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The
scene where Indy threatens to blow up the Ark
with a bazooka, as it is being carried through
a canyon, was filmed in the exact same canyon
in Tunisia used in Star
Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when R2-D2
was zapped and stolen by Jawas. |
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In
filming the Well of Souls sequence,
the producers scoured every
pet shop in London and the South
of England for every snake they
could lay their hands on. Hence
there are snakes that are identifiable
from many different geographical
areas.
However, once all the snakes
were on set, it became clear
that there were not nearly enough
of them, so Spielberg had several
hoses cut into lengths, and
these were used as well. Looking
closely, you can tell which
are the real snakes and which
are not. |
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An
early draft of the script had Indy traveling to
Shanghai to recover a piece of the Staff of Ra.
During his escape from the museum where it was
housed, he sheltered from machine gun fire behind
a giant rolling gong. Also in the same script,
Indy and Marion flee the chaos caused by the opening
of the Ark in a wild mine-cart chase sequence.
Both of these scenes were cut from the script,
but ended up in Indiana
Jones and the Temple of Doom.
More info on this at IndianaJones.com. |
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The film begins with a shot of a
peak in the jungle which is reminiscent of the
Paramount Pictures
logo. A similar opening shot of a mountain is
also used in Indiana
Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade. |
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Director
Steven Spielberg was quoted
as saying:
"I made it as a B-movie...
I didn't see the film as anything
more than a better made version
of the Republic serials." |
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Tom
Selleck originally cast as Indiana
Jones, but was committed to
Magnum
P.I. |
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Jock's
airplane at the beginning of
the film has the registration
number 'OB-CPO', referring to
characters Obi-Wan Kenobi and
C-3PO from the Star
Wars films. |
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Script
originally included a long fight between a swordsman
and Indiana with his whip. Actor Harrison Ford
was suffering diarrhea at the time, and asked
if the scene could be shortened. Spielberg said
the only way he could shorten it was if Indy pulled
out his gun and just shot the guy. The entire
crew laughed and that's how it was filmed. |
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The
hieroglyphics in the Well of
Souls include engravings of
R2-D2 and C-3PO. They can be
seen on a post to the right
of Indy and Sallah as they remove
the Ark. |
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Harrison Ford was actually dragged
behind the truck for some of
the shots. When asked if he
was worried, Ford quipped: "No.
If it really was dangerous,
they would have filmed more
of the movie first."
It is said that Ford badly bruised
his ribs during the filming
of this scene. |
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The
last scene of the entire movie,
where we see the Ark in the
crate carrying away in a huge
warehouse is a reference to
the classic Citizen
Kane by Orson Welles.
Where we see a similar scene,
also near the ending. |
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Steven
Spielberg rented stock footage
to save money rather than re-creating
everything out of his own imagination.
The DC-3 flying over the Himalayas
is lifted from 1973's Lost
Horizon, while a 1930s
street scene was borrowed from
The
Hindenburg. |
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The
elaborate truck chase sequence
is modeled on a stunt in John
Ford's Stagecoach.
In this film, legendary stuntman
Yakima Canutt falls from a riding
Stagecoach between the horses,
lowers himself between their
legs and slides over the ground
till he reaches the back of
the Stagecoach where he climbs
up again. |
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When
Indy is threatening to blow
up the Ark Belloq says"You're
going to give mercenaries a
bad name".
When he says that a fly flies into his mouth and
you don't see it coming out again! |
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Visual
Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren
appears as a Nazi spy who is
tracking Indiana Jones on the
airplane. Only his eyes can
be seen, though, as most of
his face is hidden behind the
Life
Magazine he's reading. |
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Producer
Frank Marshall has a cameo role
in the film. He is the Pilot
of the Flying Wing. Marion knocks
him unconscious with a log when
he tries to shoot Indy. |
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Actor
Vic Tablian played 2 credited roles. He played
Barranca (the guide Indy whips in the intro) and
the Monkey Man. |
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Also
actor Pat Roach played 2 credited
roles. He was the Giant Sherpa
(wrestling Indy in the Raven
bar) and the First Mechanic
(the big guy Indy wrestles with
in the Flying Wing sequence).
Pat Roach also played the Chief
Guard in Indiana
Jones and the Temple of Doom
and a Gestapo agent in Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade. |
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Actor
Michael Sheard who played the
uncredited role as the U-boat
Captain first auditioned for
the role of Gestapo agent Toht,
but his friend Ronald Lacey
got the part. Michael Sheard
returned for Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade
in which he played Adolf Hitler. |
