Can you Believe that it's been 20 Years Since We Last Saw Indy?! Man! That Was a Great Movie, Along With Temple of Doom & Last Crusade! I Remember Watching "Raiders" When It Came out on Cable, I Laughed at the Funny Parts, and Screamed At the Scary Parts, & I even Rooted For Indy to win (I bet I'm Not the only One either?).
Now There's Rummors of an Indy 4 in the Works! I don't know if Those Are True (Though I hope they are), I'm not getting all Hyped up About it, yet. Cuzz I know if I do Indy 4'll Never happen and I'll be Sorry that I was hoping to much for an Indy 4. Although Harrison Ford Would Love to do another Indy Flick Again.
There WILL Be An Indiana Jones 4! Wooohoo! Paramount Has Given the Green Light To Steven & George So They Can Make an Indy 4! YAYYYYYYYY!
Now I'm hopping they'll Release The Indiana Jones Trilogies on DVD!
"Raiders" Trivia:
Did You Know?: Spielberg originally hired Tom Selleck for Indy role but CBS wouldn't give Selleck any time off from his show: Magnum PI
Did You Know?: the idea for 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' came up while Steven Spielberg and George Lucus were making a sandcastle in Maui, on vacation together. Spielberg wanted to make a James Bond style movie, and Lucus wanted to make a homage to Saturday matinee serials, so they decided to combine both concepts and came up with Indiana Jones.
Did You Know?: Spielberg and Lucus came up with an precedent setting deal to make Raiders, that scared off all the major movie studios except for Paramount. This deal would both make them multi-millionaires regardless of how Raiders did at the box office. Did you know that the two of them agreed to a handshake deal while on the beach, that if Raiders made a lot of money, they would make two more sequels.
For The Observant & Informed Fans Out There, Here's a Handful of Moments From "Raiders" That are Worth Catching on your Second-Or Your Twenty-Second-Viewing.
Contunuity on a film is particularly challenging. Consider Indy And Satipo as They enter the Ancient Temple in search of the Idol at the beginning of the film: Tarantulas clearly appear on Harrison Ford's shoulders as he parts the cobwebs, only to disappear as the angle changes to show his back. Furthermore, when belloq takes the idol from indy a few minute later, thick cobwebs hang from it as he raises it over his head to show the Hovitos warriors-but when the angle shifts to focus on the idol, the cobwebs are gone.
Indy races to the waco plans just a head of the Hovitos, note the Planes ID Number: OB-CPO. An Homage to Two Famous "Star Wars" Characters.
Indy's shooting of the Arab swordsman in the Cairo Marketplace was Not the original Plan. The Carefully choreagraphed fight was tossed out when Ford, ssuffering from a bout of dysentery and eager to avoid to much physical strain, suggested to the director Spielberg a quicker way to resolve the scene. "Why Don't We Just Shoot Him?" He Suggested. Equally Creative were two other Ford Ad-Libs that remained in the final film, The Lines "I'm Making This Up as I Go" And "It's Not The Years, Honey. It's The Mileage."
When The truck Supoosedly Carring Marion in a basket begins to tip over before exploding, watch carefully for a glimpse of the upright telephone pole beneath the truck that was spring-loaded to tip the vechicle over.
As Indy first drops into the well of souls only to confront an angry cobra, hood flared, keep an eye out for a second cobra-the first one's reflection off the glass between it and Harrison Ford.
Provided your screen is large enough, you might catch a glimpse of an unusual hieroglyphic on the wall behind Indy And Sallah as they Lift the Ark from its resting place in the wall of Souls: R2-D2 and C-3PO are featured among the other more traditional Egyption Images.
When Indy slides beneath the truck carrying the ark, you can see a small trench dug into the road. Stuntman Terry Leonard Didn't Feel there would be enough clearance beneath the truck without it. That is, however, Harrison Ford being dragged along behind the truck at a fairly healthy speed. As he said before shooting the stunt, "I'm Sure it's not dangerous. See, if it was dangerous, they would have waited until we got more of the movie done before they shot it. I still have several talking things to do yet. I think They're pretty sure my mouth will survive."
