When it was first announced that Raiders of the Lost Ark would be released in IMAX, it seemed to be an exclusive for AMC theatres, of which there are none in my area. I was disappointed I wouldn’t be able to partake of this special event.
But, you know, it happens. No one thinks about Salt Lake City when throwing special events. My geographic handicap is my own fault.
I looked through some listings last week, saw that no shows were available in my area, and kept my chin up through the defeat. But I got a call from my brother on Friday morning telling me it was playing locally, and that I’d be a fool to miss it.
He was right, though in his defense, he claims I’m a fool for everything I do or don’t do.
I caught a screening last night and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve never seen Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen, and seeing it that way opened up new things in the storytelling I’d never even noticed before, simply because I was watching at home.
One thing I noticed and loved was how stylized the matte paintings were. On the VHS and even DVD versions of the film I’ve watched and re-watched a hundred times, the matte paintings seemed realistically seamless. But on the big screen, they felt much more like the 30s sort of over-stylized matte painting of the era the film was aping. The one painting in particular that stands out is the Pan Am plane that whisks Indy from San Francisco to Nepal. Take a close look at the cars in the background, it almost looks like the painted cover to a Fitzgerald novel.
The sound was crisp and clear and the film contained no changes whatsoever, though I couldn’t detect things like the reflection of the snake. Perhaps a few things were fixed, but it was nothing to the detriment of the film.
Raiders of the Lost Ark stands the test of time as not only the best of the Indiana Jones films, but one of the greatest films ever made. The screenplay is one of the finest and the adventure is nothing short of 100% rollicking.
I mean, honestly, how ballsy does a man have to be to start his own, rogue archeological dig in the middle of a Nazi camp?
Very ballsy.
And every time I watch the film, I catch new notes about the nature of Indy and Marion’s relationship.
It’s a film that keeps giving. And I was able to take my son to see it for the first time, which was thrilling for him. The only other one he’d seen theatrically was Crystal Skull (though he claimed that was still his favorite after seeing Raiders in IMAX…)
It plays until Thursday in IMAX. Make time this week to see it.
You will NOT be disappointed.
If you miss it, the Blu-ray collection drops next week. At Star Wars Celebration VI I was treated to some behind the scenes footage they included on the disc and it was nothing short of amazing. This is a set you want to pick up.