Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay)
George Lucas (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Indiana Jones - the new hero from the creators of JAWS and STAR WARS.

Plot:

Archeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Ark Of The Covenant | Indiana Jones | Escape | Archeologist

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 24 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Indiana Jones
Karen Allen	...	Marion
Paul Freeman	...	Belloq
Ronald Lacey	...	Toht
John Rhys-Davies	...	Sallah
Denholm Elliott	...	Brody
Alfred Molina	...	Satipo
Wolf Kahler	...	Dietrich
Anthony Higgins	...	Gobler
Vic Tablian	...	Barranca / Monkey Man
Don Fellows	...	Col. Musgrove
William Hootkins	...	Major Eaton
Bill Reimbold	...	Bureaucrat
Fred Sorenson	...	Jock
Patrick Durkin	...	Australian Climber
Matthew Scurfield	...	2nd. Nazi
Malcolm Weaver	...	Ratty Nepalese (as Malcom Weaver)
Sonny Caldinez	...	Mean Mongolian
Anthony Chinn	...	Mohan
Pat Roach	...	Giant Sherpa / 1st Mechanic
Christopher Frederick	...	Otto
Tutte Lemkow	...	Imam
Ishaq Bux	...	Omar
Kiran Shah	...	Abu
Souad Messaoudi	...	Fayah
Terry Richards	...	Arab Swordsman
Steve Hanson	...	German Agent
Frank Marshall	...	Pilot
Martin Kreidt	...	Young Soldier
George Harris	...	Katanga
Eddie Tagoe	...	Messenger Pirate
John Rees	...	Sergeant
Tony Vogel	...	Tall Captain
Ted Grossman	...	Peruvian Porter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Darin Chambers	...	Nazi Supporter (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	German (uncredited)
Nick Gillard	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Romo Gorrara	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Barrie Holland	...	Archivist (uncredited)
Terry Leonard	...	Driver of German Truck (uncredited)
Dennis Muren	...	Nazi Spy on the Airplane (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	...	Flying Wing Mechanic (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor	...	German Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Lawrence Kasdan		(screenplay)
George Lucas		(story) and
Philip Kaufman		(story)

Produced by
Howard G. Kazanjian	....	executive producer (as Howard Kazanjian)
George Lucas	....	executive producer
Frank Marshall	....	producer
Robert Watts	....	associate producer

Original Music by
John Williams		(music)

Cinematography by
Douglas Slocombe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn
George Lucas		(uncredited)

