This is topic Raiders of the Lost Ark (1X400) in forum 8mm Print Reviews at 8mm Forum.
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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 06, 2007, 05:00 PM:
This is a review of the 1X400 Marketing version of the classic feature. This has been, of course, released as a scope feature on Super 8, bujt this was a very popular release on Super 8, as well as one of Marketing Films last digests, (it might have been the last, in fact.
The digest begins with some very abbreviated credits, which is to be expected, which brings us to entering the cave, insearch of the golden idol. There's the wonderful gory shot of Indy putting up his hand into the shaft of light, which reveals the boobytrap and the last person to try to get thru.
We then go to the main temple, where Indy tests the floor, a well directed arrow hitting Indy's test stick.
"Stay here."
"If you insist senor!"
He grabs the idol, but accidentily sets off the bobbytrap. he dodges arrows to get out. he gets to the trench, where his partner screws him over, but not for long, as his partner is caught in the earlier boobytrap. Indy is then chased by the infamous giant boulder, but to only fall into Belloqes trap.
He does escape that sucessfully.
We switch to Indy's college, where he explains what the ark is and finds out that the Hitler is after the ark and that they've found the town where the ark was hidden, but they haven't found the actual arks site.
Indy is on the trail! We jump to the scene where Marion is kidnapped by the German, (as well as the classic Sword vs. Gun scene, priceless, worth the price of the digest itself!), oh, by the way, Indy wins, (duh). This scene ends with Indy thinking Marion has been killed in the exploding truck.
This has an incredibly well done edit where Indy accidentally walks into a tent to find Marion alive and tied up in a tent, fade out. We immediately are brought to the scene where Salla informs Indy, (within the tent, but much later in the film, another great peace of editing!) that the ark has been put on a truck.
This leads to the wonderful scene of Indy chasing after the ark in the truck, first horse, then on the truck. Indy gets the ark, for the moment ...
This now leads to the scene where the germans get back the ark on the boat and arrive at thier Island destination, where the german official makes known his displeasure with the Jewish ceremony to open it the ark.
Belloqe "Would you rather open the ark before your Fufher, only then knowing if you have the one, true ark?"
This leads to almost the whole last special effects scene, Indy capturesd and tied to the same pole as Marion. They open the ark, the amazing circling spirits killing left and right, the lightning/fire killing every German in site and the wonderful melting heads and bursting skulls! (TOTALLY COOL!!!!!) The scene ends with the two of them (Indy and Marion) realizing that thier ropes/bonds have been burned away and that they are still alive. They look at the ark, hand in hand and thus ends the digest. It ends with a short end title.
This was an EXTREMELY well edited digest and certianly ranks with the best edited digests. Every great scene, (except the brawl in Marions bar) is here, and yet the flow of this digest is so good. I was EXTREMELY impressed as to how they combined the Marion killed scene/Indy walking into the tent and finding Marion alive/Salla, Indy and Marion in another tent and having the explanation of the ark all cemented together, which works PERFECTLY! HELL!! I'd love to meet the man who edited this digest!!
This digest was "marketed" on Agfa stock, and the colour is completely perfect, not a shred of colour loss! The sound is also incredibly good.
If I remember correctly, the package design won awards, and it's easy to see why, a very attractive box with a great painted image of Indy and Marion, (or is it Marian?), with great images on the back as well, but then Marketing films were always very good about thier boxes.
It is also of note that this is in Letterbox/adapted scope, and though letterbox, the print is very sharp, not Derann sharp, but still right up there. It's not the full scope width, but fine as it is.
This digest is a winner in every aspect and well worth picking up, even if you have the scope feature.
LONG LIVE INDY!!!
Posted by Mark Mander (Member # 340) on April 06, 2007, 05:21 PM:
Great review Osi,this is one of my favourite digests and well worth a look.
Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on April 06, 2007, 06:49 PM:
Osi,
Thanks for the review. I remember Barry Atwood posting that this was the last digest put out by Marketing when it had offices in New York. I wonder if it's one of the last major digest releases from the peak of Super 8mm in the early 80's.