Yes, a fly crawls into Belloq's mouth as he confronts Indy en route to opening the Ark near th film's end. That's the Easy fly to spray. For More of a challenge, watch for the one that crawls across Harrison Ford's Nose when Indy Discovers Marion, Alive but tied up, in a tent at the Tanis Dig Site.
When Th Rats scramble from the pulsating Ark as it rests in the hold of katanga's ship Bantu wind, the camera focuses in particular on one rat as it's head turns in confused circles. This was not a planned Effect-The Rat in question had belonged to animal trainer Mike Culling since it was a baby and an equilibrium problems that made it behave that way. Spielberg thought it was so appropriate that he kept it in the film.
A film is rarely, if ever, shot in order. Raiders is No Exception: The First Scene Shot was the Exterior Scenes of Indy Climing aboard the German Submarine. The last was as Indy swings out into the river and boards Jock's Plane near the film' beginning. The Plane Actually crashed during one take-off with Harrison Ford aboard. Fortunately, No One was hurt, and the Plane wasn't damaged. Of course, they had to shoot the scene again. Harrison Endured an equally dangerous moment erlier in shooting when the flying wing, in the midst of Indy's fight with the German mechanic, began to roll over Ford's Leg. Once Again, Ford survived to Countinue with his "Talking" Bits!
Places Where "Raiders of the Lost Ark" Was Filmed:
La Rochelle, France:
The First scenes Shot were those of Indy Boarding the Nazi Submarine "Wurffler", which had been built for a German studi's film that was ultimately cancelled. (One Frenchman, happily surprised to meet Steven Spielberg arriving in La Rochelle, Identified the Director as the Man Behind "Jaws of the Third Kind!")
Tozeur, Tunisia
Fans of George Lucas's other hit Film Would Recognize one of the tunision desrt sites right away. The settings for the Tanis dig, The Flying Wing (The Nazi airplane). And the truck chase might not stand out, but the procession-when Belloq leads the nazis to the place where he plans to open the Ark-should be familiar: It's the same canyon where Luke Skywalker meets Obi-wan Kenobi in "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope"
Kairouan, Tunisia
The City of Kairouan stood in quite well as Ciro of the 1930's... With one small Exception. So That Indy, Marion, And Sallah could view the City from the Balcony of Salla's house, nearly 300 TV Antennas around Kairouan had to come down to make the city appear historically accurate.
Kaauai, U.S.A.
This is Easiest location for Indy Fans to see with their own eyes, and it's one of the best. The Opening shot of the Film-The Paramount logo fading into a "South American" Mountain-was filmed on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The mountain, part of the Anahola Mountains, is called Kalalea Ridge, or King Kong Mountain (You can see the shape of the great ape's profile along one edge of the mountain). You can catch a brief glimpse of the same mountain in another Harrison Ford Film, "Six Days Seven Nights" as Anne Heche Prepares to Board Ford's Plane. (The River scene (In which Indy jumps into the river to escape the Hovitos) was filmed in Kauai as well, along the Hul'ia River. (The Spot where Indy swings on the vine is the best seen from the Menehune lookout, a fishpond accessible to tourists.)
"Temple of Doom" Trivia:
Did You Know?: Sharon Stone Was Considered for the role of Whillie Scott, but Kate Capshaw's ssmile won Director Spielberg over. Still, Capshaw had to meet at least one condition to get the role: To differentiate Willie Scott from Marion Ravenwood, Indy's Love interest from "Raiders Of the Lost Ark", Kate Had to bleach her Normally Brown Hair.
Did You Know?: Indy And Willi Escape From "Club Obi Wan" In Shanghai.
