Over this past weekend, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" celebrated it's 30th anniversary. It was on June 12th, 1981 that George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg first introduced Indiana Jones to the world and a franchise was born. Over 30 years, 3 sequels, a TV show, video games etc. there is still nothing like the original iconic film.
To put it simply, "Raiders" is the greatest adventure movie of all time. It stands alone.
As a proud member of the Star Wars generation (you know, the old farts that actually saw the Trilogy in the theaters during the original run '77 - '83), Raiders holds a special place in my heart. It was released smack right in the middle of the Lucas/Spielberg golden era. It wasn't just another movie, it was the spiritual cousin of Star Wars.
Raiders made a very impressionable 11 year old consider ever so briefly, to give up my lightsaber for a bullwhip as my weapon of choice. It made me ponder, who was hotter Marion Ravenwood or Princess Leia? (Disclaimer: had I known about Slave Leia a mere two years later, this would have never been a competition). It left me puzzled as to why the Nazis kept on reminding me of the Empire ;) It made me raise my feet in my chair out of fear that their were snakes slithering around the movie theater. But most importantly, it sparked debates over who was the more bad ass hero Han Solo or Indiana Jones. Didn't matter, cause they were both Harrison Ford!
So here's to you Indy...Happy 30th! To think that you were almost played by Tom Selleck. Woah!