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106-634: In the film Raiders of the Lost Ark , the idol is portrayed as resting in an ancient, abandoned temple in South America . The specific location is not given in the film, other than a subtitle that reads "South America, 1936". Based on the film and Indiana Jones comic books, the idol was erroneously attributed to the Chachapoyan tribe in Peru , South America, although the specimen from which it

212-461: A ravine of difficult access. The seven sarcophagi stand up to 2.5 meters tall, constructed of clay, sticks and grasses, with exaggerated jawlines. Their inaccessible location high above a river gorge has preserved them from destruction by looters. However, an earthquake toppled one of the original eight in 1928. They have been radiocarbon dated to the 15th century, coincident with the Inca conquest of

318-410: A second unit director and the film's executive producer, along with his acquaintance Howard Kazanjian , whom Lucas believed would be a disciplined influence and not indulge the filmmakers' larger ambitions. He also brought in his long-time collaborator Robert Watts as associate producer and production manager. Paramount mandated a filming schedule of 85 days; Lucas, Spielberg, and Marshall agreed on

424-425: A cliffside, referred to by local residents as the “ancient wise men”. The Chachapoya culture had the tradition of protecting their dead and located their sarcophagi in protected difficult to get to locations. The Sarcophagi of Carajía are unique in their genre for their large size, up to 2.50 m high, for their careful making, and, for the fact that they were remained practically intact because of their location atop

530-431: A different movie. Kasdan named Marion after his grandmother-in-law, and took Ravenwood from a Los Angeles street. Belloq was intended to be a sophisticated villain to counter the "beer-drinking" hero. Spielberg cast Freeman after seeing him in the docudrama Death of a Princess (1980); Freeman's piercing eyes had captivated him. Giancarlo Giannini and singer Jacques Dutronc were also considered. Danny DeVito

636-467: A fight, and it had more dialogue; this was deemed unnecessary and removed for a tighter paced sequence. The cave's exterior was considered a perfect location, though a nearby pool was a mosquito breeding ground; even with anti-mosquito equipment the crew was bitten. The donkeys used for the trek suffered lameness . It was difficult to find replacements, and eventually, a pair of gray donkeys were painted brown with colored hairspray and flown by helicopter to

742-618: A final exterior sequence on the steps of San Francisco City Hall showing Jones and Marion together. Other changes included the addition of a scene where the Ark makes a humming noise in the Bantu Wind hold and the removal of a scene showing Jones holding on to the U-boat periscope to follow the Nazis; Spielberg thought it looked poor and hoped the audiences would not care how Jones accomplished

848-521: A fun project and agreed to the deal. He negotiated a seven-figure salary, a percentage of the gross profits, and the option to re-write his dialogue. Ford undertook extensive exercise to enhance his physique and trained for several weeks under stunt coordinator Glenn Randall to use a bullwhip , becoming proficient enough to disarm the Monkey Man (Vic Tablian); his wrist had to be rehabilitated to compensate for an old injury. Ford's interpretation of

954-402: A greater depth of field; Spielberg preferred his changes. Slocombe often employed natural light, using solar position predictions to plot a scene's layout. Spielberg liked the beams of sunlight glimpsed through scenery and tasked special effects artist Kit West with using a smoke machine to create artificial sunlight shards. For the bar fight, Spielberg wanted pitch-black shadows on the wall, but

1060-842: A lack of anti-venom, and Stanley Kubrick 's daughter Vivian —who was visiting Kubrick on the set of The Shining —called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) about the treatment of the snakes. The interior of Jones' school was filmed at The Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth , in Hertfordshire; the exterior was the University of the Pacific in California. Tunisia

1166-565: A probable fake from the late nineteenth century. Other scholars are less certain, but express similar doubts. The Chachapoya culture was a genuine subject of interest for scientists under the Nazi government , particularly Jacques de Mahieu , who like the fictional Belloq was a French collaborator. Based on quotations from Spanish colonists (many of them fabricated), and on his interpretations of since-refuted archaeological digs, he argued that descendants of Vikings had once ruled Peru. In reality

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1272-524: A self-imposed 73-day schedule. Spielberg was determined to avoid criticism for another schedule overrun. Six months of pre-production began in December 1979. Spielberg preferred to spend a year in pre-production, but worked at a faster pace to keep the budget low. Spielberg and Lucas were both simultaneously working on other projects. Artists Ed Verreaux, Dave Negron, Michael Lloyd , and Joe Johnston provided extensive storyboarding , with over 80% of

1378-403: A share of the gross profits. Producer Frank Marshall, who had experience on smaller independent films, was hired because Spielberg believed he would keep the film on schedule and budget. Spielberg also hired cinematographer Douglas Slocombe and production designer Norman Reynolds because he liked their previous works, and his long-time collaborator Michael Kahn as editor. Lucas served as

1484-545: A source of danger from its propellers. The plane was abandoned in Tunisia and slowly dismantled over the following decade by souvenir hunters before being demolished. The fight between Jones and the German underneath the plane was mainly improvised; Spielberg had to restrain himself from making it too long as each new idea led to another. During the fight, the moving vehicle rolled over Ford's foot and towards his knee before it

