Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' turns 30 today...

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Topic: 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' turns 30 today...

Kurt Zupin
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 989
From: Maricopa, Arizona
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 09-14-2011 01:23 AM

During a special screening at The LA Times Hero Complex screening this past week Spielberg and Ford put to rest the Sword fight scene.

It's pretty much a mix of the two things we've said.

Quoted from Collider

Also the articles a good read as well.

quote:
On the origin of the famous ‘Just shoot the swordsman’ gag: Originally there was a three-page whip vs. sword battle, but the day of shooting – Ford, feeling ill from some food the night before, told Spielberg that he could only last about an hour or so on set and… —- Spielberg’s answer is cut off by a growl like whisper offstage. “That’s not what happened.” – the voice offers.

Enter surprise guest Harrison Ford to standing ovation

¨ Ford corrects that they had already shot a fight scene with Indy disarming a group of baddies with his whip. Lest the film get repetitive with all this whip fighting, Ford offered up ‘Why don’t we just shoot the son of a bitch.’

¨ But what of the swordsman? Ford reminisces that the poor guy had spent months training just for this fight scene only to be told on the day of that instead of a three page whip-sword battle to the death, he’s just gonna get shot. Spielberg adds that the swordsman– to make up for the lost screen time – staged the most elaborate death scene on the first take. After being shot, he backed up, then forwards, waving right to left, falling to his knees, then flopping down, crawling forward, finally still. On the second take, before Spielberg called action, Ford just fired the prop gun – startling the swordsman to such an extent he just fell straight down – the take which would be used for the final film.

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Tim Asten
Film Handler

Posts: 98
From: Brighton, United Kingdom
Registered: Nov 2006

posted 09-14-2011 05:55 AM

I first saw Raiders at the Eglinton Theatre in Toronto in 70mm. I was on holiday at the time visiting my dad. Very impressive theatre, great sound. I also saw Willow there some years later also in 70mm and they had upgraded to THX as well, complete with the original 'Cimarron' trailer [thumbsup]

.

I also met the projectionist when Willow was showing. I remember him being very friendly, he showed me all the equipment. I think they had Simplex projectors on changeovers - no platters. I would love to know who he was, perhaps he posts on here? [Smile]

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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 06-12-2012 02:55 PM

*bump*

Today marks the 30th, er, 31st anniversary of the original release.

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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 06-12-2012 08:54 PM

I saw the movie at the Royal in Waikiki a couple weeks after it was released and there were still long lines. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK played in 35mm Dolby Stereo at this theatres but the two other films that followed it were both shown in 70mm in Hawaii. TEMPLE OF DOOM in 1984 at Consolidated' Cinerama and THE LAST
CRUSADE in 1989 at Consolidated' Waikiki #1

-Claude

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 06-12-2012 10:42 PM

Was at the theatre in line at 5am for the first show on opening day...I think I was about #40 in line. At the now-gone Syufy (Century) Cinedome in Orange. 70mm Dolby presentation, CP-200 processor, Century JJ, Norelco (Now Kinoton) platters. (Found out the equipment details some years later when that location was one of the ones I serviced for RCA Theatre Service.)

I was another who totally got immersed in the story and forgot I was watching a movie.

Too bad Hollywood can't make movies like that anymore.

I have not gone to a theatre to see a movie in over ten years.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-12-2012 11:05 PM

Someday, I'll see this movie.

When it first came out, my theatre and the local drive-in had a "split" agreement with the studios. They got first grab on all Paramount films, so the movie played at the drive-in instead of our theatre.

Many years later, I told my friend Keith that I hadn't seen the movie so he said "Dude, you gotta come over and watch it with us! We have the video." So I went to their house, where we proceeded to watch the movie on his 12" TV (from across the room) while drinking beer. I don't count that as having seen the movie considering I literally don't remember a thing about it, except the boulder-rolling-down scene that's been shown a quadrillion times.

EDIT: I just realized that I told this same story last year on page 1 of this thread. Oh well, I think I wrote it better this time.

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