Did You Know?: Dan Aykroyd Was In "Temple of Doom", He Played Weber, The Official who meets Indy and Company at the Airport. Also Look For Lucas and Spielberg disguised as Misssionaries in the Background. Producer Frank Marshall Makes a Quick Cameo as a Coolie Pulling a Rickshaw.
Did You Know?: Harrison Ford suffered some serious back injures after spinding so much time on the backs of elephants during the shooting. "You're Being streched first in one direction and then in another. It's as if your legs are being pulled apart--like being stretched on a medieval rack, I imagine" He explained. His Ruptured Spinal disc kept him out of action for six weeks, though spielberg did everything he could to shoot around the actor.
Did You Know?: The Python that Willie Mistakes For an elephant's trunk was brought to Sri Lanka For shooting by animal Handler Mike Culling, but it and it's companion weren't very welcome in the country. So the snakes were checked into the local hotel as Mr. And Mrs. Longfellow. The Owl from the same scene, Oscar, was according to Producer Robert Watts, "The Best animal I ever worked with... better then a lot of humans."
Did You Know?: The Palace of Pankot is actually a Matte painting by ILM.
Did You Know?: As an elaborate practical Joke, While Ford was chained up by the Thuggee Guards, Barbra Streisand came onto the set in a leather outfit complete with a whip that she proceeded to use on Ford. "That's for 'Hanover Street'--The Worst Movie I Ever Saw!" She Shouted. Suddenly, Carrie Fisher rushed onto the set to defend Ford from the Pop Diva. To cap it all of, director Irvin Kershner ("The Empire Strikes Back") Joined this mad ensemble, "Criticizing" Spielberg for his disorganized Movie Set.
Did You Know?: The Monkey Brans Served for dinner at the Palace aren't real, of course--they're made of Whipped Cream And Food Coloring.
Did you Know?: The Suspension Bridge was a combination of Close-up shots on bridges in Sri Lanka and at Elstree Studios and a 250-foot-high bridge on which Harrison Actually Performed. When The Bridge Was Cut--And They only had one take--airpowered, pneumatic dummies were placed on the bridge to fall into the chassm below. The air cylinders in them gave them life-like movements during the shoot. Spielberg, who is afraaid of heights, had to drive a mile-and-a-half around the chassm to get from one side to the other for shooting.
Did You Know?: With it's Alarming moments of beating hearts torn from human victims and the enslavement and beating of small childeren, the film was directly responsible for the MPAA Introducing a new rating, PG-13, for which Spielberg was a Vocal Advocate. But as he noted at the Time when Critics complained that the movie was to dark, "The Film isn't Called 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Roses'..."
Characters Name Trivia:
Did You Know?: The Name "Indiana" was actually the name of Lucas's Malamute.
Did You Know?: "Marion" was Named after Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan's Wife's Grandmother.
Did You Know?: The Idol actually has a name: It's the fertility Idol for the Chachapaayan Warriors. (And a good long look will prove it's a Fertility Idol.)
Did You Know?: Barranca, the peruvian guide who plans to shoot Indy at the beginning of the film, and the Monkey Man (The Monky's owner in Cairo) actually share a Name: Actor Vic Tablian played both of them. The Monkey Man's Eyepatch Makes all the Difference.
Did You Know?: Some Secondary characters were still given full names, According to the Novelization and the script. Katanga, the captain of the ship "bantu wind," for instance, is actually Simon Katanga. Jock, Indy's Pilot in the beginning of the film, is Jock Lindsey. And Trusty Sidekick Sallah's Full Name is Salla Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir.
Did You Know?: The Actor who plays the german pilot aboard the flying wing has a recognizable name: Frank Marshall, one of 'Raiders' Executive producers. He looked "German Enough" To Fill in when Spielberg began running out of extras.
Did You Know?: The actual name of the Monkey used in the Cairo Scenes is Snuff (He was Reportedly more difficult to work with than anyother actor). But as Paul Freeman (Belloq) once said, "Any film with a monkey giving a Nazi Salute in it can't be all bad."