1590-519: A story for two weeks. Lucas imagined his character as a college professor and archaeologist adventurer, based on his own appreciation for archaeology and famous archaeologists like Hiram Bingham III , Roy Chapman Andrews , and Leonard Woolley . Kaufman removed Lucas' vision of Smith as a nightclub patron and womanizer, and suggested the Ark of the Covenant as the film's central goal; he learned of

1696-471: A stuntman concealing his face. Ford performed as many of his stunts as was allowed throughout Raiders , suffering various injuries. The tarantulas on Molina's body would not move because they were male and non-aggressive. A female spider was put on his chest to encourage movement. Abandoned ideas for the temple included a crushing wall trap and a pit concealed by spider-webs. The golden idol also had mechanically operated eyes that could follow Jones. For

1802-402: A supporting cast with their own unique characteristics and believed it was important these characters had a memorable impact. He described how the hardest part of writing was explaining how Jones would fall into successive dangerous events and survive, and how he traveled between locations. In August 1978, after approximately five months, Kasdan completed his first draft. Spielberg described

1908-495: A thin-plaster skull filled with blood bags and detritus. It was blown up using explosives, shotguns, and an air cannon. It took three attempts to get the desired effect. Belloq's death was considered so extreme the Motion Picture Association of America initially classified the film with an R rating restricting it to those over the age of 17 without an adult. Flames were superimposed over the scene to conceal

2014-413: A trilogy of films, to play Indiana Jones. Those considered for the role included Bill Murray , Nick Nolte , Steve Martin , Chevy Chase , Tim Matheson , Nick Mancuso , Peter Coyote , Jack Nicholson , Jeff Bridges , John Shea , Sam Elliott , and Harry Hamlin . Casting director Mike Fenton favored Bridges but Lucas' wife and frequent collaborator Marcia Lucas preferred Tom Selleck . Selleck

2120-477: A while to adapt to his working style. Filming concluded in September 1980, after 73 days. Lucas described it as the film he had the fewest problems with because of the lack of studio interference. Post-production lasted about two months and focused mainly on special effects and pick-up shots. Spielberg's first cut was close to three hours long before he and Kahn re-edited it to just under two hours. Lucas

2226-468: A white base. It is believed that the sarcophagi are evocations of the typical form of funeral bundle found in the coast and in the mountain range, corresponding to the period of the Tiahuanaco - Huari . In effect, the anthropomorphous form has been only given in the outlines of the human body, without the forms corresponding to the extremities taking shape. It is necessary to notice that the head of

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2332-717: Is "honest and true and trusting." Both men felt it was important Jones be fallible, vulnerable, and as capable of comedic moments as well as serious ones. They intended him to be someone the audience could relate to and idolize. Lucas suggested Marion would have a romantic past, at the age of 11, with the much older Jones; Spielberg replied, "she had better be older". While Spielberg directed 1941 (1979), Kasdan used his office to write Raiders , taking inspiration from early 20th-century serials and adventure films like Red River (1948), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Magnificent Seven (1960). He wrote Jones as an antihero , an archaeologist reduced to grave-robbing. Kasdan wanted

2438-558: Is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan , based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman . Set in 1936, the film stars Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones , a globetrotting archaeologist vying with Nazi German forces to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant which is said to make an army invincible. Teaming up with his tough former romantic interest Marion Ravenwood ( Karen Allen ), Jones races to stop rival archaeologist René Belloq ( Paul Freeman ) from guiding

2544-530: Is an homage to Carl Barks ' Scrooge McDuck adventure The Seven Cities of Cibola  [ it ; fr ; hu ] , published in Uncle Scrooge #7 from September 1954. This homage in the film takes the form of playfully mimicking the removal-of-the-statuette-from-its-pedestal and the falling-stone sequences of the comic book. Raiders of the Lost Ark Raiders of the Lost Ark

2650-444: Is dead. The bar is set ablaze during a scuffle with Gestapo agent Arnold Toht , who arrives to take a medallion from Marion. Toht attempts to recover the medallion from the flames, but only burns its image into his hand. Jones and Marion safely take the medallion and escape. Traveling to Cairo , the pair meet Jones's friend Sallah . Sallah reveals Belloq is assisting the Nazis, who have fashioned an incomplete replica medallion from

2756-632: The Bantu Wind tramp steamer, and Fred Sorenson portrays Jones' pilot Jock. Producer Frank Marshall appears as the Flying Wing pilot. Pat Roach appears as the Nazi who brawls with Jones by the Flying Wing and one of Toht's Nepalese Sherpas . Vic Tablian plays Jones's treacherous Peruvian guide Barranca and the Monkey Man in Cairo. The film features the first theatrical appearance of Alfred Molina as Jones' guide Satipo. Terry Richards portrays

2862-490: The Cairo swordsman shot by Jones. George Lucas conceived Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1973, shortly after finishing the comedy drama American Graffiti (1973). An old movie poster of a heroic character leaping from a horse to a truck reminded Lucas of the early 20th-century serial films he enjoyed as a youth, such as Buck Rogers (1939), Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939), Spy Smasher (1942), and Don Winslow of

