Film Editor: Michael Khan and George Lucas (uncredited)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, is an incredible action-adventure movie released on June 12, 1981. The movie is about an archaeologist and professor, Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, who gets hired by the Army Intelligence during (1936 which was a few years before the starts of WWII) to find an old ancient artifact- the Ark of the Covenant- before the Nazis get their hands on it. The movie is about the crazy adventure he goes through to get it, with the help of his friends and romantic interest Marion, played by Karen Allen. In the end, the Ark destroys the Nazis, Indiana returns it to Army Intelligence, and it gets sealed up and safely stored away.
The movie had many cultural aspects to it. There are parts relating the Bible to the meaning behind ancient religious artifacts. It shows the audience what many cultures and religious groups believed during different time periods. Religion is something that many different people can relate to, so it makes sense why they would use a religious artifact as the important item in the movie. The film also shows the audience how Nazis were, or at least how they were portrayed, during the time the movie takes place in. Ever since WWII Nazis were pretty much know as the enemy all over the world. It made sense for them to use Nazis in this movie because they were considered a threat, and during their time in power they wanted to find historical artifacts to help support their claim of racial superiority. So they had a reason to want the Ark and have Indiana as an enemy. Another culture the movie shines light on, is of the people living in Cairo. It shows how they dress, how their homes are, how they work, how they react to crime, and in general how they live. It shows you an entire different side of the world and is really interesting to see as an American. Cairo was chosen as the city for this movie because in real life, research done about the Ark shows that it was in Cairo at some point.
The movie had many exceptional elements beginning with the editing. One of my favorite scenes is towards the beginning when Indiana Jones had just run out of the Temple. The camera goes from a close-up view of him, where you see Indiana’s eyes look up, and the screen cuts to a look-off of a native with an arrow to show you what Indiana is seeing. It then cuts from one native to another. The audio linkage is also used first when the bad man is talking, and again when he is laughing and the screen goes from him to Indiana running. Furthermore, they used dialogue referent when he yells to start the engine, and the screen cuts to the plane. There are numerous editing techniques used in just this short scene, and they are used extremely well. Cuts like these are crucial to a movie because they allow you to see everything happening at once instead of just one side of it.
Another thing that stands out about the movie, is the phenomenal film score. The best scene to represent this was towards the end when Indiana Jones was trying to get the Ark from the Nazis trucks. Indiana has his own, well known, upbeat, adventurous theme song, which is clearly shown throughout the movie and is played anytime he is about to do something great. Written by John William here it is
*Play Indiana Jones Theme Song*
In this scene, when Indiana is winning the fights or when the camera flashes to him, his song was played . However if the Nazis were winning or the camera was on them, their own music played. This distinction really helped keep track of who was winning or when something important was about to happen.
The sound effects were amazing as well. In the beginning when Indiana was in the temple, and is running out, everything happens very quickly so the sound effects really help you follow along. You here the rocks falling, the arrows being shot out, and the branch than Indiana need in order to get out, falling.
The movie had many exceptional elements beginning with the editing. One of my favorite scenes is towards the beginning when Indiana Jones had just run out of the Temple. The camera goes from a close-up view of him, where you see Indiana’s eyes look up, and the screen cuts to a look-off of a native with an arrow to show you what Indiana is seeing. It then cuts from one native to another. The audio linkage is also used first when the bad man is talking, and again when he is laughing and the screen goes from him to Indiana running. Furthermore, they used dialogue referent when he yells to start the engine, and the screen cuts to the plane. There are numerous editing techniques used in just this short scene, and they are used extremely well. Cuts like these are crucial to a movie because they allow you to see everything happening at once instead of just one side of it.
Another thing that stands out about the movie, is the phenomenal film score. The best scene to represent this was towards the end when Indiana Jones was trying to get the Ark from the Nazis trucks. Indiana has his own, well known, upbeat, adventurous theme song, which is clearly shown throughout the movie and is played anytime he is about to do something great. Written by John William here it is
*Play Indiana Jones Theme Song*
In this scene, when Indiana is winning the fights or when the camera flashes to him, his song was played . However if the Nazis were winning or the camera was on them, their own music played. This distinction really helped keep track of who was winning or when something important was about to happen.
The sound effects were amazing as well. In the beginning when Indiana was in the temple, and is running out, everything happens very quickly so the sound effects really help you follow along. You here the rocks falling, the arrows being shot out, and the branch than Indiana need in order to get out, falling.
*Play Snippet of Scene*
All these sounds really help you understand what exactly is happening in a just a few seconds and continually reminds you that this is a big action film and that Indiana Jones is our hero.
The special effects in this movie were also very well done. The scene with the most special effects was most definitely the scene at the end where the Nazis open the Ark. There were so many effects such as the foggy light coming from the Ark, the ghosts that fly around (especially the last ghost), to the faces of the three bad guys (one catches fire and explodes, and the other two melt in different ways), and then it ends with the sky which opens up and causes a sort-of tornado. This is one of the most memorable scenes in the movie, and it is so important because the whole movie is about this Ark, and once found all this amazing stuff happens that wouldn’t be possible without the help of special effects.
The special effects in this movie were also very well done. The scene with the most special effects was most definitely the scene at the end where the Nazis open the Ark. There were so many effects such as the foggy light coming from the Ark, the ghosts that fly around (especially the last ghost), to the faces of the three bad guys (one catches fire and explodes, and the other two melt in different ways), and then it ends with the sky which opens up and causes a sort-of tornado. This is one of the most memorable scenes in the movie, and it is so important because the whole movie is about this Ark, and once found all this amazing stuff happens that wouldn’t be possible without the help of special effects.
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