The color of my print is beautiful, the audio is great but the definition is absolutely on the soft side. I don't know where Marketing got that "The End" title from, but it doesn't fit in. If only they could've worked in that warehouse shot.
Doug
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 06, 2007, 06:57 PM:
I agree Doug, though the sharpness of my print is pretty good, strange. I also agree about the "The End" title, though to fit in that last bit might have taken about another 50ft. of film to give us the warehouse and how it got in there. Still an amazingly good digest.
Your other question is interesting. I wonder of this was the very last digest from the "Golden Period"?
Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on April 06, 2007, 07:06 PM:
Hi OSI and DOUG.Yes you are correct.This was the last of super8,as
far as Marketing was concerned.They destroyed their negs.sortly after that.Around1981!.Andy.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 06, 2007, 11:18 PM:
Did they have to contractually destroy thier negatives?
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on April 07, 2007, 12:05 AM:
Hi Osi,
I love this digest too, it is on my rewatchable list.
Regarding the stock mine is on Kodak SP as stated on the marketing box/inner side. (Please check your box Odi, I think it will say "printed on Kodak poplyster based", so how could you say that yours on AGFA? Later KOdak SP is as beautiful as LPP)
About the release, what about 3 parter Star Wars, which one was the last? Andreas once mentioned here that this title could be the last 8mm in International market but not in Germany (their headquarter). But I am not sure what title will be the last one released by Marketing.
cheers
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on April 07, 2007, 04:37 AM:
I too have a copy of this print and mine is also on AGFA stock. Looks like the lab Marketing were using towards the end were using AGFA stock. Because of this the spool is very full.
Note the stereo sticker on the box. Yes my copy has a brilliant stereo soundtrack.
Kev.
Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on April 07, 2007, 06:03 AM:
Osi, my favourite movie of all time. Great review ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I've gotten all excited about posting my first pictures on another thread this morning, so here's a home-made cover for the feature version of Raiders. The bit at the left side is designed to wrap around the spine of a standard Derann cardboard feature box...
Stunning stereo sound on my copy is courtesy of the incredibly generous / talented / co-forum member Mr. John Clancy.
Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on April 07, 2007, 09:46 AM:
Great review there OSI.Kevin was your copy German?I too have this release but its in mono.Like the cover there Rob;very nice!.Andy.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 07, 2007, 10:57 AM:
While my box says "A Kodak based Stock" (doesn't say which stock), the actual film says "AG1S" , which I'm assuming is agfa. Kevin, you say yours is in stereo? My box doesn't say stereo, and I'm betting it's mono. So, are we to say that Marketing did the stereo themselves?
Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on April 07, 2007, 05:37 PM:
Another great cover, Rob.
My digest print is also in stereo, as is my print of the feature.
Doug
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on April 07, 2007, 05:51 PM:
OSI, AG1S is AGFA 1S. Thats the same stock mine is on.
I don't know who did the stereo for my copy but yes it is a German print as I think all were produced in Germany for Europe.
The stereo is really good and if it was done by a private individual you wouldn't know it was the case. There are no stops or starts in the sound and full sync is maintained all the way through.
Kev.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 07, 2007, 08:12 PM:
Hey Rob,
If I ever secure a copy of this on Super 8 (feature/scope), I will definitely go to you for the cover. That is a very well manufactured homemade cover. Good job!
I did something similar with my feature print of "Alien", as the 400 ft. Digest had those slip covers that you could easily take out. I then took those front and back covers and glued them to the top and bottom of the box. Sorry I don't have any way of posting that on the internet.
Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on April 08, 2007, 02:00 AM:
Good job, Rob.
I've always been amazed by the quality of that digest. I retracked it into French to sell it and the projected super 8 image and the video, when viewed side by side, had the same colours.
I have the feature in 16mm (scope) now. The quality is so crisp it nearly feels like 35mm.
