ARCHIVE SUMMARY REVIEW FOR 'RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK'

Raiders of the Lost Ark YEAR: 1981 *****

Epic celebration of serial pulp adventures, George Lucas (and Philip Kaufman) created Indiana Jones, an intrepid archaeologist/college professor who, when he isn't being ogled by female students, goes in and out of foreign countries: not only retrieving artifacts but trying to keep them from the wrong hands...

Harrison Ford brings "Indy" to life with humor as well as bravado. Karen Allen, as his female counterpart, is as tough as any man but delicate and vulnerable as well. The plot is simple: find the lost Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis, aided by French archaeologist Belloq (played with subtle villainy by Paul Freeman) or the sinister yet smiley Peter Lorre-style gangster, Toht. Director Steven Spielberg's mesmerizing camerawork carries our heroes from one perilous situation to the next. And brief pockets of essential downtime not only build the characters, but allows the next obstacle to mean that much more.

Harrison Ford as the day-job Professor Jones

One of the great all-time movie villains, twice: Paul Freeman and Ronald Lacey with captured Karen Allen

Karen Allen takes on the Arabian Don Knotts, pan in hand, in Raiders of the Lost Ark

Action shot of Harrison Ford (not a double) punching in Cairo

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Harrison Ford Pat Roach Raiders of the Lost Ark Pat Roach Harrison Ford Raiders of the Lost Ark

"You want to talk to God?" Harrison Ford and Paul Freeman, Raiders of the Lost Ark

"Didn't you guys ever go to Sunday School?" The Bible Picture Raiders of the Lost Ark

Like Han Solo dressed as a Stormtrooper in Stars Wars, Harrison Ford's Indy changes into a real Stormtrooper outfit