2968-615: The Chachapoya in the 1470s. The sarcophagi are of a type particular to the Chachapoya called purunmachus . The construction is painted white and overlaid with details of the body and adornment in yellow ochre and two red pigments, such as the feathered tunics and male genitalia visible on the Carajía purunmachus . Often the solid clay head will boast a second, smaller head atop it. The purunmachus of Carajía are unique because of

3074-462: The James Bond character , were the basis of Jones' own. Lucas wanted Jones to be a kung fu practitioner and a playboy , funding his lifestyle with the spoils of his adventures, but Spielberg and Kasdan felt the character was complicated enough being an adventurer and archaeologist. Spielberg suggested making Jones an avid gambler or an alcoholic, but Lucas wanted Jones to be a role model who

3180-654: The National Museum , believed that hitherto undiscovered Chachapoyan temples had been located and were being plundered. Evidence pointed to one of Jones's competitors, a Princeton archaeologist named Forrestal (another fictional character), who had embarked on an expedition to Peru a year earlier and never returned. With help from the journal of a 19th-century explorer and contacts in South America, Jones follows in Forrestal's footsteps, determined to acquire

3286-476: The Nā Pali Coast State Park to finish the scene. The loosely detailed script led to much improvisation; where the script described three people talking in a room, in the film it took place in a quarry alongside 500 extras. Scenes like a student of Jones's flashing the "Love You" message written across her eyelids and Marion putting on a dress to conceal a weapon were also improvised. Allen believed

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3392-646: The United States , Jones is briefed by two Army Intelligence agents that Nazi German forces are excavating at Tanis , Egypt , and one of their telegrams mentions Jones' former mentor Abner Ravenwood. Jones deduces that the Nazis are seeking the Ark of the Covenant , which Adolf Hitler believes will make their army invincible. The agents recruit Jones to recover the Ark first. At a bar in Nepal , Jones reunites with Abner's daughter Marion , with whom Jones once had an illicit relationship, and learns that Abner

3498-578: The Ark from his hematologist. The Ark provided a source of conflict for the hero and the Nazis , playing off Nazi leader Adolf Hitler 's historical fascination with the occult . Lucas wanted Kaufman to direct the film, but because he was already committed to working on the western The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Lucas paused the idea again and resumed working on Star Wars . In May 1977, Lucas vacationed in Hawaii to avoid any potential negative news about

3604-757: The Ark is later stored, the latter painted by Michael Pangrazio . Spielberg disliked the painting of the China Clipper plane (by Alan Maley ) as he did not think it looked real against the water they had filmed. Jones' attire—a leather jacket and khaki pants—was based on Humphrey Bogart 's in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and Charlton Heston in Secret of the Incas (1954). Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis dumped boxes of hats on

3710-573: The Ark to London aboard a tramp steamer . A German U-boat intercepts the steamer and seizes the Ark and Marion; Jones covertly boards the U-boat. The vessel travels to an island in the Aegean Sea , where Belloq intends to test the power of the Ark before presenting it to Hitler. On the island, Jones ambushes the Nazi group and threatens to destroy the Ark but surrenders after Belloq deduces that Jones would never destroy something so historically significant, also surmising that Jones wants to know if

3816-456: The Ark's power is real. The Nazis restrain Jones and Marion at the testing site as Belloq ceremonially opens the Ark but finds only sand inside. At Jones' instruction, he and Marion close their eyes to avoid looking at the opened Ark, as it releases spirits, flames, and bolts of energy that kill Belloq, Toht, and the assembled Nazis before sealing itself shut. Jones and Marion open their eyes to find

3922-566: The Chachapoya did not build the elaborate trap systems portrayed in the film. However, they were accomplished builders of fortified cities, as sites like the Kuélap settlement show. These structures were characteristically built on high slopes, unlike the temple hidden in heavily jungled lowlands in the film. Their sculptural style was far different from that of the Golden Idol, as shown by the sarcophagi at Carajía . The prologue of Raiders

4028-465: The Crystal Skull (2008), and Dial of Destiny (2023)—a television series , video games , comic books , novels , theme park attractions, and toys. In 1936, American archaeologist Indiana Jones recovers a Golden Idol from a booby-trapped Peruvian temple. Rival archaeologist René Belloq corners him and steals the idol; Jones escapes in a waiting float plane . After returning to

4134-749: The Hovitos after a jungle pursuit, flying away on a waiting seaplane. As related in the Indiana Jones comics , years later, Indy regains the idol from a black market antiquities dealer located in Marrakesh , Morocco (where Jones, in Raiders of the Lost Ark , deduces that Belloq sold it). However, also on the trail for the idol is Xomec, a descendant of the Chachapoyans, and Ilsa Toht, sister of Gestapo agent Arnold Toht . The two want to use

4240-530: The Indiana Jones theme, more commonly known as "The Raiders March" that plays during the main character's heroic scenes. Two separate pieces were played for Spielberg, who wanted to use both. These pieces became the main theme and musical bridge of "The Raiders March". For the romantic theme, Williams took inspiration from older films like the drama Now, Voyager (1942) to create something more emotionally monumental that he felt would contrast well with

