FILMFACTS

TRIVIA

Raiders of the Lost Ark Trivia

1981

“

The return of the great adventure.

Trivia

...and teacher

Totally Trivia

Film facts for the 1981 Action / Adventure movie starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey

John Rhys-Davies, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott, Wolf Kahler, Anthony Higgins, Vic Tablian, Don Fellows, William Hootkins, Bill Reimbold, Fred Sorenson Update Cast

We believe the following trivia is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.

Thanks to Bryan Woolley

Update

Alfred Molina played Indiana's guide "Satipo", he would later go on to play "Doctor Octupus" in the blockbuster "Spiderman 2".

Thanks to Ernie

Update

The submarine used in the Movie is the same submarine that is used in Wolfgang Petersons "Das Boot". Steven Spielberg borrowed and repainted it for "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Thanks to Nick Napolitano

Update

Although it was the first film in the excellent trilogy, it is the 24th chapter of his adventures and the second film made, "The Temple Of Doom", is the 23rd chapter.

Thanks to James Kennedy

Update

The Bond/Indy Connection:

The films were originally the result of a conversation in Hawaii between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg concerning the James Bond films. This is part of the reason Connery was chosen to play Indy's father in I.J. and the Last Crusade.

Tom Selleck was the original choice for the Indy role. He was unable to do it because of his contract with the Magnum, P.I. TV show. The producers eventually turned to Harrison Ford. Shortly thereafter, Pierce Brosnan suffered the same fate (temporarily) when he was unable to play James Bond because of his TV show, Remington Steele. The Bond producers then turned to Timothy Dalton.

Julian Glover, who played Donovan, the villain in IJ and the Last Crusade, also played Bond villain Kristatos in "For Your Eyes Only". He played yet another villain, General Veers, in Lucas's "The Empire Strikes Back".

John Ryes-Davies played Sallah in Raiders and Last Crusade. Davies played Soviet General Pushkin in the Bond film, "The Living Daylights.

Key Hue Quan played Short Round in I.J. and the Temple of Doom. He also appeared in "The Goonies" as Data, a kid obsessed with James Bond and Bond-like gadgets. At one point, the character is even referred to as "Double-O Negative."

Thanks to James Kennedy

Update

Vic Tablian plays two roles in the film; Barranca, Indy's guide that attempts to shoot him and is then killed by the Hovitos, and the one-eyed Monkey Man in Cairo.

Thanks to James Kennedy

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The Indiana Jones character was originally going to be called 'Indiana Smith.'

Thanks to James Kennedy

Update

'Indiana' was famously named after George Lucas's dog, even prompting an in-joke that is used in I.J. and the Last Crusade.

Thanks to James Kennedy

Update

Lucas envisioned Indy as a Bogart-type hero; a dark, grizzled alcoholic. This characterization was later softened, especially in the sequels, but the remnants of the idea are clear in the scene where Indy and Belloq discuss God and the Ark in the Cairo tavern.

Thanks to James Kennedy

Update

Pat Roach plays the tough German Mechanic that is killed by the flying 'V' plane's propellers. He plays a similar role in I.J. and the Temple of Doom as a tough Thugee who is killed in a rock crusher.

Thanks to C.T. Warren

Update

The character of Marion Ravenwood was originally written to return in "Temple Of Doom", but a new leading lady was inserted since it would be a prequel, and Marion would not be seen again until "Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" 27 years after Raiders, where she reveals that the real name of his sidekick Mutt Williams is Henry Jones III, Indy's son! Just in case you haven't seen it, I won't give away the ending.

Thanks to Marty

Update

In the scene where Indy lifts the lid off the ark, you can see a carving of R2-D2 and C3PO on the column to the left among the other heiroglyphs.

Rewind Archive

Update

Dennis Muren, ILM effects ace, 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.

Thanks to John Edward Kilduff

Update

In the supplements on the "Indiana Jones" DVD set, one can find rehearsal footage with Sean Young. Judging by this footage, she must have been up for the role of Marion.

Thanks to Pyeman

Update

In the opening sequence that has Indy taking, then escaping with the idol, the actor who plays Indy's jungle guide {"Throw me the idol!"}, is none other than Alfred Molina, who plays Doc Octopus in "Spiderman 2".

Rewind Archive

Update

Indiana Jones's kangaroo-hide bullwhip was sold in December, 1999 at Christie's auction house in London for $43,000.

Thanks to David Beck

Update

Towards the end of the movie, when Indy is threatening to blow up the Ark and Belloq (Paul Freeman) is reasoning with him, Freeman ingests a fly! Watch for the fly crawling around on his lips then gets sucked into his mouth during the shot. In fact, the fly that goes into Beloq's mouth actually flew out again, but the editor cropped out the one or two frames where that happened as a joke on the actor. That joke has followed him around for the rest of his career!

Thanks to Soled

Update

when Indy determines the position of the well of souls with the staff, the sun-beam is going over a pyramid-thing. On this pyramid are the words "nicht stören" which means do not disturb.

Thanks to Tordenskjold

Update

When Belloq and the Germans come out of the sub, you can hear a German shout out 1-1-3-8 which is a tribute to Lucas's THX=1138 movie.

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Bogus Trivia

There's often fake stuff floating round, y'know? -Like the 'ghost boy' that can allegedly be seen in "Three Men And A Baby".

But, nothing bogus that we know yet for "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

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1981 Paramount Pictures
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