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Norman Reynolds

Art Direction by
Leslie Dilley

Set Decoration by
Michael Ford

Costume Design by
Deborah Nadoolman

Makeup Department
Mike Lockey	....	hairdresser
Patricia McDermott	....	chief hairdresser
Dickie Mills	....	make-up artist
Tom Smith	....	key make-up artist
Chris Walas	....	special makeup effects: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
Jim Gillespie	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Patricia Carr	....	assistant production manager
Mohamed Ali Cherif	....	production supervisor: Tunisia
Dorothy Marchini	....	production manager: France
Hassine Soufi	....	production manager: Tunisia
Douglas Twiddy	....	production supervisor
Robert Watts	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Button	....	second assistant director
Patrick Cadell	....	second assistant director
Louis G. Friedman	....	second assistant director: Peru/Hawaii
Carlos Gil	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Carlos Gill)
Michael Hook	....	second assistant director: second unit
Vincent Joliet	....	first assistant director: France
Naceur Ktari	....	first assistant director: Tunisia
Michael D. Moore	....	second unit director (as Michael Moore)
David Tomblin	....	first assistant director
Frank Marshall	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Julian Wall	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Frank Bruton	....	property master
Roy Carnon	....	sketch artist
Sharon Cartwright	....	art department assistant
Kenneth Clarke	....	supervising plasterer (as Kenneth Clark)
Ron Cobb	....	production artist
Ken Court	....	assistant art director
George Djurkovic	....	draftsman
John Fenner	....	assistant art director
Andrew Garnet-Lawson	....	scenic artist
George Gunning	....	assistant construction manager
Peter Hancock	....	property master: Tunisia
Fred Hole	....	assistant art director
Michael Lamont	....	assistant art director
Michael Lloyd	....	production artist
David Lusby	....	chief buyer
Dave Middleton	....	construction storeman
David J. Negron	....	sketch artist (as David Negron)
Bert Rodwell	....	head plasterer
Eric Shirtcliffe	....	master painter
Keith Short	....	modeller
Hassen Soufi	....	assistant art director: Tunisia
Charles Torbett	....	property supervisor
Ed Verreaux	....	production illustrator
Bob Walker	....	decor and lettering artist
Bill Welch	....	construction manager
Andy Aitken	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Taieb Jallouli	....	property buyer: Tunisia (uncredited)
Paul James	....	plasterer stand-by (uncredited)
Dave Midson	....	dressing prop (uncredited)
Kent State	....	art department (uncredited)
Dave Stevens	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
William Stout	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound effects editor
Ben Burtt	....	sound designer
Roy Charman	....	production sound
John Dunn	....	foley editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor (as Steve H. Flick)
Peter Grives	....	apprentice sound editor
Howie Hammerman	....	recording technician
Gregg Landaker	....	re-recording
Mark A. Mangini	....	sound effects editor (as Mark Mangini)
Steve Maslow	....	re-recording
Andrew Patterson	....	dialogue editor (as Andy Patterson)
George Rice	....	production maintenance
John Salter	....	sound boom operator
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising dialogue editor
Gary Summers	....	sound effects recordist
Bill Varney	....	re-recording
Eric Whitfield	....	assistant dialogue editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Chris Condon	....	special effects electrician
Roy Coombes	....	special effects carpenter
Peter Dawson	....	senior effects technician
Yves De Bono	....	special effects welder
Rodney Fuller	....	effects technician
Ken Gittens	....	effects assistant
Terry Glass	....	effects engineering
Ray Hanson	....	effects assistant
Trevor Neighbour	....	effects technician
Terry Schubert	....	effects technician
Bill Warrington	....	special effects equipment supervisor
Kit West	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Michael Dawson	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Amundson	....	assistant effects editor: ILM
Charles Bailey	....	model maker: ILM (as Charlie Bailey)
Craig Barron	....	matte photography assistant: ILM
William Beck	....	stage technician: ILM
David Berry	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Patricia Blau	....	production coordinator: ILM
Mike Bolles	....	design engineer: ILM
Marty Brenneis	....	electronics engineer: ILM
Kris Brown	....	computer engineering: ILM
Conrad Buff IV	....	visual effects editorial supervisor: ILM (as Conrad Buff)
Laura Buff	....	production accountant: ILM (as Laura Kaysen)
Scott Caple	....	animator: ILM
Melissa Cargill	....	electronics technician: ILM
Wade Childress	....	special projects: ILM
Terry Chostner	....	still photographer: ILM
Samuel Comstock	....	animation supervisor: ILM
Dick Dova	....	stage technician: ILM
Don Dow	....	camera operator: ILM
Loring Doyle	....	animator: ILM
Duwayne Dunham	....	assistant film editor: ILM
Richard Edlund	....	visual effects supervisor
Judy Elkins	....	animator: ILM
John Ellis	....	optical printer operator
Chrissie England	....	administration assistant: ILM
Bob Finley III	....	stage technician: ILM (as Bobby Finley III)
Pat Fitzsimmons	....	stage technician: ILM (as Patrick Fitzsimmons)
Warren Franklin	....	optical line-up: ILM
Deitrich Friesen	....	animation supervisor: ILM
Michael Fulmer	....	model maker: ILM (as Mike Fulmer)
Steve Gawley	....	model maker: ILM
Tim Geideman	....	laboratory technician: ILM
Miki Herman	....	production associate: ILM
Edward Hirsh	....	stage technician: ILM
Paul Huston	....	model maker: ILM
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronic systems designer: ILM
Joe Johnston	....	art director: visual effects, ILM
Ed Jones	....	laboratory technician: ILM
David Kakita	....	production accountant: ILM
Sylvia Keulen	....	animator: ILM
Kim Knowlton	....	animator: ILM
Neil Krepela	....	matte photography: ILM
Shirley Lee	....	production accountant: ILM
Gary Leo	....	electronics engineer: ILM
Mike MacKenzie	....	electronics engineer: ILM (as Mike Mackenzie)
Alan Maley	....	matte painting supervisor: ILM
Scott Marshall	....	animator: ILM
Cristi McCarthy	....	electronics technician: ILM
Roberto McGrath	....	still lab technician: ILM
John McLeod	....	stage technician: ILM
Ralph McQuarrie	....	illustrator: ILM
Ted Moehnke	....	supervising stage technician: ILM (as T.E. Moehnke)
Thaine Morris	....	pyrotechnician: ILM
Duncan Myers	....	laboratory technician: ILM
Bill Neil	....	camera operator: ILM
Bruce Nicholson	....	optical photography supervisor: ILM
Kerry Nordquist	....	still lab technician: ILM
Ease Owyeung	....	model maker: ILM
Clint Palmer	....	assistant cameraman: ILM
Udo Pampel	....	machinist: ILM
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist: ILM
Lorne Peterson	....	modelshop foreman: ILM
Gary Platek	....	cloud effects: ILM
Bruce Richardson	....	model maker: ILM
Nilo Rodis-Jamero	....	assistant art director: ILM
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up: ILM (as Tom Rosseter)
Wesley Seeds	....	model maker: ILM
Kenneth Smith	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Thomas G. Smith	....	production supervisor: ILM (as Thomas Smith)
Howard Stein	....	assistant effects editor: ILM
Peter Stolz	....	stage technician: ILM
Marc Thorpe	....	model maker: ILM
John T. Van Vliet	....	animator: ILM (as John van Vliet)
Mark Vargo	....	optical line-up: ILM
Jim Veilleux	....	effects cameraman: ILM
Laurie Vermont	....	production coordinator: ILM
Gary Waller	....	animator: ILM (as Garry Waller)
Gene Whiteman	....	equipment engineering supervisor: ILM
Bess Wiley	....	electronics technician: ILM (as Bessie Wiley)
Samuel Zolltheis	....	model maker: ILM (as Sam Zolltheis)
Chris Crowell	....	digital compositor (restored version) (uncredited)
Beth D'Amato	....	digital paint and roto lead (restored version) (uncredited)

