Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Spielberg reasserts himself with tremendous boyish adventure

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The wonderfully crafted poster with lots of details and the irresistible title art for Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark

Archeologist, teacher and adventurer Indiana Jones is briefed by US intelligence services that Nazis are searching for the mythical Lost Ark in Egypt, believing that it will make their army invincible. - But not if Jones finds it first!

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark is written by Lawrence Kasdan (Dreamcatcher (2003)), with Philip Kaufman (Rising Sun (1993)) and George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)) contributing story elements, and directed by Ohioan master filmmaker Steven Spielberg (The Sugarland Express (1974)), whose 5th feature it is.

It is a pure breed of film, a rare experience in excitement, fun and imagination; thrilling, colorful and crammed with fantastical action sequences and magnificent music (score by John Williams (The Post (2017))), as well as unforgettable, charismatic performances by Harrison Ford (Ender's Game (2013)), Karen Allen (Year by the Sea (2016)) as Marion Ravenwood and Ronald Lacey (Valmont (1989)) as the ultra-evil German Toht. 

The scenes that will etch themselves into your memory for all their unique charms, ingenuity and general awesomeness are pretty much standing in line in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Related posts:

Steven Spielberg: The Fabelmans (2022) or, My Wonderful Upbringing

2017 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
The Post (2017) - Spielberg returns to mastery with a thrilling salute to the virtues of real, critical, brave journalism
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
Lincoln (2012) - Spielberg's inspiring presidential portrait stands tall 
War Horse (2011) - Spielberg visits WWI with problematic horse drama  
The Adventures of Tintin/The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) - Affinities for Tintin, earlier Spielberg and film will decide your experience of this 3D mo-cap adventure
Super 8 (2011) - Abrams' nostalgic family crowdpleaser (producer)

The 2000s in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Munich (2005) - Spielberg wrings a brilliant spy thriller from fraught real-life massacre and its aftermath

Top 10: Best HBO titles 

2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Band of Brothers - TV mini-series (2001) - WWII-sacrifice and -comradeship portrayed with skill and integrity (producer) 

Top 10: Best future-set movies 
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) - A robot fairy tale with both heart and mind
Amistad (1997) or, Must... Free... Slaves! 

Hook (1991) - Arr, Spielbergian folly 
Empire of the Sun (1987) - Spielberg's grand production of boy-in-China-during-WWII is a misfire

The Goonies (1985) - Sweet child performances drive Donner's beloved, uneven adventure (story) 
Twilight Zone The Movie (1983) - Fear takes many forms in tragedy-struck anthology

Top 10: Best family movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - Spielberg's greatest accomplishment
1941 (1979) - Spielberg's bizarre 'comedy spectacular' sinks like a rock  
Top 10: Best car chases in movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Duel (1971) - Spielberg's truck terror is ideal afternoon fare 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 18-20 mil. $ (different accounts)

Box office: 389.9 mil. $

= Blockbuster (returned 20.52 times its cost)

[Raiders of the Lost Ark was released 12 June (North America) and runs 115 minutes. Spielberg was reportedly paid 1.5 mil. $ for directing, while Lucas got reportedly 2.5 mil. $ for his inputs, plus a gross percentage for Spielberg and a profit participation for Lucas, likely running into a huge multi-million dollar back-end payment for both. Ford was paid 5.9 mil. $ for his performance, while Alfred Molina received 2.5k $ per week. Shooting took place from June - September 1980 in England, France, Tunisia, Arizona, Hawaii and California, including in San Francisco. The film opened #1 to an 8.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it climbed the charts again after a few weeks and regained #1 in its 6th week, spending most of the following 9 weeks at #1 and a total of 40 weeks in the Top 10. It was the highest-grossing film of the year, grossing 212.2 mil. $ in North America (54.4 % of the total gross). Several re-releases continued to increase the total gross, and VHS and later DVD and Blu-ray releases further grew the feature's amazing profitability. The film was nominated for 9 Oscars, winning 5; for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Sound, Editing, Visual Effects and a Special Achievement Oscar for Sound Effects Editing. It lost Best Cinematography (Douglas Slocombe (Nijinski (1980))) to Vittorio Storaro for Reds, Director to Warren Beatty for Reds, Score to Vangelis for Chariots of Fire and Picture also to Chariots of Fire. It also won 1/7 BAFTA nominations, was nominated for a César award, a Golden Globe, and won a Grammy and a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. The film spun a franchise with the next film, - with Ford, Spielberg and others returning, - being Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). IMDb's users have rated the film in at #60 on the site's Top 250 list, sitting between Wall-E (2008) and The Lives of Others (2006). Spielberg first returned with E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982). Ford first returned in Blade Runner (1982). Raiders of the Lost Ark is certified fresh at 93 % with a 9.0/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Top 10: Best heist movies

 

1. The Asphalt Jungle (1950) - John Huston

 

2. Ocean's Eleven (2001) - Steven Soderbergh

 

3. Good Time (2017) - Benny & Josh Safdie

 

4. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - Arthur Penn

 