[ April 08, 2007, 03:55 AM: Message edited by: Jean-Marc Toussaint ]
Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on April 08, 2007, 03:14 AM:
I have a tale about "Raiders of the Lost Ark". When it was originally brought into the UK by Derann, I had it pre-orderd. I received a phone call from Derek on the Friday afternoon to tell me that they arrived, so I immediatley went to collect it. When I arrived at the shop, Derek opened the carton of 50 films, in front of me, and said "Take one" - I didn't take one from the top, but one from the second layer down". I then "hot footed" home and after the evening meal put it on the GS800. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
IT WAS OUT OF SYNC BIG TIME!!!!. ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
I returned to the shop at 9.00am the following Saturday morning, to be told that all of that consignment had been sold and despatched, due to pre-orders. Derek didn't even retain one for their lending library, otherwise he would have re-recorded it for me, from that.
A week later, I exchanged my "faulty" copy for one out of the next batch. When I asked Derek "how many faulty films he had received back - he said "NON AT ALL!!"
How about that for bad luck? My choice of film - a one in fifty choice and I pick the "faulty" one. ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Just shows my luck!!
SUPERB DIGEST NEVERTHELESS. Happy Easter All
Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on April 08, 2007, 04:27 AM:
Osi
Great review!
It inspired me to check out the reviews in “Movie Maker” and “Super Eight Film Collector” from when it was first released. It seems that both the editing and the packaging were debated then too.
Keith Wilton in Super Eight Film Collector:
quote:
The editing on this release is rumoured to have been taken over by either Lucas or Spielburg, they were supposed to have been unhappy with the editing done in Germany, I don’t know if it is true or not…
Bill Davison in Movie Maker, October 1982:
quote:
…the Lucas Organisation were said to be first unhappy with the packaging artwork, then the editing of the condensation itself. The former I find odd because Marketings presentation in my opinion has always been exemplary; the latter I can understand, as their editing has often been crude to say the least. So after all these hold-ups, the film has eventually arrived – and it’s a corker! Well worth the wait and possibly the best release ever to come from Marketing…
…all in all it is tremendous 17 minutes of superb entertainment; certainly the best 400ft condensation I have viewed in ages!
I have to say, being a lover of packaging I think it’s probably the best looking box on the shelf, the film itself is great – and very re-watchable!
Mike
Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on April 08, 2007, 07:20 AM:
Yes.I heard that too Mike;that speilberg demaned to see the 400ft himself;and he wasn't happy with it at all.Three out of four set pieces isn't bad.A very good cut down.Andy.
P.S.MIKE yuve got a pm.
[ April 08, 2007, 11:26 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Wilson ]
Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on April 08, 2007, 02:42 PM:
If anyone on the Forum ever gets to meet Mr Speilberg, perhaps they could get him to autograph the 'Raiders' box and ask him if the story regarding the editing is true. It would be fascinating to know.
I can remember seeing the release prominently displayed in the window of Portland Films in Shaftsbury Avenue when it came out. As the delay meant that there was very little coming out of Super 8 at the time, it was a welcome sight - although sad in the sense that it was clear it would represent the end of an era.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 08, 2007, 03:03 PM:
Yeah, but what an end to an era. It wasn't the complete end, however.
After all, Disney would continue to release super 8 for the early 80's. It's not sure, but Blackhawk was releasing product at least thru the mid-80's albeit, in a more limited manner.
I think that when we speak of the "end of an era" would have to be limited to non U.K. countries, as I believe Derann, as well as other companies in the U.K. continued to release new product all along, which could be verified by our friends over on the U.K. side of the pond.
Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on April 09, 2007, 07:59 AM:
I agree with Douglas.....my print was ordered new when it came out and I was majorly disappointed in it. The focus was very soft....t he contrast was not good, especialliy in the market sequence.....people looked like dark shadows against the bright background......the sound was merely ok. I ran it twice and it has never been taken out again...it's one of those prints I'd have to apologize to the audience for...so it has remained in the graveyard of inferior prints. I was especially disappointed because I had several o ther Marketing films....and was very pleased. In fact I just got the 8 reel feature of Death on the Nile, which is very nice and has held its color well.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 09, 2007, 10:59 AM:
Sorry to hear that your print was defective, or just a bad batch, as my print has a pretty good focus and stunning colour, as well as pretty decent contrast. I wouldn't mind getting a new copy of this print as , while mine is in good shape, it came to me with two splices at the beginning of the print.
