Raiders Of The Lost Ark....

[Warped9]

Funnily enough it was a Chuck Norris film my dad was browsing on TV yesterday that spurred me to watch Raiders. We were commenting on unlikely stunts and action/adventure films and Raiders came into the conversation. I then realized it had been years since I'd watched it even though I have it in my video library so we watched it this afternoon.

Note: the Norris film was uninspired and tedious which led us to recalling action/adventure films we thought were good.

[sojourner]

Raiders should be the definition of "instant classic".

[Australis]

Classic, definitely.

[lurok]

sojourner wrote:

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Raiders should be the definition of "instant classic".

Yup.

I really wish I liked the sequels more, but I just can't.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Professor Zoom wrote:

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I still heart Raiders.
Though it sorta blew my mind when someone pointed out that the end of the movie still would've happen even if Indy wasn't involved in anyway. Which is sorta funny.

Well, it has been pointed out that Indy was entirely ineffectual, really. Ironies.

But the ending, having the hero tied up for the climax, never appealed to me, even as a kid. The real climax is the truck chase. The best chase ever filmed.

[Professor Zoom]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

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Well, it has been pointed out that Indy was entirely ineffectual, really. Ironies.

I wouldn't say he's ineffectual in what he DOES. He's good at what he does. But, ultimately, what he does doesn't affect the end. They still take it to the island, but its God that kills everyone.

But the ending, having the hero tied up for the climax, never appealed to me, even as a kid. The real climax is the truck chase. The best chase ever filmed.

Meh. It doesn't bother me. It's visually really interesting and nicely cathartic.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Yeah,, your first point is what I meant, I just didn't express it.

Still doesn't change my opinion that I don't like the hero being tied up for the entire ending. I also don't know how he survived hanging from a sub.

[Professor Zoom]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

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I also don't know how he survived hanging from a sub.

He has very efficient lungs.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

My favorite scenes in the entire Raiders canon:

- Indy is confronted by a swordsman who spends all that time whipping his blades around like a lunatic, and then Indy just pulls out his gun and SHOOTS the guy.

- In the third film when Indy is talking to the Nazis about his friend Marcus who supposedly can blend in and disappear, and then the scene cuts to the actual Marcus who is like the most obvious tourist ever, "Does anyone here speak English?"

[Warped9]

Professor Zoom wrote:

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He has very efficient lungs.

Well, if the sub didn't submerge he'd be fine. Remember in 1936 Germany wasn't at war with anyone yet so the U-boat could easily cruise along the surface openly without needing to dive to stay concealed. And in those days there was no satellite reconnaissance to be worried about. Also since they weren't at war with anyone yet they also didn't have to be concerned of scouting planes keeping a watch for them.

[Professor Zoom]

Warped9 wrote:

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Well, if the sub didn't submerge he'd be fine. Remember in 1936 Germany wasn't at war with anyone yet so the U-boat could easily cruise along the surface openly without needing to dive to stay concealed. And in those days there was no satellite reconnaissance to be worried about. Also since they weren't at war with anyone yet they also didn't have to be concerned of scouting planes keeping a watch for them.

Why would you use a submarine if you didn't submerge? Why not use a boat? Clearly they CHOSE a sub....

I think the novelization talks about it being submerged... but I can't remember how they explained his survival.

[Aldo]

I think there's a deleted scene where he ties himself to the periscope with his whip, and waits it out there. Still, that'd be a long time to wait, judging by the distance they traveled via the map.

In fact, I found a page that discusses the sequence, complete with a script excerpt and a picture of the scene from the comic:

So according to the script, how does the sub scene unfold? Well, the boat starts going under, but stops when just the top of its periscope is breaking the waves. Indy clings to the scope and gets dragged along. He then uses his whip to actually tie himself to the periscope, where he dangles for the entire trip, watching as shark fins circle him. Finally…

Full article, with script excerpt and photos here.

[Warped9]

Professor Zoom wrote:

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Why would you use a submarine if you didn't submerge? Why not use a boat? Clearly they CHOSE a sub....

In fairness we can only go by what we see onscreen. Comics and novelizations don't really count. Onscreen we never see the sub actually submerge. That said it was an extremely crazy thing for Jones to do if the sub actually had submerged. In the end the main thing Jones accomplished was saving Marion---he realized what was about to happen and convinced her to keep her eyes closed. Without Jones she might have felt compelled to watch what was going on only to be destroyed along with the rest. Sometime later the ark might have been found again, but Marion would likely have been dead. So Jones did in fact save her only not in the expected conventional way.

Old subs of that era were more effective on the surface than submerged if you wanted speed. There's also the matter of fresh air supply. So if you have no reason to be concealed than you stay surfaced. You only submerge if you want to sneak up on someone to attack them or if you're hiding from reconnaissance planes or enemy ships.

[Christopher]

Aldo wrote:

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If he's partially submerged for that long, especially with water rushing across him at high speed, he might've succumbed to hypothermia, even in warm climes. Not to mention that he would've had no fresh water to drink and nothing to eat for the entire trip, which might've taken days.

[Warped9]

Christopher wrote:

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If he's partially submerged for that long, especially with water rushing across him at high speed, he might've succumbed to hypothermia, even in warm climes. Not to mention that he would've had no fresh water to drink and nothing to eat for the entire trip, which might've taken days.

Of course, this is one of those moments where they really push the credibility envelope.