40 Years Of Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark: 101 Thoughts On The Film

Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark will be exactly four decades old this year. Released in July 1981, it has been widely regarded as one of the best action films of all time, is a firm ‘fan’ favourite, and has been re-released on a number of occasions. The franchise will even be getting another installment – and this very website brought you all the information you need to know, including how Harrison Ford may be ‘de-aged’ in the new flick.

For the first time in a decade, I re-watched the classic ‘Jones’ biopic – and this is what I thought:

Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark is 40 this year

Credit: Lucasfilm

Read more: Indiana Jones 5 With Harrison Ford Returning Could Start Filming In August

1. Why on Earth would you want to travel in this environment?
2. Booby traps!! Nope.
3. How must it feel, to have your prize from outrunning a boulder of all things, stolen by your rival?
4. Why would the Nazis need artwork?
5. Why are the intelligence officials in uniform to make them look like ‘the goodies’?
6. The Arc creates invincibility.
7. Why would anyone need that?
8. In the words of Freddie Mercury, who would want to live forever?
9. Why does Indiana Jones have any right to the ark, or to put it in a museum? It is not his place – and it is in another country, too.
10. How does Marion have the medallion and all the way in Nepal?
11. SCORPION!
12. The drinking ability of Marion is really something.
13. Why throw your glasses on seeing a former flame?
14. Just give him the damn medallion, for goodness sake.
15. It would make this painful scene more enjoyable.
16. How does Toht know about this meeting?
17. That’s gotta hurt.
18. So has that.
19. As well as lighting up the bar.
20. Burning down the venue was a rather *extreme* escalation.
21. Burning the medallion into your hand has got to hurt. Ouch.
22. Mentors are not necessarily your friend.
23. But why would an American assist the Nazis, even if this is prior to the declaration of war, and American involvement?
24. Marion is a great companion – and it is really refreshing to see a female who is an ‘equal’ in this position. A lot better than The Temple Of Doom.
25. Why the random chase scene? It’s more than just historically inaccurate.
26. Marion cannot be dead!
27. How is she dead? She just can’t be dead!
28. *Despondent*
29. For a confrontation scene, I was expecting a lot more – although to be surrounded does look terrifying. How can you face off with the scary enemy?
30. How does Dr Jones just travel around the globe with no repercussions for his sometimes violent behaviour?
31. If the ark says do not disturb, why not heed the warning?
32. Okay, no one is heeding the warning. Great.
33. What is the staff of Ra?
34. Wrong location of course!
35. How do you manage this in the blazing sun?
36. The balls on that man to infiltrate a Nazi site really is something.
37. Rather him than me.
38. Ohhh….
39. The restoration is something spectacular when you see the position of the ark being revealed.
40. Why so sad Jones?
41. Oh, creepy red writing…
42. How are you lifting gold so easily?
43. Not the snakes!
44. *Quivers*
45. The well of souls? Really? Very archaic
46. How has Marion made it to the site alive?
47. The need to dress her up is a bit strange.
48. Hide the knife!
49. Run, girl, run!
50. Why, Toht, why? So cruel.
51. At last, a woman who puts up a fight next to the hero!
52. It is just unfortunate she was also trapped with him.
53. And in a stupid outfit that is entirely impractical, too.
54. The lights are going out!
55. Collapse a statue?
56. Escape time!
57. *Punches the air*
58. Why not just return home and leave the ark, and escape with your lives?
59. This fight around a plane really is spectacular, for it has not aged well.
60. The horse is an excellent motif.
61. Though how it manages to catch up with vehicles is beyond me.
62. How can you hijack a car?
63. Go Indy!
64. That has gotta hurt.
66. Bye-bye, bad guys!
67. Finally, to London we go!
68. Is this the end?
69. Clearly not.
70. A U boat! How is this not a diplomatic incident?
71. And one of epic proportions at that?
72. Hide, hideaway!
73. Can this couple just get a break, for goodness sake!
74. Flipping the mirror has got to sting.
75. And already with injuries, too!
76. Can we not just give you the damn Ark?
77. Why test its deadly power? Heed the warning!
78. Where did the rocket launcher come from?
79. *Sighs*
80. I kind of like the ridiculous element of this film.
81. Curiosity killed the cat – and that applies to humans, it seems.
82. Surrendering again?
83. Why the pomp and circumstance?
84. *Closes eyes*
85. Toht dying very visually on-screen is terrifying.
86. How I wasn’t scared of this as a child is beyond me.
87. Spirits??!
88. Why were Dr Jones and Marion saved?
89. What put this deadly force into the Ark in the first place, and why did it need to be hidden for thousands of years? What is the story behind that?
90. *Opens eyes at last*
91. How do you know when to open your eyes because it will be safe?
92. A large payment is well deserved.
93. But it must be frustrating to not know what happened to the Ark afterwards.
94. It should have ended up in a museum if it had to go anywhere – behind protective, sealed off glass, where no one can interfere.
95. Or maybe the whole site where the Ark was found should be sealed off, buried again, where no one can potentially be harmed.
96. ‘Top men’ is just so enigmatic.
97. If there are other artifacts that have the same power, where on Earth would you store them?
98. And why would you even want such a deadly horde?
99. I’m still not sure what to make of the anti-hero in this; some parts of this film have not aged well at all, especially in the context of #MeToo.
100. Is this really what an Archaeologists life is like?
101. Time to watch Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom! Although the screaming in that particular film is incredibly grating to hear or even just watch.

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