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts
Peter Brace	....	stunts
Gerry Crampton	....	stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunt arranger
Romo Gorrara	....	stunts (as Romo Garrara)
Martin Grace	....	stunts
Reg Harding	....	stunts
Billy Horrigan	....	stunts
Wendy Leech	....	stunts (as Wendy Leach)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts
Sergio Mioni	....	stunts (as Sergio Mione)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Randall)
Rocky Taylor	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
Bill Weston	....	stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt double: Mr. Ford/Indiana Jones double #1 (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace	....	stunt double: Indiana Jones #3 (uncredited)
Richard Graydon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wendy Leech	....	stunt double: Karen Allen (uncredited)
Terry Leonard	....	stunt double: Indiana Jones #2 (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Beeson	....	additional photography
Alan Brady	....	gaffer: Peru/Hawaii
Wally Byatt	....	operating cameraman: second unit
Albert Clark	....	still photographer
Jerry Dunkley	....	operating cameraman: second unit (as Gerry Dunkley)
Martin Evans	....	gaffer
Jim Kane	....	dolly grip: second unit
Red Lawrence	....	head rigger
Colin Manning	....	dolly grip
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	second assistant cameraman: second unit
Danny Shelmerdine	....	second assistant cameraman
Chris Tanner	....	assistant cameraman: second unit
Robin Vidgeon	....	assistant cameraman
Chic Waterson	....	operating cameraman
David Worley	....	operating cameraman: second unit
Wick Finch	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ronnie Herschman	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bruce Hill	....	ultra high speed photography (uncredited)
Paul Kenward	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Ray Meehan	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ian Hickinbotham	....	wardrobe assistant
Sue Wain	....	wardrobe assistant
Rita Wakely	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Bruce Green	....	assistant film editor
Bob McMillian	....	color timer (as Robert McMillian)
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
Phil Sanderson	....	assistant film editor
Colin Wilson	....	assistant film editor
Julie Kahn Zunder	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrations
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recording
Kenneth Wannberg	....	supervising music editor
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba (uncredited)
Lionel Newman	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Frank Welker	....	special vocal effects (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Harry Ueshiro	....	transportation captain: Peru/Hawaii

Other crew
Simon Atherton	....	armorer
Abdelkrim Baccar	....	location manager: Tunisia
Jane Bay	....	assistant: Mr. Lucas
Tarak Ben Ammar	....	production coordinator: Tunisia
Arthur Carroll	....	production accountant
Gilly Case	....	production assistant (as Gill Case)
Martin Casella	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg (as Marty Casella)
Habib Chaari	....	loaction manager: Tunisia
Junior Charles	....	production assistant: France
Bryan Coates	....	location manager
Michael Culling	....	animal handler
Jack Dearlove	....	stand-in: Mr. Ford
Jed Edge	....	animal handler
Steve Edge	....	animal handler
Deborah Fine	....	research
Barbara Harley	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Felicity Hodder	....	doctor (as Dr. Felicity Hodder)
Maggie Jones	....	continuity: second unit
Laura Kenmore	....	assistant: Mr. Kazanjian
Kathleen Kennedy	....	associate to Mr. Spielberg
Michael Larkins	....	assistant accountant
Pamela Mann	....	continuity
Hassam Moossun	....	doctor: second unit (as Dr. Hassam Moossun)
Dan Nichols	....	production coordinator: Peru/Hawaii
Daniel Parker	....	production assistant
Stefano Priori	....	location accountant
Stella Quef	....	accountant: France
Bonne Radford	....	accountant: Peru/Hawaii
Derek Robbins	....	unit publicist
Patty Rumph	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Maile Semitokol	....	location manager: Peru/Hawaii
Ridha Turki	....	accountant: Tunisia (as Ridna Turki)
Jim Steranko	....	original illustrations (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Lucasfilm

