For Rob Batterton.
Attended a big screen re-release of the action thriller, which showed the world Harrison Ford could handle a part different from Han Solo.
Okay, some of the reviews from 1981 called Indiana Jones, "Han Solo on Earth." That's unfair, but not entirely.
Ford, as anyone not being held by the Taliban for the past 45 years or in a black site operated by the usual collection of nefarious intelligence agencies, plays the action hero, Indiana Jones. He's tasked by yet another nefarious intelligence agency to find the Ark of the Covenant, the golden casket in which the stone templates of the Ten Commandments are parked. It's 1936, and the good guys want to get the artifact before the bad guys.
Over the past few millennia, the Ark has disappeared. It's been mishandled by the Egyptians, Ethiopians, Palestinians, and just about everybody living in the Middle East. It's present whereabouts are unknown. It, and the Holy Grail (See Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail) are two of the most pursued religious items by Christians.
Which makes for a great story, and great filmmaking.
Won't rehash the plot, or the brilliance of the movie.
Also must praise the beauty of The Raiders of the Lost Ark in the neighborhood theater. Much as flat-screen televisions and stereo (And 5:1 or 7:1 or Sonos for you audiophiles) have people parked at home praying for more lockdowns, there is nothing like getting the flabby butt off the couch and waddling off to a local cinema.
And that's where Raiders of the Lost Ark shines. There are scenes, which are truncated for, ahem, broadcast, and they are not missed when viewing at home. One example is the pursuit through the desert. The film showed uncut and perhaps it's the short attention span society in which we live, but it did get tedious. However, other than the close-ups on the screaming Nazis during the denouement, and the early evil laugh by Paul Freeman (Bellach), there is little which dates the film.
Viewing Raiders of the Lost Art in a darkened theater transcends the knowledge of the ending of the film. It's the way we used to watch movies, and this blog encourages a return to the local venue to enjoy the ENTIRE experience.
Still nothing like it.
No streaming suggestions. Come on. Get out of the house, you lazy gits.
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