4346-469: The Lost Ark and the dark fantasy Dragonslayer (1981). He felt special effects were a financially economical method of delivering a good film; as long as they were emotionally involved in the story, he said audiences would buy into even a poor special effect. Spielberg liked practical effects because he could regularly check the raw footage during filming, rather than waiting months for the completed composite effects . Freeman said he had no idea what

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4452-571: The Lost Ark is considered one of the greatest films ever made and has had a lasting impact on popular culture , spawning a host of imitators across several media and inspiring other filmmakers. The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1999. Raiders of the Lost Ark is the first entry in what became the Indiana Jones franchise , which includes four more films— Temple of Doom (1984), Last Crusade (1989), Kingdom of

4558-655: The Navy (1942). He wanted to make a B movie modeled on those serials and conceived The Adventures of Indiana Smith , featuring a daring archaeologist named after his Alaskan Malamute dog. Around the same time, Lucas was trying to adapt the space opera serial Flash Gordon (1936), but could not obtain the rights. He shelved the Indiana Smith project to focus on creating his own space opera, Star Wars (1977). In 1975, Lucas discussed his serial film idea with his friend Philip Kaufman . The pair worked on

4664-482: The Nazi dig site, and use the medallion and the correctly sized staff of Ra to locate the Well of Souls, the Ark's resting place. They recover the Ark, a golden, intricately decorated chest, but Belloq and the Nazis discover them and seize it. Jones and Marion, whom Belloq has held captive, are sealed inside the well, but the pair escape and Jones captures a truck carrying the Ark. Alongside Marion, Jones arranges to transport

4770-430: The Nazis to the Ark and its power. Lucas conceived Raiders of the Lost Ark in the early 1970s. Seeking to modernize the serial films of the early 20th century, he developed the idea further with Kaufman, who suggested the Ark as the film's goal. Lucas eventually focused on developing his 1977 film Star Wars . Development on Raiders of the Lost Ark resumed that year when he shared the idea with Spielberg, who joined

4876-758: The RSPCA about the perceived poor treatment of the snakes required production to cease while safeguards were added. Reynolds and production artist Ron Cobb created the BV-38 flying wing based on the Horten Ho 229 , the Northrop N-1M and the Vought V-173 . Constructed by the British engineering firm Vickers , it was dismantled and shipped to Tunisia. It was not designed to be flight-worthy, only to serve as

4982-502: The U-boat dock. An original coal-fired tramp steamer boat could not be found for filming, so an Egyptian boat found in an Irish port was decorated appropriately and sailed to France. The production moved to Elstree Studios by June   30. Interiors included the scene featuring an imam deciphering the staff headpiece and the Peruvian temple. There were repeated delays while filming the Well of Souls scene: there were too few snakes,

5088-474: The Well of Souls, the Tanis dig site, and the Cairo marketplace. They contained 1-inch tall figurines to suggest how many extras would be required. Among changes made at this stage, Spielberg abandoned his idea for Toht to have a mechanical arm that could be replaced with a machine gun or flamethrower. Lucas said it put the film into a different genre. Lucas wanted a relatively unknown actor, willing to commit to

5194-475: The World, Part I , the latest James Bond film For Your Eyes Only , and The Great Muppet Caper , were also expected to perform well. Conversely, audience polling by CinemaScore showed little awareness or anticipation for Raiders until nationwide previews a week before its release. The New York Times reported Paramount had provided theater owners with a more beneficial deal than usual to ensure Raiders

5300-400: The air was removed to make the head shrivel. Special effects artist Chris Walas sculpted Lacey's melting face using different colored layers of gelatin placed over a carved, heat-resistant stone skull. Propane heaters were used to melt the gelatin and filmed using a slower-than-normal camera so the effect appears to take place rapidly when played at normal speed. Belloq's head mold contained

5406-825: The area cleared of bodies and their bindings removed. Back in Washington, D.C. , the United States government rewards Jones for securing the Ark. Despite Jones' insistence, the agents state only that the Ark has been moved to an undisclosed location for "top men" to study. In a vast warehouse, the Ark is crated up and stored among countless other crates. Raiders of the Lost Ark also features Wolf Kahler as Nazi officer Colonel Dietrich and Anthony Higgins as Major Gobler, Dietrich's right-hand man. Don Fellows and William Hootkins appear as United States Army Intelligence agents Colonel Musgrove and Major Eaton, respectively. George Harris plays Simon Katanga, captain of

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5512-431: The booby trap and attempts to replace the idol with a bag of sand. His attempt fails when he incorrectly estimates the weight of the idol. After escaping the many traps set by the Chachapoyans including a giant boulder, he finds rival archaeologist Rene Belloq waiting outside with a group of Hovitos, the local natives. Surrounded and outnumbered, Jones is forced to give up the artifact to Belloq. Jones escapes from Belloq and

5618-577: The boulder trap, the monkey in Cairo, Toht burning the medallion's imprint into his hand, and government agents locking the Ark away. Kasdan realized Spielberg and Lucas had several set pieces in mind, but they were looking for someone else to do the hard work of piecing them together. Spielberg hated the name Indiana Smith, believing it would remind audiences of the Steve McQueen character Nevada Smith . All three men agreed to use "Jones" instead. Actors Clint Eastwood and Toshiro Mifune , and