5. Charley Varrick (1973) - Don Siegel 

 

6. High Sierra (1941) - Raoul Walsh  

 

 

7. Heat (1995) - Michael Mann

8. Inside Man (2006) - Spike Lee

 

 

9. Hell or High Water (2016) - David Mackenzie  

10. Bandits (2001) - Barry Levinson

Selected from 43 titles labeled 'heist'

Previous Top 10 lists:

Best action movies
Best adapted movies
Best adventure movies
Best 'big flop' movies
Best B/W movies
Best true story movies
Best 'big hit' movies
Best biopic movies
Best 'box office success' movies
Best car chases in movies
Best comedies
Best cop movies       
Best crime movies 
Best debut movies   
Best Danish movies
Best Disney movies 
Best documentaries 
Best dramas
Best drama-thrillers
Best dramedies

Best drug-themed movies

Best UK movies

Best epic movies

Best erotic movies

Best family movies

Best fantasy movies

Best films about filmmaking 

Best first-of-franchise movies 

Best 'flop' rank movies

Best Twentieth Century Fox titles 

Best French movies

Best franchise movies 

Best future-set movies 

Best gangster movies

Best gay-themed titles

Best German movies 

Best ghost horror movies 

Best gore movies

Top 10: Best HBO titles

What do you think of the list?
Which heist movies would make your personal Top 10?

Identity (2003) - Mangold succeeds with crafty thriller

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Mortal danger, mystery and scares are teased on this deft poster for James Mangold's Identity

Ten strangers meet at a small hotel on a very rainy night, soon facing someone unknown that starts eliminating them one by one.

 

Identity is written by Michael Cooney (Murder in Mind (1997)) and co-produced and directed by New-Yorker master filmmaker James Mangold (Heavy (1995)), whose 5th feature it is.

The semi-psychological, somewhat baloney-ish plot is a bit hole-ridden but fair, with some  Se7en (1995) inspiration dripping off it. But the pay-off is considerable, and Identity is staged highly professionally. 

Amanda Peet (Gulliver's Travels (2010)) is lovely here, and the editing is tight. And God, how it rains in this modern high-concept thriller.

 

Related posts:

James Mangold:  The day after the day after ... the 2018 Oscars

Oscars 2018: Predictions and Film Excess' favorites

The Greatest Showman (2017) - Brace for an infectious musical show (executive producer/director (reshoots))

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]

The Wolverine (2013) - Many good elements in Mangold's Japan-set superhero adventure actioner 
Knight and Day (2010) - Diaz and Cruise invigorate Mangold's action romance

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Girl, Interrupted (1999) - Girls with mental problems explored in compassionate, strong film 

Top 10: Best cop movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
Cop Land (1997) - Stallone faces corruption and turns in some good acting in fine crime drama 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 28 mil. $

Box office: 90.2 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 3.22 times its cost)

[Identity premiere 23 April (Los Angeles) and runs 90 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including in Los Angeles. Angelo Badalamenti made a score for the film, but it was replaced with one by Alan Silvestri. The film opened #1 to a 16.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent 2 more weekends in the top 5 (#3-#4), grossing 52.1 mil. $ (57.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 5.2 mil. $ (5.8 %) and Germany with 4.7 mil. $ (5.2 %). Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Mangold returned with Walk the Line (2005). John Cusack (Reclaim (2014)) returned in Runaway Jury (2003); Peet in Something's Gotta Give (2003). Identity is fresh at 63 % with a 6.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Identity?

Indestructible Man (1956) or, The Nearly Indestructible Man!

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Scantily dressed young women screaming with intense fright competes with firetruck red, a fearfully intense star Lon Chaney Jr. and terrific title art on this tremendous poster for Jack Pollexfen's Indestructible Man

A wrongfully condemned man returns after his electrical execution with super powers with only one mission in mind: Revenge!

 

Indestructible Man is written by Sue Dwiggins and Vy Russell (Monstrosity (1963), both) and produced and directed by Jack Pollexfen (Dragon's Gold (1954)).

The homicide case that opens the narrative is handled in the best Raymond Chandler style. Lon Chaney Jr. (Buckskin (1968)) is 'Butcher', the (nearly) indestructible man! Not even the police's bazooka or flamethrower can stop him!

The weak dialog (almost none of it given to Chaney) is weighed up with several other qualities: Car-driving scenes shot from a car driving in front of the action are cool (cinematography by John L. Russell (Billie (1965)); Chaney's "eye effect", illustrating the electrical intensity, is fantastic; the grandiose ending at a Los Angeles power station is great; the score (by Albert Glasser (Tormented (1960))) is wonderful, and there's a romantic end scene that is extremely corny. Indestructible Man is an enormously rad picture for fans of low-budget strange fare of this period.

