Film Fundamentals
| Director: Steven Spielberg
| | Writer(s): George Lucas (story), Philip Kaufman (story), Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay)
| | Stars: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott | | Release date: June 12, 1981 | Runtime: 115 min.
| | Why this movie rules: |
|
| | PONDERING PLOTLINES.... | Inspiration: George Lucas grew up going to the theater and watching serials from the 1930s and 1940s, and wanted to pay homage to that genre of film. Resembling a pulp-action hero from the serials, Lucas came up with a character named Indiana Smith, a man who lived a dual life as an archeology professor and an adventurous hero. Spielberg later persuaded Lucas to change Indiana's last name, and Lucas renamed the character Indiana Jones. In The Last Crusade, Indiana's father jokes about naming the dog Indiana. The joke comes from the fact that Indiana is indeed named after a dog once owned by Lucas.
Related books/movies:
Plot hole(s):
Continuity:
Historical inaccuracies:
- The Afrika Korps didn't exist until 1941.
-
-
Archaeological inaccuracies:
Spin-off products:
Spin-off experiences/attractions:
Spoofs and homages: |
| | FOR MOVIE NERDS ONLY | Estimated budget:
Box Office:
Award(s): Academy Award(s): Best Art Direction-Set Decoration; Best Effects, Visual Effects; Best Film Editing; and Best Sound.
Making-of trivia and little-known factoids - George Lucas originally objected to having Harrison Ford star as the heroic Indiana Jones. He said the he didn't want the actor to be associated with all of his films, as Ford had already been in American Graffiti and the Star Wars franchise. Tom Selleck was cast in the role of Indiana, but had to bow out because of conflicts with the T.V. series, Magnum P.I. A few weeks before production, Spielberg was able to convince Lucas that Harrison Ford was the right guy for the part.
- Debra Winger had turned down the part of Marion.
- In early drafts of the screenplay, Indiana Jones is an alcoholic.
- The original boulder that chases Indy in the first scene was only 22 feet in diameter. Spielberg was so taken by the design and how closely it resembled his initial idea, that he had the production designers increase the length of the bolder by 27 feet.
-
-
-
|
Filming locations
- Rickmansworth Masonic School for Girls, Chorleywood Road, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England, UK (school were Dr. Henry Jones is a teacher at and girls love him)
- La Pallice, La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France (WW2 German submarine base)
|
Cinematography
- Douglas Slocombe (Director if Photography)
|
Special effects
| | | | | Rumor Mill
| Behind-the-scenes romance(s):
Behind-the-scenes beef(s):
Most like onscreen character:
Most diva-like actor:
| | | | Flubs
| - In the scene where Indy faces a cobra, there's a glass wall between them.
| | Best Of
| Best quotes:
- Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move?
Indiana: Give me your torch.
[Sallah does, and Indy drops it in]
Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?
Sallah: Asps. Very dangerous. You go first.
- Indiana: There's a big snake in the plane, Jock.
Jock: Oh, that's just my pet snake Reggie.
Indiana: I hate snakes, Jock. I hate 'em.
Jock: C'mon, show a little backbone, will ya?
- Marion: You're not the man I knew ten years ago.
Indiana: It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
-
-
-
|
Best scene(s):
Best soundtrack song(s):
Most insightful director's commentary:
What the critics said: | |
Just for Fun
| RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK IN 5 WORDS OR LESS!
| USERNAME
| FIVE-WORD PLOT SUMMARY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| | RECAST RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK WITH CARTOON CHARACTERS | USERNAME
| FANTASY CARTOON CAST
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| | WATCH THIS MOVIE IF YOU'RE IN THE MOOD TO SEE...(MOVIE KEYWORDS) | | | | | | | | Other Wiki Pages | | | Indiana's Era
Add infamous adventures to the timeline of Indiana Jones!
|
| | Fan Art
Share your Indy-inspired collages, video montages, and more.
|
| | | | | | | | |