The only irritating thing to the print, (and this was also a problem with Universal 8 prints as well) is that, in order to show most of the beginning credits, they have to cut and cut and cut, which means the action behind the credits looks very jerky and is quite annoying. This was also a fault with Universal 8. I would much rather see a fade in/out of the main title, the digest, and then during whatever end credits, place them there.
Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on April 09, 2007, 01:04 PM:
Titles are an area where editors/producers are cursed either way they go. Some viewers insist on the original credits..even if truncated. Others would like all the credits ..in whatever form....such as in some of the Castle films...which superimpose their own titles over a piece of the action of the film, in many cases, such as Bride of Frankenstein on reeler, duplicating the look of the original titles. Either way , you've to to show em quick or you've wasted a fifth of your 17 minutes...and then folks like me would gripe about that , too.
Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on April 09, 2007, 03:52 PM:
Osi,
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost certain that 'Raiders' appeared after the final Disney release. 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' must have either been the last, or very close to their last, and I recall buying this, in 1981 at the latest, some time before 'Raiders' appeared. (I'd only started collecting a few months previously, so it was my first 'full price' one reeler).
When I say "the end of an era", I mean the era of mass-market 400' digests that offer an edited version of a complete feature. Although digests later returned, mostly in the form of 600' Derann releases, I think it would be true to say that no distributor has attempted to broadly tell the story of a feature in a 400' release since 'Raiders'.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 09, 2007, 04:08 PM:
I agree Adrian, it was an end of an era, speaking in that nature.
When did Disneys "Masterworks" come out? I always thought that these were the last. I'm assuming this only because I bought them in a San Francisco department store in 1984, but they may have been sitting around for a long time, for all I know.
I believe that there were three titles in this series:
The Old Mill
The band Concert
The Ugly Duckling
These were noticeable in that they were the original FULL LENGTH
shorts, which ran 8.75 minutes up over 9 minutes, (in the case of "The band Concert"), and the colour on these have held up really well.
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on April 10, 2007, 05:54 AM:
Osi,
Regarding Disney the "Masterwork" series, I was thinking like you that (since I thought they were the last release from Disney) the quality would be good at any prints.
But apparently "no", we still have to carefull when taking these three films available.
A seller on Ebay currently is listing "Ugly Ducking" and luckily he also gives the screen shot. Here is the link.
The screen shot show this:
This picture show that even "Masterworks" can fade badly.
cheers,
Posted by Ernie Zahn (Member # 274) on April 10, 2007, 07:58 AM:
how much does that raiders digest typically go for? I've never seen it on ebay, in fact ebay seems to be a bit slow right now with prints
Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on April 10, 2007, 09:20 AM:
Ernie, there have been a few copies of "Raiders" on E-bay recently and they have all been sold around the £20.00 ($40.00) or more range. E-bay is very slow at the moment. Has anyone notice that the "8mm" catagory seems to have "disappeared"? It now appears under "other format" heading,on E-Bay.UK, unless it's just me.
[ April 10, 2007, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: Keith Ashfield ]
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 10, 2007, 10:47 AM:
Keith, I've noticed that too. There used to be a very easy to access link to the U.K. ebay. It's disappeared.
That copy, whoever has it, shows horrible fade. All my copies look great. The Old Mill is a remarkable print, absolutely beautiful, and shows just how much work went into the soundtrack on the classic Disney shorts.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of those 400ft. digests that has held up in value rather well on ebay. My copy cost me 35.00 dollars a few years ago, and the prices are pretty much the same.
Did Marketing ever release Raiders as a feature? (was there ever a "flat" version?)
Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on April 10, 2007, 11:53 PM:
Yes Osi,Raiders of the lost ark was released in the feature format
too.See Doug's or Rob's comments in this thread.It was released in
scope.Andy.
