Marky B

This year sees the 25th anniversary of the release of Raiders Of The Lost Ark,George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's tribute to the Saturday morning movies people of a certain age enjoyed.
Made mostly in Britain (Elstree) and with a mostly British crew,it tells of an archaeologist's search for Ark of the Convenant,a prize lusted for by Adolf Hitler. Apparently,when George Lucas was nine,his orthodontist told him of the Ark of the Convenant and its fantastic powers. Later when Lucas learnt of Hitler's obsession with mysticism,a story was developing already in the young filmmaker's mind. He worked with Laurence Kasdan on developing the film,but Kasdan went off to script Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales and Lucas concentrated on some film set in a galaxy far,far away...
After the success of Star Wars and Spielberg's runaway successes with Jaws and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind,the beared duo began moulding the film whilst building sandcastles in Hawaii.
I found the film - and subsequent sequels - to be not only exciting,thrilling and funny. The scene where Indy is confronted by a giant,sword swirling Arab,reminds me of the magic of the cinema,when all the audience applauded,sharing a magical moment. It also had the absurdities of the old Saturday morning movies (eg. How does a bloke with an American accent hide in a small German U-Boat for so long),but confronted the flaws of modern movies,such as trying on a German uniform,only to find it is too small and then having to find another one.
The special effects,the snakes,the spiders,Ronald Leach scaring the wits of Paul Freeman and Karen Allen as he assembles his coat hanger,it was destined to be a hit and deservedly so.
There are plans to make an Indy Four,dwelling on Ford's advancing years,so I doubt there will be pretence of Grecian 2000 applied to Indy's scalp and trying to run a mile,but getting knackered after a few yards.

Ta Ta
Marky B

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

hazephase

the tale of the indiana hats
Upon requests by Spielberg and Lucas the costume designer was given the task to make the character have a distinctive recognizable silhouette through the style of the hat (much like Dick Tracy). After examining many hats, the designers chose an urban version of the classic Australian Akubra, the fedora. The original fedora for the movie trilogy was constructed by Mr. Swales of Herbert Johnson Hatters in London, England. Although multiple hats were used throughout the movies, the distinctive profile of the fedoras remained the same. Today, the collection of props and clothing from the films, especially the fedora, has become a subculture/hobby for aficionados of the Indiana Jones

Marky B

Interesting,Hazephase. I once went walking in the Yorkshire Dales wearing a hat not too dissimiliar to Indy's fedora - it was remarked I looked liked Indiana Jones - no whip,though.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

texasholdem

You don't happen to have his address? I need Indy's hat.

I'm not joking