Did You Know?: The Old Astrologer who translates the text on the headpiece to the staff of Ra is Named Imam; his young assistant, who brings the dates, is named Abu.
Did You Know?: Indy Teaches at Marshall College (Which became Barnett College by the third film) somewhere in Connecticut, and, accourding to the novel, was almost married once to a woman named Rita.
If you Ever make it to the big Island in Hawaii, the name "Mauna Kea Beach Hotel" Figures large in Indy Lore-- it's where lucas first told spielberg his idea about the character back in 1977.
"Last Crusade" Trivia:
Did You Know?: That Steven Orignaly Wanted Danny DeVito to play Sallah, Instead of John Rhys-Davis).
Did You Know?: Sean Conery was only twelve years older then Ford at the time of When "Crusades" Was Being Filmed. "My first reaction was, 'He's not old enough," Ford said. "Then I forgot--I'm too old." In the Minds of Indy's Creators Lucas and Spielberg, James Bond was the spiritual Father of Indiana Jones. Though They were worried that Ford and Connery might end up in a clash of star Egos, those fears were soon put to rest. Early on, the pair established something of a mutal admiration society, and Connery even brought some levity to the set by frequently walking around on Hot days without pants, wearing his boxers, bow tie, and tweed hat. (Now that Would Be a "Kodak Moment" if I was There to See it!)
Did You Know?: Though Lucas Began with the grail, he briefly toyed with the idea of a chinese legend that he'd adapted to involve the Monkey King of Africa. Chris Columbus even did a Script, though it didn't really work for either Lucas or Spielberg.
Did You Know?: Steven Made 'Last Crusade' For two Reasons: Because he had promised George that he would and "To apologize for the second one." (His commitment to George forced him to pass on directing both "Big" and "Rain Man".) Harrison Said simply that the film "Outfoxes the sequel syndrome."
The Late River Phoenix, who played Young Indy Circa 1912 in the film's opening, had some experience walking in the footsteps of Harrison Ford-- He'd Played Ford's Son in the Film "The Mosquito Coast" Three Years Earlier.
Like the Two Films Before it, 'Last Crusade" employs vermin as a means of terrorizing the audience in what Lucas Calls the films' "Phobia" scenes. Harrison Shrugged off the scene with a thousand mechanical rats and six thousand live ones; he'd handled lab rats as a teenager, so they didnt bother him much. "Bugs, Snakes, Rats, It's all the same to Me," He said. "It's just another day in the office." He did concede, however, that the "Smell got to be a little weird after a while."
Did You Know?: Ford did many of his own stunts--again--including the dangerous scene in which Indy hangs from the turret of a German Tank as it plows into the walls of a gorge. In Fact, he was so presistent in his desire to do his own stunts that Vic Armstrong, Ford's Stand-in, drew him aside and lied to him by telling the actor "That if he did stunts he would do me out of money. Harrison was horrified and said, 'Sorry, Vic. I just didn't Realize. Of Course, I'll Shut up."
Did You Know?: The amazing "Ride into the sunset" shot at the end of the movie was shot in Amarillo, Texas, Literally at the eleventh-hour of filming, aand the clouds on the horizon added the perfect unexpected touch.
Tip: Watch Carefully the scene in which Indy confronts the butler in the Secret Nazi Castle. The Butler's Line "If you are a Scottish Lord, then I am Mickey Mouse!" Was dubbed from it's original, when the butler refers to himself as "Jesse Owens," The Famous Olympic Runner.
Karen Allen
(Marion Ravenwood)
Has been Pretty Busy lately. She's Starred in "In The Bedroom" Co-Starring Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, and Marisa Tomei. And in "World Traveler" Co-Starring Billy Crudup ("Almost Famous") and Julianne Moore ("The Lost World: Jurassic Park" & "Hannibal"). She was also in "Briar Patch" Co-Starring Henry Thomas ("E.T."), Dominique Swain ("Face/Off"), and Zooey Deschanel ("Almost Famous"). Watch out for Karen in a "Showtime Original Pictures For All Ages" Production Entitled "Annus Morribilis," Directed by and Starring Eric Stolz.
