Raiders of the Lost Ark
9.5 out 10
Really, this should review should only need two words to get you into the theater.
New print.
You've seen Raiders before. If you haven't, either you know that you should see it or you're wasting your time reading any film reviews at all. I mean, it's Raiders of the fuckin' Lost Ark! But it's been a while since you've seen it in a theater. And if, like me, you were but a wee-un in 1981, the pleasure of seeing Raiders in a theater was likely flawed by a print that had been screened a few thousand times. But a 25th anniversary is a great excuse to strike some new prints, and the one I saw last night was gorgeous.
The film is nothing less than the greatest adventure film ever made. I have a quibble-rant about Indiana Jones stowing away on a Nazi submarine that prevents a perfect score, but I'll restrain myself and concentrate on a few the film's many strengths. Indiana Jones is a brilliant character, an epitome of pulp and serial adventurers. The ideal of masculinity he represents isn't limited to proficiency with fists, pistol, and Indy's iconic bullwhip it also includes his mental achievements and academic success. If he's got a weakness, it's women, but that only makes him more charming. Only a smarmy bastard wouldn't be flustered by a pretty young student with "love you" written on her eyelids.
Of course, everything hinges on Harrison Ford, who turns in the best performance of his career. He does so much in fractions of a second that's it's impossible to imagine the character played by anyone else. In the first sequence he has to leap across the pit because Alfred Molina (!) stole his whip. He barely makes it, and scrambles to grab a vine in the floor. Relief flashes across his face, only to disappear 12 frames later when the vine comes loose. Ford is shooting, leaping, fighting, whipping, but he's always acting too, the part most action stars seem to forget. I bet Harrison can also walk and chew gum at the same time.
Raiders of the Lost Ark has Nazis, exotic locations, a feisty woman, and a biblical treasure and did I mention the bullwhip? What more do you need?
Enough about the movie, because I need to say something about the theater. The Hollywood Theatre has this playing on their huge main auditorium, a wonderful place to see a film. Sure, the seats are small and hard, but you only paid six bucks to get in. The staff often sells admissions slowly and doesn't hold up start times even if there's a line, but they're volunteers, so you forgive them and make sure to get there a couple minutes earlier. They've just upgraded their sound system, so on Raiders Ben Burtt's sound design (worthy of thousands of words by itself) and John Williams' rousing score both sound amazing. Mad props to everyone who's kept this theater open and operating.
Directed by Steven Spielberg; Written by George Lucas, Philip Kaufman, and Lawrence Kasdan; Starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, and Denholm Elliot. MPAA # 26345
Viewed on 29Jul2006 at the Hollywood Theatre
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