Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

(Steven Spielberg, 1981) A presentation by Pablo I. Castrillo

Movie Info• Director: Steven Spielberg• Script: Lawrence Kasdan• Story by: George Lucas, Philip Kaufmann• Producers: Howard Kazajian, George Lucas, F. Marshall, R. Watts• Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe• Score: John Williams• Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies

Movie Info• Shooting locations: Hawaii, France, Tunisia...• And England: EMI Elstree Studios (not California!)

Raiders’ Numbers

Raiders’ Numbers BUDGET: $18.000.000

Raiders’ NumbersDOMESTIC GROSS: $242.000.000 (lifetime total) BUDGET: $18.000.000

Raiders’ Awards• 8 Oscar Nominations. 4 Won: Editing, Art Direction,Visual Effects, Sound Design. (Competing with Chariots of Fire).• 5 BAFTA Nominations. 1 Won: Production Design.• People’s Choice Award to Favorite Motion Picture; 1 DGA Nomination, 1 Golden Globe Nomination, 1 GRAMMY (Score).

The Blockbuster“A cultural phenomenon, a fast-pacedexciting entertainment, almost a genre.Audiences interact with such ﬁlms, talkabout them afterwards, and go back tosee them again just for the thrill” (Shone: 2004)

• Commercial Nature• Key: Entertainment• High Concept• The Myth Genre• High Production Values• And ultimately... Huge BOX OFFICE returns!

The Lucas-Spielberg Duet

The Lucas-Spielberg Duet Top 10 Grossing Movies by 1989

The Lucas-Spielberg Duet Top 10 Grossing Movies by 1989 Jaws, 1975 - $100m. Star Wars, 1977 - $193m. The Empire Strikes Back, 1980 - $142m. Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981 - $116m. E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, 1982 - $210m. The Return of the Jedi, 1983 - $165m. Ghostbusters, 1984 - $127m. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1984 - $109m. Batman, 1989 - $150m. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 1989 - $193m.

How Raiders came together...

How Raiders came together... The Creators: George Lucas, Philip Kaufman

How Raiders came together... The Creators: George Lucas, Philip Kaufman• American Grafﬁti (1973); Star Wars (1977); The Empire Strikes Back (1980).• The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976).

How Raiders came together...

How Raiders came together... The Talents: Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford

How Raiders came together... The Talents: Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford • A meeting in Hawaii. • A ﬂop called 1941. • “A guy who looks good and is tough-looking... if he can act”. • Han Solo.

The Film School Generation• Scorsese, DePalma, Spielberg...• Film School education• Mastering of technology• Strong sense of story• Classic Hollywood & Nouvelle Vague

Movie-lovers...“You sit back and say, ‘Why don’t they makethis kind of movie anymore?’ And I’m in aposition to do it. So I’m really doing it morethan anything else so that I can enjoy it”. George Lucas

Inﬂuences on Raiders• Saturday Matinée Serials (AKA “Cliffhangers”)• Classic Hollywood (Adventures + Western)

The 30’s & 40’s Serials

What is Raiders? (Genre)• Adventure• Action• Comedy• Romance

The Story• A canonical plot: “monomyth”.• Episodic structure.• The Hero’s Journey (Campbell).

The Hero’s Journey DEPARTURE1. The Call to Adventure: Army Intelligence.2. Refusal of the Call: the warnings.3. Supernatural Aid: the mentors, Marcus & Sallah.4. The Crossing of the First Threshold: Nepal.5. Belly of The Whale: physical separation from the ordinary world: Cairo? (Several “bellies” in this movie, actually: wells, U-boats, etc.)

The Hero’s Journey INITIATION6. The Road of Trials: obstacles in Cairo. Marion...7. Meeting With the Goddess: the Room of the Map and the revealing light.8. Woman as Temptress: Marion is left behind.9. Atonement with the Father: facing the Ark...10. Apotheosis: the Ark in hands of the Nazis.11. The Ultimate Boon: Indy captures the Ark.

The Hero’s Journey RETURN12. Refusal of the Return: the departure from Cairo.13. Magic Flight: Indy and Marion on the boat home.14. Rescue from Without: The Nazi submarine.15. Crossing the Return Threshold: Indy to blow up the Ark.16. Master of the Two Worlds: “don’t look at it”.17. Freedom to Live: the Ark hidden away.

The HeroDouble Identity(Superman, James Bond)

The HeroComedic:“How should Iknow? I’m makingthis up as I go”.

The HeroThe hero...and women(not a womanizer!)

The HeroDon Q, Son of Zorro (1925) Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948) King Solomon’s Mines (1950) Secret of the Incas (1954)

The HeroineWarrior orPrincess?

The Antagonist“You and I are verymuch alike. [...] Itwould take only anudge to make youlike me. To push youout of the Light”.

Symbols, Icons, Recurring ItemsClip: Trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Symbols, Icons, Recurring Items The Shadow

Symbols, Icons, Recurring Items The Opening Shot

Symbols, Icons, Recurring Items• Light and Shadow.• The Lightning (power).• Wells, holes... underworld.• Skeletons, mummies, snakes.

Homage to Classics

Homage to ClassicsLawrence of Arabia (1962)

Homage to ClassicsLawrence of Arabia (1962)Peter Lorre

Homage to ClassicsLawrence of Arabia (1962)Peter Lorre The Western Genre

Homage to Classics

Homage to Classics Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Homage to ClassicsCitizen Kane (1941) Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Themes• Good VS Evil• Lesson: people or things?• The Nazi Irony• Mysticism?• And...

Extra-Cinematical Stuff• Just entertainment?• Early years of Reaganism...• Anti-feminist backlash?• American Imperialism?

Discussion Points• The elements of entertainment.• The morality of the hero.• Indiana Jones’ inﬂuence in later heros.• The female lead: Marion Ravenwood.• Entertainment and deeper levels of reading.• The Ark, just a MacGufﬁn?

Enjoy!

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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

by Pablo Castrillo

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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Presentation Transcript