Why?

Posted by Michaelson from leospace047.utsi.edu on April 29, 2001 at 15:27:25:

In Reply to: Hilarious analysis of the Cairo street fight from my film professor! posted by Indy French on April 29, 2001 at 14:01:29:

: Get this guys. My film professor was analyzing Raiders of the Lost Ark this past week in class and said that

: "Raiders wasn't about the 30s, it was about the 80s. For example, when Indiana Jones pulls his gun and shoots the evil, black clad swordsman in almost cold blood, that's a direct comment on Ronald Reagan's foreign policy towards the middle east during his administration."

: I almost fell out of my chair laughing.

: Mike

It's true in a large sense. You must have been to young to have been in the theater when the original release occurred, but if you'll look at the history of that time, we had just had our U.S. hostages returned from Iran a few months before Raiders came out. Every screening I attended that summer of 1980 had U.S. audiences yell with approval when that scene occurred, once with a standing ovation, and the comments made at that time were aimed at the Ayotolla (sp.?) that had held them, NOT the swordsman that Indy shot, and I mean at EVERY screening. I totally agree with your professor, but with a caveate, because I experienced that anger at the time.... it may not have been the actual thought process that was in place when the sceen was actually filmed in 1979, but that's how it was perceived by audiences when it was released. Regards. Michaelson

Follow Ups:

I thought "Raiders" was filmed in 1980 and released in 1981.(nm) Dakota Ellison 20:41:03 4/29/2001 (7)
- Wow! Michaelson 10:33:24 5/01/2001 (0)
- Raiders premiered on June 11, 1981. Fall Guy 22:24:39 4/29/2001 (5)
  - Actually June 12, 1981 Indiana Banzai 22:52:19 4/29/2001 (4)
    - I was 24 hours off? SHIT! :p (nm) Fall Guy 02:07:12 4/30/2001 (3)
      - They probably had a 'gala' premiere the night before, though.... (nm) Indiana Banzai 10:33:18 4/30/2001 (2)
        
        I was wondering when that thought would occur to you. ;) (nm) Fall Guy 11:31:54 4/30/2001 (1)
        
        Now that I think of it.... Indiana Banzai 16:10:08 4/30/2001 (0)

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: : Get this guys.  My film professor was analyzing Raiders of the Lost Ark this past week in class and said that

: : "Raiders wasn't about the 30s, it was about the 80s.  For example, when Indiana Jones pulls his gun and shoots the evil, black clad swordsman in almost cold blood, that's a direct comment on Ronald Reagan's foreign policy towards the middle east during his administration."

: : I almost fell out of my chair laughing.

: : Mike

: It's true in a large sense. You must have been to young to have been in the theater when the original release occurred, but if you'll look at the history of that time, we had just had our U.S. hostages returned from Iran a few months before Raiders came out. Every screening I attended that summer of 1980 had U.S. audiences yell with approval when that scene occurred, once with a standing ovation, and the comments made at that time were aimed at the Ayotolla (sp.?) that had held them, NOT the swordsman that Indy shot, and I mean at EVERY screening. I totally agree with your professor, but with a caveate, because I experienced that anger at the time.... it may not have been the actual thought process that was in place when the sceen was actually filmed in 1979, but that's how it was perceived by audiences when it was released. Regards. Michaelson

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