5724-429: The burns on Toht's hand. Nazi soldiers and mercenaries attack Jones, and Marion is seemingly killed, leaving Jones despondent. An imam deciphers the medallion for Jones, revealing that one side bears a warning against disturbing the Ark, and the other bears the complete measurements for the "staff of Ra ", an item used to locate the Ark. Jones and Sallah realize that the Nazis are digging in the wrong location, infiltrate

5830-399: The cave where the sarcophagi are located. This place is located to more than 200 m from the bottom of the gorge . The Sarcophagi of Carajía consists of a group of seven sarcophagi. The eighth one collapsed probably during the earthquake of 1928, disappearing in the abyss. Since the sarcophagi are sideways next to each other, the one which collapsed opened some holes in the contiguous sides of

5936-622: The character John Falstaff . Ronald Lacey was cast as Toht because he reminded Spielberg of actor Peter Lorre . Klaus Kinski was offered the role but chose to appear in the horror film Venom (1981) because it offered more money. Principal photography began on June 23, 1980. Filming took place on location in La Rochelle in France, Tunisia in North Africa, and Hawaii, and on sets at Elstree Studios , England. Elstree

6042-499: The character was as an academic first and an adventurer second. For Jones' love interest Marion, Spielberg wanted someone akin to early 20th-century leading female icons like Irene Dunne , Barbara Stanwyck , and Ann Sheridan , who equaled their male counterparts. Lucas wanted Debra Winger , but she was not interested, and Spielberg wanted his girlfriend Amy Irving , but she was unavailable. They also considered Stephanie Zimbalist , Barbara Hershey and Sean Young . Spielberg

6148-538: The draft as good but too long; Kasdan and Lucas collaborated to trim and refine it. The script was a globe-spanning tale set in the United States, Egypt, Greece, and Nepal. Several elements were cut, including a journey to Shanghai that would lead to a minecart chase and Jones using a gong to shield himself from gunfire, ideas later used in the prequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). To his frustration, much of Kasdan's love story between Jones and Marion

6254-427: The effect. Kasdan scripted detailed montages during the transition between locations, but Spielberg saved money by showing a map and an animated line traveling between destinations. Skulls and rotting bodies made by chief make-up artist Tom Smith filled the Well of Souls catacombs. To get the monkey to perform a Nazi salute , the trainer hit it on the head to make it touch the affected area. When this did not work,

6360-508: The feat. Lucas removed a scene of a man fainting at the sight of Jones and Marion emerging from the Well of Souls because he thought the joke did not fit with the tone of the film. Shots of the Douglas DC-3 Jones and Marion use to fly out of Nepal were repurposed from the adventure film Lost Horizon (1973), and an establishing shot of the streets of Washington, D.C. was taken from The Hindenburg (1975). Spielberg justified

6466-519: The film leading up to its June 12, 1981 release date, especially compared to Superman II . Despite this, Raiders of the Lost Ark became the highest-grossing film of the year , earning approximately $ 354   million worldwide, and played in some theaters for over a year. It was also a critical success, receiving praise for its set pieces, humor, and action. The film was nominated for several awards, and won five Academy Awards , seven Saturn Awards , and one BAFTA , among other accolades. Raiders of

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6572-589: The film's Peruvian opening. The Paramount logo dissolving into a natural mountain was an improvisation by Spielberg based on his own childhood habit of doing the same while making films; the mountain is Kalalea Mountain on the island of Kauaʻi . Though the scene appears to be a single location, it was shot across 10 areas in Hawaii, including the Huleia National Wildlife Refuge . It was originally more elaborate and longer, featuring an added betrayal by one of Jones' guides, resulting in

6678-513: The film's humor and lighter moments. Williams used "dark" orchestral pieces to represent the actions of the Nazis, using the "seventh degree on the scale of the bottom". He said this signified a militaristic evil. To create something suitably biblical for the Ark of the Covenant, he used a mix of chorus and orchestra. The Peruvian temple interiors used in the film were life-sized sets. The giant boulder—made of fiberglass, plaster and wood—was designed to be 65 ft (20 m) wide, but this

6784-400: The film's many sounds. The snake slithering is a mix of Burtt running his hands through cheese casserole and wet sponges being dragged across grip tape; the rolling boulder is a Honda Civic driving down a gravel hill; and the Ark lid opening is the sound of a toilet cistern being opened. The Ark spirits are the cries of sea lions and dolphins filtered through a vocoder . Jones' revolver is

6890-399: The filmmakers hung a grape over its head to encourage it to reach up; it took 50 takes to capture. A partially deaf rat was used for the scene of the ark humming in the hold of the Bantu Wind , giving it a unique and unnatural head movement. Matte paintings were used to create more elaborate backgrounds: these included the establishing shot of Marion's Nepalese bar and the warehouse where