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corp. (1981) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1982) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Phillips (1996) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1996) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD) (Trilogy Box Set)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• TV Asahi (2008) (Japan) (TV)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special visual effects produced at)

Other Companies

• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies (uncredited)
• Bruce Hill Productions  ultra high speed camera
• CBS Records  original soundtrack album on
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Concord Records  soundtrack (2008)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production (uncredited)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by
• Lowry Digital Images  digital restoration (2003 re-release)
• MGM Optical  additional optical effects
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording (uncredited)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles
• Modern Film Effects  additional optical effects
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering (uncredited)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  appreciation for their co-operation

Also Known As:

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (South Africa: English title) (DVD box title) (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Hebrew | Spanish | Arabic | Nepali

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:PG (edited for re-rating) (certificate #26345) | USA:R (original rating) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Italy:T | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Israel:PG | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2004) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | West Germany:16 | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Michael Sheard auditioned for the role of Toht. Ronald Lacey won the coveted role and Sheard was later cast in a minor, uncredited role as the U-Boat Captain. He also appeared as Adolf Hitler in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Indy and Marion leave the Well of the Souls, a person is clearly seen lying next to where they exited. He's lying very still - looks like a corpse (another rival of Indy's?) - but he's missing a few moments later during a medium shot that show the same exit (the wheels of the "Flying Wing" are in the foreground).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Satipo: [picking up poison dart] The Hovitos are near. The poison is still fresh, three days. They're following us.
Barranca: If they knew we were here, they would've killed us already.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (2002) (VG)

Soundtrack:

A British Tar

There will never be another film like Raiders

It is a hot sunny day in South America. We see a bunch of men, shot mostly from the back. They are walking deep into the forest. We see a tall dark figure. He is wearing an old leather jacket, he has the 5 o'clock shadow looking like it's closer to midnight, he wears a fedora and he carries a bull-whip ( yes a bull-whip ). Finally, two of the men enter a cave and we hear about some guy named Forstall, who was good, very, very good, but he never came out of the place alive. But they enter anyway. They are confronted with tarantulas, spears that are triggered by blocking out the light, a pit that they must swing over and then more tiny poisonous darts that come out of the wall. All this to protect an ancient gold statue. They recover it. One guy dies and the other barely makes it out of the room before it all falls on him. Then he has to get out of the cave and a giant boulder chases him. Finally he makes it out of the cave only to be surrounded by Hovitos and his arch enemy named Belloq. He takes the gold statue that this guy worked so hard for and then the guy runs and makes it to the plane where he is in the passenger seat and there is big snake in the plane. He hates snakes. This mans name? Indiana Jones!

Whhhoooooo!! I'm left breathless just describing that opening. But is there a better beginning of a movie ever? Absolutely not. Does the beginning have anything to do with the rest of the film. No. It is all decoration for what the movie is going to put you through in the 90 minutes to come.

Indiana Jones is the best character to ever hit the screens. And he better be. He is created by George, Steven and played by Harrison Ford. That may seem normal now that we have lived with him for 20 years, but can you imagine what that must have been like back in 1981. That would be like Tom Hanks or Will Smith joining forces with James Cameron and Steven Spielberg for a completely original idea in today's terms.

Raiders took a simple idea and maybe an idea that the guys had from watching Saturday afternoon movies and made it larger than life. This film never stops for you to take your breath. It is filled with rich characters from Indy himself to Marion to Belloq and even to Marcus Brody. Each has their own personality that shines through in certain scenes. Some of my faves were when we first meet Marion having a shot contest in her bar in Nepal. Then there is her scene with Belloq and they get drunk together and she tries to leave using only a butter knife. And of course who can forget Indy's battle with the swordsman and his unrivaled determination to get the ark. " Indy, there is not time. If you still want the truck it is being loaded on a truck for Cairo. " ( a battered and bloody Indy ) " Truck? What truck?" ( and then later ) "Get some transport back to England, boat, plane, anything. Meet me at Omar's. I'm going after that truck. "

Sola ) " How? " ( Indy ) I don't know I'm making this up as I go."

Raiders has more energy than three action films. And that is what makes it the classic that it is. If you like movies, then Raiders is a movie that will not let you down. It is pure entertainment and that is indisputable. It finds the youngster in all of us and bombards us with this silly, whip-cracking, average, incredibly determined archaeologist and only asks us to have fun. And that we do. And to me, the only reason that Chariots of Fire won best picture that year is because it is a serious film. Raiders was heads and shoulders above Chariots and it should have cleaned up at the Oscars in 81. But more politics with the academy.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is the epitome of entertainment. What more can be said about it. If you haven't seen this movie in a while or if you haven't seen it at all ( gasp ) then do yourself a favour and rent it tonight. It is awesome.

TRUST ME