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on April 11, 2007, 03:24 AM:
quote:
Did Marketing ever release Raiders as a feature? (was there ever a "flat" version?)
It could be released on full feature but I doubt it was from Marketing.
quote:
Has anyone notice that the "8mm" catagory seems to have "disappeared"? It now appears under "other format" heading,on E-Bay.UK, unless it's just me.
In fact it is now under specific category (sub format = 8mm) the same way the Ebay USA did. You can see the 8mm at Ebay UK here:
URL 1 = http://listings.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsocmdZListingItemList?pfid=1267&gcs=1070&sacat=-100
URL 2 = reqtype=2&socmd=ListingItemList&fcl=3&from=R2&pagetype=2&
URL 3 = socdpfcat=35064&pfmode=2&a15962=20685&a15961=20677&alist=a15962%2Ca15961
note: sorry probably the URL is too long to be handled by the forum's system. I couldn't do a linkage by the normal way. So what you need to do now is to copy the full URL above and paste to your browser. Youhave to add URL 1 + 2 + 3 without any space.
thanks,
Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on April 11, 2007, 04:38 AM:
Raiders was not released as a feature by Marketing. I do believe it was released by either Perry's or Derann in the UK from a German source ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Kev.
Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on April 11, 2007, 08:37 AM:
Marketing also released "Jäger des verlorenen Schatzes" as 110m-reeler with a German soundtrack in Germany (colour, sound, flat, order-number: 1104). I didn't manage to find out whether the sound was in mono or stereo.
-> http://www.super-8-hobby.de/rezent294.htm
(The page also claims that this was marketing's last super8-film.)
According to all of my sources, neither marketing Germany nor marketing International released this title as a three-reeler or as a full-length feature. Hence any version longer than these 110m aren't from marketing.
Nevertheless I've seen Super8-scope-prints of all Indiana Jones. I can't remember who made them or whether they did have a German or English soundtrack (since the stereo-sound came from a multi-track Revox-perfo-tape-player... yummy!)
Jörg
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 11, 2007, 10:07 AM:
Nice image dude, too bad I can't read it. Do you know perhaps if it had German titles or american? If a marketing feature print of this was to pop up, it would easily be able to be re-recorded in Stereo!
(Though I'd much rather have the scope stereo print)
Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on April 12, 2007, 01:39 PM:
I remember when this came out on super 8. It was 1982, the year I got married. I remember there was a small delay in the release (something about the boxes? I can't remember for certain). There was even a rumor that the Raiders digest would'nt be sold at all, as Marketing (U.S.) was already in the process of phasing out of super 8. I guess they had already put too much money into the project, editing the negative, etc., to just abort the digest all together.
I remember when I watched it for the first time, I kept thinking what a great job they did on the editing. Although, I don't like the way it just goes off at the end, with no credits or music (Columbia digests were also famous for doing this ). No matter how good a digest is, the ending will 'make or break' it. An audience always responds well to a good ending.
An excellent digest though. Whish Ken could have sqeezed out one for "Return of the Jedi". If that movie could have been released a year earlier, we probably would have seen a digest for it.
James.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 12, 2007, 03:48 PM:
As has been posted before, Return of the Jedi WAS put out in the form of a wanna be digest, by LA films.
I believe Meltzer or one of the others on the forum can give better info, but reportedly, It was 3X400ft.
It was reel 1 and the last two reels. It was in scope. From what I've heard, the colour wasn't pristine but it was okay, as was the sharpness.
Does anybody know if Derann would be willing to sell the last two reels of Jedi?
Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on April 12, 2007, 05:43 PM:
'Wish Ken could have sqeezed out one for "Return of the Jedi".'
I heard from a reliable source that they tried to put out a 400' of this as their last ever release, but they could not get the rights. Puzzling, though, as Fox have allowed Derann to release their titles on 8 right up to the present day (albeit no new ones for years).
Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on April 12, 2007, 06:10 PM:
Yes Adrien-
Actually, I remember reading from a reliable source (I think it was FFTC), that KEN Films was negotiating with Fox to do a digest for ROTJ. Fox was willing to allow it, but the price was WAY too steep. Since super 8 was not making much profit at that point, KEN Films wisely declined.
