Saturday, September 8, 2012

Raiders of the Lost Ark



Runtime: 115 minutes

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies

From: Paramount

Here is a movie I've been able to see on VHS, DVD, and even on the big screen around this time in '08 at AMC Theatres at Universal Studios, but now I've been able to see it digitally on an IMAX screen; sure, it's digital so that's why it's only at the faux-IMAX screens that they have instead of the legit huge IMAX screens out there. Still, it was an opportunity I wasn't going to pass up. Also, AMC Theatres is doing a deal where they're showing all 4 Indy movies in a marathon and I'll be checking that out; by the end of the month you'll get my take on all of those motion pictures.

You should already know the plot by now, as I presume most have already seen it: Indiana Jones is a famous dude in the field of archaeology who you see in the beginning go through a whole lot to get a priceless artifact, when rival Belloq (Freeman) literally steals it from him. You then see him at a random college as a professor, when he is told of plans of the Nazi's looking for the Ark of the Covenant in Egypt, in order to try and use its reputed powers for evil. Dr. Jones has to go to Egypt to find it for himself, but not before going to Nepal and running into the daughter of a former mentor (and also an ex-lover) known as Marion (Allen).

Yes, the movie is still awesome 31 years later. There's no shortage of excitement between all the action, drama, humor, and all the rest. The almost 2 hours just fly by, and they always have all the times I've seen it. The plot is simple yet effective, and that is good as with this movie that is a nod to all the adventure films of old, why make it complicated? All the actors are great, from Ford and Allen and their pal Sallah (Davies) to the villainous Freeman and Ronald Lacey as the Peter Lorre-esque bad guy known as Toht, a Gestapo interrogator who just comes off as being creepy. Like I said, the movie is still awesome and it's hard to talk about it when almost everyone is familiar with it and most agree with me on its greatness.

I will say that the IMAX print for the most part was pretty nice and it was great watching it in that format due to its sound and the picture. The crowd there was not large at all as I went and saw it in the early afternoon. However, I imagine it's sweet if you see it with a much larger crowd than I did. I guess I'll mention before I end this that I did not remember from before just how humorous Sallah was. From that wacky yell he does when he sees that big carving in the literal snake pit to nearly peeing his pants (or at least doing something in his pants) when Marion gives him a quick kiss on the lips, that was a great character.

Needless to say, if you dig the movie you probably should see this on the big screen, especially if you've never been able to before.

I'll be back Sunday night.

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