VFX artists break down the minor Indiana Jones flaw that nearly ruined an iconic Raiders of the Lost Ark scene. The 1981 film tracked Harrison Ford’s courageous archaeologist, who sought to prevent Nazis from recovering an ancient power known as the Ark of the Covenant. After confronting René Belloq (Paul Freeman) near the end of the movie, Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) were forced to watch the relic being opened. Though seemingly inconsequential, the Ark released a number of potent energy blasts that burned through German troops, combusting Belloq and melting the faces of others.
In Corridor Crew‘s latest video, VFX artists looked at that sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and revealed what almost wrecked it. Check out their discussion below:
While watching Arnold Toht’s (Ronald Lacey) face completely dissolve, Niko stated, “The shot’s almost ruined by the glasses.” They explained that part of the scene was filmed using time-lapse, making the effect more noticeable when paying close attention. However, they noted that most audiences wouldn’t spot the flaw and praised the rest of its design, sharing, “You have a bunch of other beautiful movement. The hat slowly lowering, the brow melting, the eyes losing their detail and becoming white as they roll back in the head.” Read more of Corridor Crew’s comments below:
Wren: “It’s the perfect tell that this is fast forwarded, cause they don’t fall at the regular speed like if they are filming it, they, it falls fast forwarded… But here’s the thing, no one’s looking at the glasses. Everyone’s looking at his face turning red.“
Why That Raiders Of The Lost Ark Scene Is So Memorable
The face-melting sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark has become one of the franchise’s most memorable, largely because of its practical effects. As Corridor Crew mentioned, wax and other substances were used to create a model of Lacey’s head that would be recorded over several minutes, but “over 18 hours it took them to layer all this and get it ready to shoot,” as Clint pointed out. An on-set Raiders of the Lost Ark documentary also revealed that Industrial Light & Magic, the VFX company that worked on every other Indiana Jones installment, incorporated gelatin to achieve the deterioration.
Aside from that particular shot, a lot happened during the ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark, including those various ghosts and flashes of light emerging from the artifact. The entire scene revolving around the Ark of the Covenant, and Belloq’s decision to open it, showcases the movie’s ability to utilize both visual and tangible effects. By operating actual lights attached to each performer, the energy that was released, which eventually struck the German soldiers and caused their chests to light up, appeared more realistic.
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The first Indiana Jones movie features many iconic moments, but the Ark of the Covenant sequence remains a notable standout. It’s interesting to see how VFX artists examine Raiders of the Lost Ark after more than four decades, and to learn about the behind-the-scenes processes involved with bringing such scenes to life. Even an incredibly well-done scene can still hold some minor flaws, which only makes it more fascinating to watch.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
The most popular and well-received film in the Indiana Jones movie franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark follows Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones in a race against Nazi forces to recover the famed Ark of the Covenant. Aided by his former lover, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), Indy must work to keep the Nazis, led by Dr. Rene Belloq, from obtaining the Ark and thus becoming recipients of its power. The film is widely regarded as one of the all-time greatest movies ever made.
- Release Date
- June 12, 1981
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Harrison Ford , Karen Allen , Alfred Molina , Paul Freeman , Ronald Lacey , John Rhys-Davies , Denholm Elliott
- Runtime
- 115 Minutes
- Writers
- Lawrence Kasdan
- Budget
- $20 Million
- Studio(s)
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Sequel(s)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
- Franchise(s)
- Indiana Jones