6996-553: The floor for Ford to try on. After picking the right style, she purchased an Australian model she aged with Fuller's earth and mineral oil , and then scrunched beneath a bed. The hat allowed them to create a recognizable image even in silhouette. Designer Ralph McQuarrie was responsible for the Ark decorations. Spielberg wanted a moodier film noir lighting style like in The Informer (1935). In contrast, Slocombe wanted to make things brighter and used backlighting to create

7102-526: The human skulls that sit atop their heads, visible in the photograph. Although the model of burial using coffins of anthropomorphous shape and sarcophagi , was already mentioned in the Mercurio Peruano (1791) as part of the cultural area of Chachapoyas , and it deserved the attention of Louis Langlois (1939) and of the archaeologists Henry and Paule Reichlen (1950), this Chachapoyas 's peculiarity of burying their illustrious deceased

7208-578: The idol to unite Amazonian tribes and disrupt wartime rubber production in South America, as well as lure Jones to his death. The film prop idol was based on the actual Dumbarton Oaks birthing figure in the pre-Columbian collection at Dumbarton Oaks . The artifact is presumed to depict the Aztec goddess Tlazolteotl . Scientific analysis by the Smithsonian, though, shows the Dumbarton figure to be

7314-435: The last part of the scene where Jones flees by plane, the first take ended in near-disaster when the plane crashed from a height of 20 ft (6.1 m) because Ford's dangling leg was blocking the aircraft's right flap. Filming of the Well of Souls scene was delayed initially by a lack of snakes. There were 500–600 snakes to use for close shots and some mechanical snakes for wider shots, but Spielberg wanted more. A request

7420-415: The latter scene focused on her character seducing Belloq, undermining her loyalty and love for Jones. She and Freeman collaborated to develop the idea of Marion getting Belloq drunk instead. Allen, Lacey, Freeman, and Rhys-Davies often spent time together between filming to talk and discuss their characters. Allen described Ford as a private person who would not discuss his character in detail, and it took her

7526-560: The lighting required to achieve this would have shrouded the actors' eyes; he settled for subtler shadings. He also wanted to illuminate the Well of Souls with a lighting effect through the ceiling opening, but once this was sealed it no longer made sense. The flaming torches used in the scene did not provide enough light, so he opted to use an artificial light source. Spielberg noted Allen always looked beautiful in her scenes because Slocombe spent twice as long setting up her lighting as he did Ford's. Sound effects supervisor Ben Burtt recorded

7632-449: The next. This fact allowed scientists to investigate in detail the content of this sarcophagi and to determine the content of the remaining ones. In this way, the remaining ones did not have to be forced and they remain intact. Inside the open sarcophagus, a mummy was found. It sat on an animal skin and was wrapped in mortuary cloths . Ceramics and diverse objects were accompanying the deceased as gifts. The date obtained by radiocarbon

7738-418: The previous year. Over 60 films were scheduled for release—more than the previous year—by studios eager to make the next blockbuster film. This increased competition to attract audiences, mainly those aged 12 to 24, at the most profitable time of the year. The superhero film Superman II was expected to dominate the season, and based on industry experts and audience polling, films including History of

7844-501: The project several months later. While the pair had ideas for set pieces and stunts for the film, they hired Kasdan to fill in the narrative gaps between them. Principal photography began in June 1980 on a $ 20   million budget, and concluded that September. Filming took place on sets at Elstree Studios , England, and on location mainly in La Rochelle , France, Tunisia, and Hawaii. Pre-release polling showed little audience interest in

7950-468: The project was offered to Paramount Pictures , president Michael Eisner compromised with Lucas, accepting his deal in exchange for exclusive rights to any sequels and severe penalties for exceeding the schedule or budget. Lucas reportedly negotiated a salary between $ 1   million and $ 4   million plus a share of the gross profits, though a separate report stated he received only net profits. Spielberg received up to $ 1.5   million as director and

8056-494: The real prize: a golden representation of the Chachapoyan goddess of fertility and childbirth, said to be secreted in the heart of the Temple of Warriors. While penetrating the Temple of Warriors, Jones finds Forrestal's remains impaled on the wooden spikes of a booby trap. The golden idol was placed upon an ancient Chachapoyan altar. It's exact weight precisely holds an ancient self-destruct mechanism in place. Jones knows of

8162-412: The sarcophagus has received sculptural treatment, and the face is the result of copying in clay funeral masks that were originally done in a wooden table, cut away in a half moon shape to represent the jaw. The projecting jaw that the sarcophagi present has to be made by having reproduced in clay the flat funeral masks worked in the base of a wooden table. Apparently the faces of the monoliths of Recuay ,

8268-506: The script represented, equaling approximately 6,000 images. This helped Spielberg pre-visualize scenes and limit the time taken to set up shots. The script described the opening of the ark only as "all hell breaks loose", and the artists were tasked with envisioning what should happen. Each offered different aspects: spirits, flames, and weird light effects; Johnston was tasked with combining all three. Spielberg also had miniature sets of larger scenes built to plan layouts and lighting, including

8374-556: The show on hiatus for three months, which would have allowed Selleck to star as Jones. Spielberg said Ford was perfect for the role after seeing him in The Empire Strikes Back ; Kanzanjian said Ford had always been considered but not cast because he was already a well-known actor. Lucas was concerned about seeming reliant on Ford by casting him in another film after Star Wars , and he also did not think he would commit to three films. However, Ford thought it would be

