I Approve of This Classic: Raiders of the Lost Ark

A warehouse full of fond memories. 

The Short Version:
It's Indy. The first one. The best one. If you have a pulse, this movie is for you.
And if you disagree, this is what I say to you.

The Long Version:
First, some clarification: this is the first of what will soon, hopefully, be a semi-regular feature on classic films that are less reviews and more retrospectives on their legacy, their impact on my life, and any new appreciation or analysis I've discovered about them.

The impetus for looking back at what I consider to easily be one of the Top 10 best films of all time was the chance to recently see it on the big screen for the first time as part of Cineplex's Digital Film Fest. Big thanks to Ryan Walton (file photo: here) for securing tickets.

Like virtually all people my age or younger, I never had the chance to see Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen when it debuted in the summer of 1981, as I was born 1 year late. And even then it might have been a stretch bringing a baby to see that film – more on that later. But like so many children of the 1980s, what I could not make up for in terms of milestone viewing experiences I made up for in volume. NBC's Sunday Night at the Movies was our friend. VHS was our friend. The rewind button was our friend.

The first story I'll recount is related to the link I placed at the top of this post. Here it is again if you're lazy. That is in my opinion the single funniest moment in the movie if only for its sheer randomness and slapstick-ery. And it nearly destroyed our VHS's rewind button. My brother and I would replay those 10-seconds until we were face down in the carpet, dangerously short on oxygen, our ribs in agony. It's the kind of joke that young boys eat up with a spoon. And as it approached while I was watching in the theatre, I tensed up, started giggling with delight and prepared myself for the knockout punch of silliness in, what is up to that point, an already very funny movie. Sure enough, it still got me right where it tickles most. And from the audience's reaction, many others feel the same.

Still smarts after all these years.

One of the greatest joys of watching the movie with a large audience – comprised almost exclusively of die-hard fans – was rediscovering just how funny the movie really is. It's so often remembered for it's pulpy story and spectacular set pieces, yet Raiders is chock full of great laughs from beginning to end, some coming in rapid succession. What may be even more surprising is the endurance these laughs have had, standing the test of time to remain genuinely funny today. In light of our often jaded demeanors, it's nice to know that a good time is still a good time. Before moving on, I'll leave you with another classic laugh, which I'm sure many would say is the best laugh in the movie. For those who don't know, this scene was shot (pun fully intended) instead of a much longer fight between Indy and his sword-wielding opponent due to Harrison Ford having a severe fever. Knowing this doesn't make the scene less funny, but more so, as you can tell that Harrison the actor is just as happy to have this fight over with so quickly as Indy the character. Art imitates life.

Another bonus of seeing this movie at the Digital Film Fest was a chance to see the BluRay transfer of the film, which Cineplex uses instead of a traditional reel or digital pressing that new releases get. I had heard good things about this latest HD treatment for the film and, to my eyes, Raiders has never looked better. I won't go off on a rant, but unlike a certain compatriot of his, Speilberg has learned the folly of his ways from messing with his older films. During the recent press tour for the BluRay release of Jaws, Speilberg said he would never again alter or significantly change the content of one of his prior films like he had with E.T. Such wisdom! During my viewing of the film, on a large screen remember, I was only able to spot one noticeable change he had made to the film and it was to fix an error, removing the lens flare and reflection you once saw here:

Fan boys will still find a way to complain.

One of the most memorable sequences in the film for me is the opening. That may seem obvious, but we actually studied this scene in one of my communication classes in college. That was a good day. My professor's reasoning for studying this sequence was that it was in his words, "The perfect introduction." He explained his view thusly: within 15 minutes of the film's opening we knew everything we needed to about the characters, the world they inhabit and the arc of the story. We were quickly introduced to exactly what kind of a man Indiana is: no nonsense, extremely knowledgeable, quick on his feet, familiar with danger, and yet still very human, very fallible. The world is made clear to us as well: it's our world but from another era and seemingly... heightened in some fashion. Everything is a bit more dangerous, mysterious, and thrilling than we expect it to be. Lastly, we are given a condensed version of the film's arc: knowledge of priceless ancient artifact is discovered, race is on to find it, a myriad of dangers, traps and creepy-crawlies stand in the way, and a series of rogues will try to thwart Indy at every turn, some more effective than others.

So long Sapito.

Which brings me neatly to the most startling realization of my Raiders of the Lost Ark on the Big Screen Adventure. This movie was PG.

I'll stop for a moment and let your mind wrap around that fact for a bit. If your mind is already familiar with this stunning revelation, please, as you were.

Yes, I have known for many years that this film is in fact rated PG. I am aware that at the time it was rated as such by the Motion Picture Association of America, there was no such rating as PG-13. I am aware that films like this and others, in particular Jaws and ultimately Temple of Doom, were responsible for that rating's creation (hmm, both Speilberg films. coincidence?). For some reason, however, I must admit I had never really looked at this film as really stretching the boundaries of a PG rating. But, man, when you see it on the big screen, surrounded by viewers who all react to greater or lesser degrees the same way – "ugh!" – you quickly realize that it's amazing this got passed the MPAA intact. Much less my parents. Don't forget, I grew up on this movie and others like it. I was allowed to watch this film from the age of, oh, I'd say about 6. Being a father now myself has forced me to start considering what is acceptable for my daughter to watch. Granted, she's not even 2 yet, but time marches on quickly and I will have to question whether 6 or 7 or 8 or whatever is the right age to introduce this film to her. Because I'll want to. I will want to see the look in her eyes when that plane takes off into the sunset at the end of the film's opening, as John Williams' score surges with that most memorable of themes. That is an experience I can't wait to share. I'm just not sure when she'll be ready for... you know... this:

Years of therapy. Just waiting to happen.

My Name is Rick Ames and 
I Approve of This Classic