James.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 12, 2007, 10:10 PM:
Wisely declined ?!?!
Not putting something out on Super 8 is NEVER a wise choice!!!
(Unless it's teletubbies, Barney .... I LOATHE BARNEY!!!)
Ummm, what was this post about again?
Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on April 13, 2007, 03:20 PM:
I know, Osi, I know.....
I really whish they had released it. It would have been great to add to our collection. I only meant, I think it was wise on the part of KEN Films, as super 8 sales at the time (1983/84) had deeply declined and were no longer selling commercially in stores. They would have had to sell at least hundreds of prints to turn a profit, and, by this time, most retailers were selling off super 8 at dirt cheap prices, like $10 dollars for a 400 foot color/sound digest.
They may have been able to make a profit by the time super 8 re-surged in the late 80's/early 90's, but it just wouldn't have been a wise business choice at that time.
James.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on April 13, 2007, 04:03 PM:
True, very true James. It appears that Marketing had scope prints, (either that, or they were "adapted scope" copies of their prints), as I've noticed that many a Marketing print had this adapted scope quality.
But the problem is that the master print/negative, (undoubtably 16mm) would have to be so razor sharp in order to make a great print.
Of course, scope prints were well into circulation by this time, and it's a shame that marketing never "marketed" their prints in scope, as I'm sure that, with their quality, they would have been absolutely stunning. They had the materials, they had the right low fade film stocks, it would have been great!
Unless I'm wrong, and I'm sure that someone can correct me.
By the way, when did Marketing prints start up? From what I gather, they were "Newbies" on the Super 8 scene.
This post gets more and more interesting.
By the way, I wonder if Speilbergs reaction to Derann releasing Close Encounters as a feature, was due in part to his dis-satisfaction with his earlier experience with the Raiders digest.
Posted by Wade Epler (Member # 1158) on August 25, 2008, 12:38 PM:
Just got my 400' print from Derann. This is the marketing version with the artwork from the german site as seen in the above post. First reaction upon seeing the artwork still in German-not happy, as I thought I had gotten a german language print, or one with subtitles, etc. Well, the reel had a sticker on it that says 'english' and that is what I got. No subtitles, etc. Color is excellent as is the editing. My major disappointment is found in the soundtrack, which while booming is still very compressed sounding, like it was pulled from a really crappy optical soundtrack. It's a shame as the picture itself is so perfect...
Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 25, 2008, 01:36 PM:
It is a good 400footer, what a pity they didnt make it a 3 x 400footer
Spielberg actualy supervised the editing of the Columbia cut down of Close Encounters, with this in mind i bet it wasnt he who watched over the Raiders digest. Hollywoods greatest modern day director/producer by far but that Close encounters digest sucks big time.
Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 26, 2008, 04:36 PM:
Wade-
On the bright side, those Marketing prints usually have excellent sound stripes, and a booming stereo track could be recorded onto your print, if you ever have the time.
In fact, fellow-forum member Robert Aragon re-recorded his 400 foot print of Raiders years ago, and I just couldn't believe how good the sound was. You may want to consider doning this as well.
James.
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 26, 2008, 04:55 PM:
I wish I had the manuel dexterity to re-record a stereo soundtrack, but with all the editing that would be involved, (and a few splices on my print that it arrived with), I doubt that I would be successful, though I have two very good projectors for the work.
Lovely color on it. Though I have noted that the Paramount logo is slightly lacking sharpness, the rest of the print is quite nice.
Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on November 08, 2011, 09:59 PM:
It's actually more than a movie; it's a catalog of adventure. For locations, it ticks off the jungles of South America, the hinterlands of Tibet, the deserts of Egypt, a hidden submarine base, an isolated island, a forgotten tomb -- no, make that two forgotten tombs -- and an American archaeology classroom.
