F5Xt7qU0MY/mqdefault.jpg)
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