8480-453: The snakes were legless lizards . The stage doors were kept open during filming for quick access to a waiting ambulance. Spielberg recounted that Allen was so scared she could not scream on cue. He dropped a dead serpent on her to elicit a genuine reaction. Allen said she got used to the creatures after 3–4 days. Animal handler Steve Edge donned a dress and shaved his legs to stand in for Allen at specific points. Vivian Kubrick's complaint to

8586-407: The sound of a Winchester rifle firing, while his whip-crack was made by recording Ford using the whip. By the summer of 1981 (June–September), the film industry had been in decline for over a year. This was the result of few box office successes, rising film production costs, diminishing audiences, and increasing ticket prices. The season was predicted to be down 10% or $ 250   million against

8692-431: The studio to provide the budget, have no creative input and allow him to retain control of the licensing rights and any sequels. The studios considered this deal unacceptable. They were also hesitant because Spielberg had delivered a succession of films over-schedule and over-budget; his recent effort, 1941 , was both over-budget and a critical failure. However, Lucas refused to do the project without Spielberg. When

8798-568: The theatrical debut of Star Wars . He invited Steven Spielberg to join him and his wife. On a beach near the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel , Lucas and Spielberg discussed their next projects. Spielberg wanted to direct a James Bond film , but Lucas pitched him The Adventures of Indiana Smith . Lucas still hoped Kaufman would direct it, but a few months later it was clear he could not participate and Lucas asked Spielberg to replace him. Lawrence Kasdan , Spielberg's recent discovery,

8904-496: The tight schedule, Spielberg said he "...didn't do 30 or 40 takes; usually only four... Had I had more time and money, it would have turned out a pretentious movie." Filming began in La Rochelle, depicting the capture of the Bantu Wind by a Nazi U-boat. Watts borrowed a submarine from the war film Das Boot (1981) on condition it not be taken into deep waters. World War II German U-boat pens in La Rochelle represented

9010-409: The truck chase. Spielberg had not used a second director before but agreed to it as the scene would take a long time to film being set in multiple locations. Moore completed wider shots where stuntmen stood in for Ford. He closely followed Spielberg's storyboarding but innovated a few shots Spielberg considered improvements. Stuntman Glenn Randall suggested the scene of Jones traversing the underside of

9116-431: The truck. Ford sat in a concealed bicycle seat attached to the truck underside when clinging to its front. One of the convoy cars going over a cliff was a combination of matte painting background and stop motion animation of miniature figures falling out of the car. Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) handled the film's special effects, under the supervision of Richard Edlund. The team worked on both Raiders of

9222-409: The use of stock footage as cost-effective, and reasoned that only sharp-eyed viewers would notice. Special effects supervisor Richard Edlund claimed that the street scene was done with miniatures. John Williams composed the score for Raiders of the Lost Ark . He said the music did not have to be serious for the film and was instead theatrical and excessive. Williams spent a few weeks working on

9328-453: Was 1460 AC +60. Rodents and birds of prey had disturbed the burial , after the holes had appeared in the sarcophagus. The sarcophagus was emptied by scientists to preserve the mummy and its belongings. The sarcophagi are shaped into big anthropomorphous capsules, made of clay and mixed with sticks and stones . Only the head and part of the chest are compact. Both body and head are decorated by red painting of two tones, applied over

9434-501: Was almost completely forgotten. The Antisuyo Expedition /84 located, at Carajía , the most amazing group of sarcophagi known till then, thanks to references provided by Carlos Torres Mas and Marino Torrejón . It was remaining completely unpublished and still untouched. Thanks to the support given by members of the Club Andino Peruano , the archaeologists were able to climb 24 m of rocky vertical wall and gain access to

9540-480: Was approached to portray Sallah, described as a skinny, 5 ft (1.5 m) tall Egyptian like Gunga Din in Gunga Din (1939). DeVito could not participate because of scheduling conflicts with his sitcom Taxi and because his agent wanted too much money. Rhys-Davies was cast based on his performance in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun . Spielberg asked him to play the character as a mix of his Shōgun role and

9646-491: Was aware of Karen Allen from her performance in Animal House (1978), portraying an independent female character, and she impressed him with her professionalism during auditions for Raiders . One of the first things Spielberg asked Allen was "how well do you spit?". Allen developed a backstory for Marion that included her mother's death and her relationship with Jones when she was 15–16, but Spielberg said it belonged in

9752-408: Was chosen because it was well-staffed with artists and technicians who had worked on Star Wars . On-location shooting cost around $ 100,000 a day in addition to crew salaries; sets cost an additional $ 4   million. The production could afford certain equipment only for a limited time, including a Panaglide camera stabilizer for smoother shots, and a camera crane for higher angles. To maintain

9858-494: Was chosen to write the script. Kasdan had been working as a professional screenwriter for only a month but Lucas agreed to hire him after reading his script for Continental Divide (1981). In January 1978, Lucas, Kasdan, and Spielberg spent about nine hours a day over three to five days at Lucas' assistant's house in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles , developing Lucas' outline. Several ideas came from these discussions, including

