Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (DVD)

After the recent disappointment of 2008's anaemic Indiana Jones and the Stupidly Long Title (aka Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls), I thought I'd revisit the original trilogy to remind me about what the films so great, and what makes Indy such an iconic figure who deserves better than a luke-warm new adventure. A tribute to the old RKO serials of the 40s and 50s, Raiders is, pure and simple, a fun movie that can be watched and re-watched dozens of times and enjoyed just as much every time. It's a blast of non-stop action, spectacular stunts, hi-octane thrills and fun one-liners. The plot is a load of old rubbish. It sees our hero flying off to various ...  Read the complete review

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (not ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ as the increasingly mad George Lucas wants us to call it – I had to get this off my chest before we could go further) is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise which consists of two other, equally famous and only slightly less popular films; a forgettable TV series that Lucas is currently giving an even more pointless ‘Star Wars’ style makeover to; some excellent and terrible video game spin-offs, and a brand new film scheduled for release sometime next year. Like the James Bond franchise, it’s a series I oddly had no real experience with outside of a hazy childhood memory of a bloke ...  Read the complete review

With Indiana Jones firmly back in our minds following the successful release of a fourth Indy film, the original trilogy will no doubt become more popular as a younger generation storms to see what they hype is about. The first of the original trilogy matches the direction of Stephen Spielberg with the production skills of George Lucas and his Star Wars golden boy Harrison Ford, and took the world by storm when it was released in 1981. The film is set in 1936, and tells of Dr Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), a college professor obsessed with archaeology and the retention of ancient relics and their safety by inclusion in museums. Jones pits himself against the ...  Read the complete review

In 1935 archaeologist and teacher Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is in the Perivian jungle when he is captured by locals who want what he's got. Indy's just retrieved an ancient artefact known as a Golden Idol. While back in America continuing with his teaching Indy is approached by two Army Intelligence men who inform him that Nazis are looking for his old mentor. When Indiana arrives in Nepal to track down his old mentor he is greeted with his ex, Marion (Karen Allen) who is still angry with Indy for the way he treated her, they don't have much time to argue though because they are quickly attacked in the bar that Marion runs, the two manage to escape and go ...  Read the complete review

Director: Steven Spielberg Producers: Frank Marshall, Howard Kazanjian, Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas Writers: George Lucas, Philip Kaufman and Lawrence Kasdan Stars: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Ronald Lacey, Wolf Kahler and Denholm Elliot Released in the summer of 1981 this first of what is too be a fine series of movies involving the mishaps of an archaeologist with morals...and a very acrobatically way of solving problems... ** BRIEF PLOT ** Archaeologist Indiana Jones, (played by Harrison Ford) is on the path to find the mysterious 'ark', which is thought to hold ...  Read the complete review