For villains, it has sadistic Nazis, slimy gravediggers, drunken Sherpas, and scheming Frenchmen. For threats, it climaxes with the wrath of God, and leads up to that spectacular development by easy stages, with tarantulas, runaway boulders, hidden spears, falling rock slabs, burning airplanes, runaway trucks, sealed tombs, and snakes. Lots of snakes. For modes of conveyance, it looks like one of those old world's fair panoramas of transportation: It has horse carts, biplanes, motorcycles, submarines, ships, horse, trains, and trucks. No bicycles.
For heroes, it has Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his former and future girlfriend, Marion (Karen Allen). She's the kind of girl ... well, to make a long story short, when they first met ten years ago, Indiana deflowered her, and that made her so mad at men that she moved to the mountains of Tibet, opened a bar, and started nightly drinking contests with the Sherpas. She'll never forgive him, almost.Action movies were a different breed in the pre-1981 years than they are today, and one of the reasons for their transformation had to do with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Before this movie, James Bond ruled the roost and the Bond formula was the accepted path that any self-respecting action movie would follow. The first Indiana Jones outing changed that. The film was constructed as a series of cliffhangers with narrow, death-defying escapes. Not since the era of serials have audiences so often asked the question, "How's he going to get out of this one?" It's unfair to claim that the 007 outings were unexciting, but, compared to Raiders of the Lost Ark, they come across as sedate. Raiders transformed the action movie landscape. In the years that followed, nearly every action movie would try to generate the same sense of suspense and tension. Even the Bond movies would catch on. By the time Raiders of the Lost Ark was made, Harrison Ford had filed off the rough edges that were apparent in his first outing as Han Solo. Ford is completely at home in Indy's rough-and-tumble skin - a rogue, scoundrel, and mercenary with a heart of gold. (Sound a little like his Star Wars alter ego, doesn't it?) We know and like Indy from the start of the movie, primarily because he doesn't seem like an indestructible superhero, doesn't try to hide his many faults, and has a self-deprecating sense of humor. A lot of that is Ford.
This is the kind of movie that, even today, audiences immediately fall in love with. It has all the right ingredients: a smart script, a likable hero, a dash of romance, more than a touch of comedy, and a lot of fast-paced action. In 2003, it's a formula, but Spielberg and Lucas were the ones who established the recipe by using ingredients both old and new. There's something for everyone in this great classic: thrills, chills, action, adventure, romance and comedy, all of which is top-notch in every department, and all in one dense, exhilarating two hour experience. The inspiration may have been the old Republic B-movie serials, but there's not denying that in the process of paying homage, Spielberg and Lucas made A-grade entertainment to last for all time.
Posted by Jason Schmidt (Member # 4526) on December 14, 2015, 10:09 PM:
Sorry to resurrect this quite old thread, but I have a question regarding the marketing films 400 digest. I have a copy coming that is dubbed in German, and am curious how much dialogue is actually in it. I am considering re-dubbing it into English sound, but if the dialogue is fairly minimal (or the action does the talking) I might not bother. Several people I know speak so so German, so not too worried about it since they would enjoy it either way.
I'm trying to get a feel for the flow of the digest based on the review above and how much dialogue is actually in it. Certainly scenes like the idol theft/boulder, the truck chase, and the ark killing the nazis really don't matter if the language is not English since it is obvious what is going on. Perhaps the second section at the college etc might be difficult to understand without a redub?
I could probably wait until it arrives and see for myself, but I want to start researching redubing techniques as there seems to be a good bit of knowledge on here that I need to read through.
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on December 15, 2015, 09:13 PM:
Thanks for resurrecting this old thread Jason, and now I found we were concluding that "Raiders" was the last release from Marketing.
The fact it was not since "Grease 2" was released in 1983.
Raiders was first screened in theatre in June 1981 and released on Super 8 in 1982. Grease 2 was first screened in June 1982 and was released on Super 8 in 1983.
Posted by Jason Schmidt (Member # 4526) on December 27, 2015, 08:47 AM:
I watched it last night, still has awesome color.
Regarding the re-dubbing, if someone has the english version and is willing to record the soundtrack into an mp3 for me please send me a PM.
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