9964-419: Was contractually obligated to filming the television series Magnum, P.I. if it were to be made into a full series. Lucas and Spielberg asked the show's network, CBS , to release him ten days early from his contract. Realizing Selleck was in demand, CBS greenlit Magnum P.I. , forcing him to drop out and leaving the production with no lead actor only weeks before filming. The 1980 actors strike later put

10070-411: Was filmed in the city of Kairouan . A day of filming was lost there because over 300 TV antennas had to be removed from the surrounding houses. Budget constraints affected Spielberg's desire to have 2,000 extras as diggers; he had to settle for 600. Stuntman Terry Richards, who portrayed the swordsman nonchalantly dispatched by Jones, spent weeks practicing sword skills for an extended fight scene. Ford

10176-401: Was happening when he opened the Ark. He was told to imagine something coming towards him and to scream. Special effects artist Steve Gawley created the Ark's spirits by suspending small robed puppets in a clouded water tank in front of a blue screen . They were shaken to create a natural movement that was composited into the live footage. A Lucasfilm receptionist, dressed in a long white robe,

10282-423: Was happy with this edit, but later asked if he could shorten the ending. He and Kahn collaborated on the edit; Spielberg said he was happy with their changes. The final cut of the film runs for 115   minutes. Marcia Lucas opined there was no emotional closure for Jones and Marion because she was absent following the closure of the Ark. Marcia is not credited in the film, but her suggestion led Spielberg to shoot

10388-416: Was made to snake handlers from around London and Europe who produced between 6,000 and 10,000 snakes in a few days. Afterward, they struggled to obtain anti-venom; with local supplies having expired, it had to be imported from India. Many of the snakes were harmless grass snakes or non-venomous pythons , but the cobras were positioned behind plexiglas to protect the cast and crew. Also present among

10494-668: Was modeled is carved of greenstone , attributed to the Aztec culture, and is currently on exhibit at the Dumbarton Oaks collections in Washington, D.C. It was sought in 1936, in the Peruvian Amazon jungle , by archaeologist/treasure hunter Indiana Jones . Jones had heard of the idol when a score of golden purportedly Chachapoyan figurines began to appear on the antiquities market. Jones and Marcus Brody , curator of

10600-444: Was reduced to 22 ft (6.7 m), with the resulting prop weighing 300 lb (140 kg). Spielberg liked the effect and had its ramp extended to give it more screen time. The boulder was controlled by a steel rod concealed in the wall by rubber rock outcroppings. Ford performed the stunt ten times for the different camera angles. Spielberg said he was an idiot for letting Ford do it, but it would not have looked as good with

10706-598: Was screened in the best theaters and locations. Sarcophagi of Caraj%C3%ADa The Sarcophagi of Carajía ( Spanish : Sarcófagos de Carajía , or Karajía ) are unusually large pre-Inca Chachapoyas culture sarcophagi at the archaeological site of Carajía in the Utcubamba Valley , located 18 km northwest of the city of Chachapoyas, Peru in Luya Province , Amazonas Region . The site contains eight Chachapoyan mummies located on

10812-492: Was stopped. It took 40 crew members to move it off of him. He avoided injury through a combination of the extreme Tunisian heat making the tire soft and the ground being covered in sand. Dysentery had left the production with a lack of stuntmen, and Spielberg had Marshall stand in as the flying wing pilot. The three-day shoot was one of Spielberg's more difficult scenes to film, and he was reported saying he wanted to go home. Second unit director Michael D. Moore filmed most of

10918-460: Was suspended in the air in front of a blue screen for the close-up of the ghost. She was filmed moving away from the camera and the footage was reversed to create an inhuman movement. Her visage was composited with a skeletal model for the monstrous transformation. Freeman, Lacey, and Kahler's death scenes were created using different models. A mold was made of Kahler's face; it was lined with bladders filled with air. Controlled by up to ten people,

11024-414: Was trimmed, as were scenes showing the mutual attraction between Marion and Belloq. The screenplay was completed by December 1979. Lucas wanted to fund Raiders of the Lost Ark himself, but lacked the money. Lucasfilm offered the project to several Hollywood studios. They rejected it, in part because of the proposed $ 20   million budget, but also because of the deal Lucas offered. He wanted

11130-638: Was unable to perform for long periods while suffering from dysentery, and it was decided to shorten the fight scene significantly. The Sidi Bouhlel canyon near the city of Tozeur is where a rocket launcher-equipped Jones confronts the Nazis for the Ark. Lucas had used the canyon in Star Wars to portray the planet Tatooine . During the scene, a fly crawled onto Freeman's lip during his dialogue, but he continued to deliver his lines. Although it appeared to be eaten, Freeman clarified it flew away. In late September, filming moved to Hawaii for exterior shots for

11236-422: Was used to portray Egypt. Spielberg described this phase as one of his worst filming experiences: the temperature was often over 130 °F (54 °C), and over 150 crew members became sick with amoebic dysentery from the local food. Spielberg was one of the few to remain healthy because he ate food and water he brought from England. Lucas also suffered a severe sunburn and facial swelling. The Cairo village

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