The Load Bearing Beams podcast covers the history of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981). Director Steven Spielberg describes the Indiana Jones movies as "belonging to George Lucas," and Spielberg is the self-described "hired help." How true is this? We examine the origins of Indiana Jones, or, as he was originally known, Indiana Smith.

It started when George Lucas enlisted the help of Philip Kaufman (future director of "The Right Stuff") to help him develop the character and who introduced the idea of the Ark of the Covenant. Later, Lucas told Spielberg about his ideas for the character. Having directed Star Wars, Lucas swore off directing and writing forever (it wouldn't last forever), and needed someone else to direct his Indiana Smith idea. Spielberg, wanting to direct a James Bond movie, thought this idea would be a fine substitute.

The two hired writer Lawrence Kasdan to turn their ideas into a functional screenplay. Producer Frank Marshall came aboard and, after an ill-fated attempt to cast Tom Selleck as the title hero, the filmmakers did the sensible thing and cast Harrison Ford. Things went more according to the plan in casting Karen Allen to play Marion Ravenwood, over other contenders like Debra Winger and Sean Young.

The film was a relatively smooth production from Lucasfilm, under supervision of George Lucas in his capacity as executive producer, a role he was ideally suited for. Much of the same crew ported over from "The Empire Strikes Back," which was also shot at Elstree Studio in London, including producers Howard Kazanjian and Robert Watts. This was also Spielberg's first collaboration with Frank Marshall, who, along with Kathleen Kennedy, would go on to run Spielberg's production company Amblin.

Learn all about this and much more in this history of Indiana Jones!

This is the history segment from Load Bearing Beams episode 121 about "Raiders of the Lost Ark." You can catch the entire episode here: [ Ссылка ]

Time stamps:
0:00 — What does a producer do?
2:03 — George Lucas's development of Indiana Smith in the early 1970s
8:55 — How Lucas and Spielberg became friends
13:28 — Spielberg and Lucas decide to make Raiders of the Lost Ark while playing in the sand on a beach in Hawaii in 1977
18:11 — Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan is brought aboard and the three develop the script
19:30 — Lucas and Spielberg sell the project to Paramount and Michael Eisner
20:37 — Casting Indy and Marion
23:58 — Production and release of the movie
26:53 — Critical response evolves over time; "poptimism" in film criticism

Sources:
The Complete Making of Indiana Jones: The Definitive Story Behind All Four Films by J.W. Rinzler - [ Ссылка ]
Steven Spielberg: A Biography by Joseph McBride - [ Ссылка ]
George Lucas: A Life by Brian Jay Jones - [ Ссылка ]

свернуть