Paul Freeman
(Belloq)
Has done quite a bit of TV Work since 'Raiders' He was in 1999's "The Devil's Arithmetic," Co-Starring with Kristen Dunst. He's Currently working as the lead in "Morlang," A psychological Dramaa about an artist seemingly haunted by his lete wife as he finds new love and new artistic success.
Ronald Lacey (Taht. aka The guy with part of The Medalion Burned into the palm of his hand)
Wasnt in alot of Movies Other Then 'Raiders' Although he did do another movie called "Landslide" it co-stared Anthony Edwards (Before "ER") It was Released in 1992, though Ronald Never got to see the movie in person, He Died in May of 1991. (Unknown Cause)
John Rhys-Davies
(Sallah)
You may Remember him as Professor Maximillian P. Arturo on the Hit TV Show "Sliders", He also provided voices for such well-known animated features as "Aladdin and the King of Thieves" And "Cats Don't Dance." But his next major roles are a comination of the two: first, he will appear as Gimli in the first film of Director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy, "Fellowship of the Ring." Then, for the subsequent two films, he will provide the voice of the character Treebeard. With the anticipated success of the Trilogy. John is Guaranted to retain his place in the spotlight.
Denolm Elliott
(Marcus Brody)
Besides Playig Marcus Brody in two of the three indy Movies, Denolm appeared in over 100 other films during his 43 year career. He last apppeared in Peter Bogdanovich's comedy "Noises Off!" (Produced by Frank Marshall) across from Carol Burnett and Michael Caine. He appeared briefly in the epilogue of "And the Band Played on," The HBO film charing the discovery of AIDS. Sadly That would be the Last time We'd See Denolm Elliott Again, He Died of that Same Virus in October of 1992. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.
Terry Richards
(The Arab Swordsman that Indy Shoots instead of Fight)
Has done more then just laugh threateningly and crumble on cue. For acting performances, look for Terry as Ginger in the 1983 Tom Selleck filmb "High Road To China" or with the late Ronald Lacey (Taht) in 1985's "Red Sonja." Most of his work, however, has been as a stuntman in such films as "Tomarrow Never Dies", "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", And Even George Lucas's "Willow." With Out the Massive sword, however, you may have a hard time recognizing him.
NOTE: "Indiana Jones" Characters & Pix, Along with what you see here Is Not Owned By Me (Though it would be cool if I owned Indy.) It is owned by Mr. George Lucas & Mr. Steven Spielberg & Paramount Pictures. Copyright 2001.
The Info That You've just Read is From The July/August 2001, Issue #: 54 of "Star Wars Insider" It's the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" 20th Anniversary Issue. (Along with the Magazine Cover above, if you havent guessed by now?)
BTW: I'm Not Doing this For the "Fortune And Glory" I'm Only Doing this to Show How Much I Love These three Movies. Don't bother Sueing me, It's not worth your time. Unless you Don't Mind Paying for My Late & Over Due "People" Magazine, "Entertainment Weekly" Magazine, "Star Trek Communicator" Magazine, "Star Wars Insider" Magazine, Columbia House Video Library, "The X-Files Offical Fan Club" Magazine Bills?...
I Didn't Think So. *G*
This Page Was Made In Memory Of River Pheonix, Who Played The Young Indiana Jones In "Indiana Jones: And the Last Crusade"
May He Rest In Peace
Rest In Peace, Mr River Phoenix
Also it's Dedicated to Angella Bush My Best Friend who Was Not Only The Biggest Star Wars Fan I've Ever had The Pleasure of Meeting But Also An Indiana Jones Fan Like Myself.
If you Find anymore Info on Indy or if you'd like to comment on/or about this page Then Let Me
Know!!
"Okie Dokie Indy! Hold On To Your Potatos!"
