Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation (1989) (V)

Director:

Eric Zala

Writers:

Lawrence Kasdan (writer)
Philip Kaufman (story)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Plot:

A shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark started by three 12-year-olds and completed over a period of six years.

Plot Keywords:

Remake | Obsession | Indiana Jones | True Life Adventure | Coming Of Age

Cast

Chris Strompolos	...	Indiana Jones
Angela Rodriguez	...	Marion
Eric Zala	...	Belloq
Ted Ross	...	Toht
Alan Stenum	...	Sallah
William Coon	...	Brody
Kurt Zala	...	Gobler
Clay LaGrone	...	Satipo
Sam Cummings	...	Barranca
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Bales	...	Dietrich

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG (2009)

Filming Locations:

Biloxi, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Rolling Boulder Films

Trivia:

Director Eli Roth brought the tape to the attention of both Harry Knowles and Steven Spielberg. Roth had a copy in his collection of videos for years before showing it at Harry Knowles' ‘Butt-numb-a-thon’ film festival in December, 2002. The response was so overwhelming that Roth took the tape to his very first meeting at Dreamworks, and gave it to an executive to give to Steven Spielberg. The executive called Roth the next week saying that Spielberg loved it and wanted to contact the filmmakers. Roth had never met the filmmakers, but google searched every name in the credits until he got a hold of Jayson Lamb, the cinematographer. The three filmmakers, Lamb, Strompolis, and Zala had not spoken in years when Roth contacted them out of the blue saying that Spielberg wanted to write them a letter. This reunited the friends, who began touring the world doing charity screenings with the film. Roth felt that the film was so powerful he had to do whatever he could to make sure fans around the world saw it.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

A tribute to the fire of youth

I was dumbstruck watching this. Yeah, it's obviously not as well-executed as the original, but you have to admire the dedication and energy.

At the end, after the lid on the ark comes down and Indy and Marion hug, I cried. I didn't cry at this point when watching the original. I was just so touched at the love and passion these kids lavished on trying to pay honor to the wonderfulness of the original.

Well! All that gushing aside, anything else? This was certainly a worthwhile enterprise, but I do sincerely hope these kids have gone on to create and wrangle media. It'd be nice to see them get a budget and bring something fully of their own to marvelous fruition.