Raiders of the Lost Ark: 40 Years On
Still the greatest adventure film of all time
Warning: Contains spoilers
In 1977, George Lucas went on holiday in Hawaii to avoid the release of Star Wars, which he was convinced would be a flop. Whilst there, his companion, Steven Spielberg, lamented he wanted to direct a James Bond film, but that the producers wouldn’t let him. Lucas responded: ‘I’ve got something much better,’ and pitched the idea of archaeologist adventurer Indiana Jones.
The rest is history. Fast forward to 1981, and Raiders of the Lost Ark was an instant smash. It outgrossed the James Bond film released that year (For Your Eyes Only), going on to become a hugely influential, much imitated classic that would thrill audiences and define childhoods for decades to come. At forty years old, the film is as fresh and exhilarating as ever, but on paper in 1977, it was by no means a sure thing.
Inspired by the Saturday matinee cliffhanger serials of their youth, Spielberg and Lucas crafted the story with screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. Their brainstorming sessions were recorded, and audio transcripts reveal a wealth of fascinating detail in how they nailed the nuances and look of their protagonist. The fedora and unshaven features were inspired by Humphrey Bogart’s character in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre…