Related post:

Jack Pollexfen: Monstrosity/The Atomic Brain (1963) - Crazed doctor schlock

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain

[Indestructible Man was released 25 March (USA) and runs 72 minutes. Shooting took place around November 1954 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film was shown on a double bill in North America with World Without End (1956) and in other areas with Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). It was also released in at least 6 other markets, but details of its budget and box office results are regrettably not readily available. The film has fallen into public domain and is available for free and legal download and streaming right here. Pollexfen returned with Monstrosity (1963). Chaney Jr. returned in Telephone Time (1956, TV-series) and theatrically in The Black Sleep (1956). 3.2k+ IMDb users have given Indestructible Man a 4.4/10 average rating.]

 

What do you think of Indestructible Man?

The Italian Job (2003) - Gray impresses with slick heist remake

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Sexy stars align on this neat poster for F. Gary Gray's The Italian Job

After a violent betrayal in Italy, professional fixer Charlie Crockett gathers a team of experts to carry out an elaborate revenge in Los Angeles with a prize of gold bullion at its conclusion.

 

The Italian Job is written by Donna and Wayne Powers (Deep Blue Sea (1999)) and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker F. Gary Gray (Friday (1995)), loosely remaking the same-titled 1969 British film by Peter Collinson.

Attractive and entertaining, this heist picture benefits from intelligent heists, a rapid pace and handsome cinematography (by Wally Pfister (The Prestige (2006))) to go with the handsome cast: Edward Norton's (Fight Club (1999)) villain and Charlize Theron (Æon Flux (2005)) are especially commendable, along with the Mini Coopers, which are dope. The soundtrack cements the cool vibe of The Italian Job (excellent use of To Get Down by Timo Maas), and Gray's music video background is seen and felt clearly here. This may also be the film's minor weakness: It is an exciting case of fast in - fast out; cool but easily forgotten afterwards.

 

Related posts:

F. Gary Gray: Straight Outta Compton (2015) - Gray's N.W.A. biopic is excellent 

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

Law Abiding Citizen (2009) - Gray and stars are in trouble with this jumbled revenge thriller

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 60 mil. $

Box office: 176 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.93 times its cost)

[The Italian Job was released 30 May (North America) and runs 111 minutes. Norton was paid 1 mil. $ for his performance in the film; Jason Statham (The Transporter (2002)) got 450k $. Shooting took place around September 2002 in Italy, Manitoba, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #3, behind fellow new release Finding Nemo and holdover hit Bruce Almighty, to a 19.4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#4-X-#5), grossing 106.1 mil. $ (60.3 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 12.8 mil. $ (7.3 %) and Australia with 6.9 mil. $ (3.9 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Plans for a sequel never came to fruition. Gray returned with 4 music videos prior to his theatrical return with Be Cool (2005). Mark Wahlberg (All the Money in the World (2017)) returned in I Heart Huckabees (2004); Theron in Monster (2003); and Norton in After the Sunset (2004). The Italian Job is fresh at 72 % with a 6.4/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Italian Job? 

Inside Man (2006) - Lee's delicious heist thriller

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Text and small, slim stills at slanted angles upon a white background make up this poster for Spike Lee's Inside Man

An elaborate bank heist takes place in New York by a mysterious team of robbers, who take the staff hostage, while a police negotiator tries to get the criminals out without any bloodshed, and the bank's founder hires a fixer to make sure his vault's secrets are not stolen.

Inside Man is written by Russell Gewirtz (Blind Justice (2005)) and directed by Georgian master filmmaker Spike Lee (Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983)), whose 20th feature it is.

It it an intelligent and very well carried out thriller and an unusual Lee 'joint': He did not participate in its writing, as he is wont to do, and it is a more 'straight' genre picture than most of his films. But Inside Man still has the Lee touch: It is rife with buddy mood, and Denzel Washington (The Hurricane (1999)) is terrific as the 'small-time New-Yorker' who saves the day. 

The story is captivating, and the performances are way above the standard in most thrillers, most prominently Washington, but Jodie Foster (The Brave One (2007)) is also good as the frightening fixer, and so is Christopher Plummer (Starcrash (1978)) as the conscience-plagued bank founder. There's a keen double-meaning to the movie's title.

 

Related posts:
 
Spike Lee: The day after the day after ... the 2019 Oscars

She Hate Me (2004) or, Champion of the Lesbians 

2002 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Top 10: Best crime movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
25th Hour (2002) or, Taking a Second Chance 

1998 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  

He Got Game (1998) - Lee's basketball classic 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 45 mil. $
Box office: 186 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.13 times its cost)

[Inside Man was released 16 March (Netherlands) and runs 129 minutes. Shooting took place from June - August 2005 in New York. The film opened #1 to a 28.9 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4), grossing 88.5 mil. $ (47.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 14.4 mil. $ (7.7 %) and France with 9.3 mil. $ (5 %). The film won an AFI award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 2.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. The film additionally made an estimated 38.6 mil. $ on home video sales in North America alone. Lee returned with 4 TV and short projects prior to his theatrical return Miracle at St. Anna (2008). Washington returned in Deja Vu (2006); Clive Owen (Killer in Red (2017, short)) in Children of Men (2006); and Foster in The Brave One (2007). Inside Man is certified fresh at 86 % with a 7.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Inside Man?