Raiders of the Lost Ark

1981  PG  ADVENTURE  1h 55min

CAST— Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliot

MUSIC— John Williams  DIRECTOR— Steven Spielberg

     Here’s where it all began! The first film made of the ever popular Indiana Jones series, and it’s a winner. Harrison Ford dons his now famous fedora on the adventure that everyone fell in love with. Evil Nazi agents are on the prowl, looking for the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, so that they can gain its (fictional) power and take over the world… or something. It’s Indiana Jones to the rescue as he tries to unlock the mysteries surrounding the location of the ancient Ark before the Nazis do. The plot isn’t completely clear or logical, but that matters not. This is not an accurate history lesson on the Ark of the Covenant.  This is a rousing adventure that gives you everything it can in its time frame, so get ready to experience the thrill of the first film in the epic Indiana Jones saga. Final note: The detail on the Ark is nicely done, looking as it is described in the Biblical book of Exodus. Oscar-winner for Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects. AKA Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

OUR RATING— ****

PRECEDED BY— Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

FOLLOWED BY— Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)