Raiders of the Lost Ark continues to provide a template for action and adventure movies forty years after its release, with its cultural impact felt throughout the modern cinematic landscape. Raiders of the Lost Ark is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and Digital.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is not only one of the best action and adventure movies ever made, but also one of the most culturally significant, with a place in cinema history that is both genre-defining and immortal. Raiders of the Lost Ark helped define my childhood alongside Star Wars, James Bond and Superman.
At age twelve, I begged my mum and dad to buy me a leather jacket like Indy’s, and I longed to own a battered, worn fedora. Indiana Jones introduced me to the wonders of history and the mythic tales of long-lost artefacts and religious icons; he encouraged me to be brave in exploring new places and ideas, and never stop seeking answers to the unknown. Indiana Jones was my hero, teacher, and guide for many years, and as I grew older, my love for the film series only deepened. Even now, Indiana Jones transports me back to my childhood, evoking a sense of wonder and adventure; of the Indiana Jones films Spielberg and Lucas gave us, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains the best.
In 1973, George Lucas pondered two possible stories as he worked alongside his film school friends, including Coppola, Scorsese, De Palma, and Spielberg. Both stories had lived in his imagination since his teens, and both drew on the matinee serials he enjoyed as a child.
The first drew inspiration from Flash Gordon and Japanese mythology, expanding them into a sweeping space opera of rebellion, religion, and empire. In contrast, the second followed an archaeologist who travelled the world uncovering long-lost artefacts. Following the completion and critical success of American Graffiti, the space opera ‘Star Wars‘ would ultimately prevail. But that didn’t mean the archaeologist was consigned to the shelf. Lucas continued to develop the idea, building the story under the character name Indiana Smith.
Lucas had agreed to a film partnership with Steven Spielberg in 1977, selling his friend on the idea of an archaeologist, a mythical ark, and a group of evil Nazi treasure hunters. Before ‘Star Wars,’ the pair had all but agreed to create the movie, with Spielberg directing and Lucas producing. However, both men were unaware at that time that their careers were about to hit the ‘big time’, and due to work, it wasn’t until much later that Spielberg and Lucas would find the time to build upon the initial idea with the help of the screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan.
With the screenplay complete, nearly every major studio turned down Raiders of the Lost Ark because of doubts about the proposed $20 million budget. That is, all but one, Paramount Pictures’ President Michael Eisner saw the potential but demanded rights to any sequels. Lucas agreed on the condition that any sequel Paramount wanted would have to be attached to Lucasfilm, and with that, Raiders got the green light.
Spielberg quickly suggested Harrison Ford when casting choices emerged, but Lucas was far less convinced, worried Ford would become associated with the new Lucasfilm as the go-to hero. After multiple screen tests, Lucas and Spielberg chose Tom Selleck; however, Magnum P.I.’s filming schedule and his contract ultimately blocked Selleck’s casting, and Harrison stepped in with boyish charm, a cheeky smile, and a truckload of charisma.
Raiders of the Lost Ark was a quick, dirty shoot that lasted just 12 weeks to keep the budget in check. To do this, Spielberg requested over 6,000 storyboard images, each showing how the film would look on the big screen, along with large-scale models of all major exterior sets, so he could plan each shot before leaving the studio. The result was a pressured but smooth twelve-week shoot that stayed on schedule and surprisingly under budget, despite a few accidents and crew sickness.
The legendary British director of photography Douglas Slocombe (The Italian Job, The Lavender Hill Mob) brought Norman Reynolds’ (Star Wars, Empire of the Sun) intricate Elstree sets to life in glorious colour and rich detail, while John Williams’ sublime and energetic score became one of the most recognised film scores ever.
Raiders of the Lost Ark opened in US cinemas on June 12th 1981, earning $8,305,823 on its first weekend. However, that figure rose to $389,925,971 by the end of its global run. With a worldwide theatrical run that earned it a top spot on the box office charts for 1980, Raiders went on to win five Oscars and one BAFTA, cementing four sequels from 1984 to 2023 alongside The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles on TV.
Raiders of the Lost Ark continues to provide a template for action and adventure movies forty years after its release, with its cultural impact felt throughout the modern cinematic landscape. It remains unique, enthralling, and electrifying—a whip-cracking masterpiece and a testament to the creative genius of Lucas and Spielberg. It’s an adventure that everyone can enjoy, regardless of age. Do I still wish I were Indiana Jones forty years on? Hell yeah!
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Ronald Lacey, Alfred Molina
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