Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation 320
jonerik writes "Ain't It Cool News has an article on one of the more fascinating fan film projects ever conceived: A shot-for-shot remake of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" filmed in Biloxi, Mississippi between 1982 and 1988 by Eric Zala, Jayson Lamb and Chris Strompolis. What's particularly amazing is that the trio began filming the project when they were twelve and finished six years later when they were eighteen. Now, fifteen years after the project was completed, word of the film's existence has gotten out and audiences who have seen it have reportedly been stunned by the trio's ingenuity, with none other than "RotLA" director Steven Spielberg giving Zala, Lamb, and Strompolis a big thumbs-up. The complete film isn't available online, but a trailer that gives a bit of the feel of the finished project can be viewed. The Austin Chronicle also has a story on the project."
talk about dedicated fans (Score:5, Interesting)
But then, back in my teens in the mainframe and paper tape days, I wrote my own version of the ever popular Star Trek game. I didn't need to, I could play the original all I wanted. Even the source code was available. But I thought I could do the same job in a more easily understood manner. So I coded up a virtually identical version. It was much less code and alot easier to read, although the original was a little faster.
So I guess remaking something you like just because you can must be some kind of teen geek ritual.
legality (Score:4, Interesting)
Shot for Shot remake, certainly the Writers guild will have something to say.
A brilliant piece of work though. Puts Hardware Wars to shame.
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Interesting)
Of course, if the "real" versions ever come out, I'll get them as well, but in the meantime, everyone's always turning up asking to watch my copies.
Also picked up Barton Fink and a couple of other unreleased-on-DVD films this way...
Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
others were supressed, nice to see this one live (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Copyright Violation! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
Fantastic Job (Score:5, Interesting)
These guys did every sequence in the movie save one. After some frightening messing around with explosives they opted not to attempt the flying wing sequence despite having access to an aircraft and the part of the bald mechanic already cast.
Every other scene is there though and done with impressive skill given their ages and the era in which they made it.
Re:Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
That's good enough for me.
Besides, these kids were *kids* - not Gus Wossname with millions of bucks and a full production crew.
Kudos to the kids !
This I would enjoy seeing (Score:5, Interesting)
Starship Exeter [www.starshipexeter.com] is one example of fan based work. Based on classic star trek, their one release actually has a somewhat decent story as well as capturing that late 60's sci-fi theme while by todays standards is considered most cheezy. If you can get over the wind in the boom low quality film and shacky camera man, it's a worth see.
Now, i'm not nessicarly going to say that this is going to be any good... but it should prove to be entertaining at the very least. More so then alot of things targeted tward the typcial 12 year old. I intend to watch it, if for nothing else but to use as an example, "Look at what these 12 year olds did... hollywood you have no excuse".
Re:legality (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyone have it? (Score:4, Interesting)
Some friends of mine did a similar project. It wasn't a shot for shot re-make, but an original story called Indiana Jed. Was a lot of fun for high-school students to make, and sure beats the heck out of playing computer games for hours on end. Take a look at Indiana Jed [linnproductionsmedia.com]
I think this proves one of my beliefs (Score:5, Interesting)
The only trick is knowing what you consider worth making an extended effort for. That takes vision. All the implementation takes is dedication.
Was at the first premiere. (Score:5, Interesting)
Four words in closing. The fire is real.
Parody/copyright shenannigans (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:talk about dedicated fans (Score:5, Interesting)
AMON TOBIN (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:talk about dedicated fans (Score:3, Interesting)
What really strikes me about this is that in a shot-for-shot remake, with, it looks, even the same camera angles, you are doing what amounts to copying the strokes in an Old Master's painting. Stroke-for-stroke, or shot-for-shot, allows no individual expression in depicting the scene; at the very most the actor learned a little while trying to do an exact copy of Harrison Ford's acting style.
Acting and cinimetography (granted, not that demonstrated in, say, Armageddon) are individual expressions of an artistic creativity. Copying the work of someone else requires skill, but not the same sort.
That said, I think these guys just did it because they were young fanboys. Nothing wrong with that. But I wouldn't call it high art, either.
Re:I hope someone posts it on Kazaa (Score:3, Interesting)
George Lucus ISN'T Stephen Spielberg. Lucus is to Media what Sco is to linux. For those who can't remember, Lucusfilm sued Battlestar Galactica because of multi-points of similuarity between it and Star Wars.
But even George Lucus has a sence of humor, according to this site [http://www.nitcentral.com/askchief/ac980522.htm]
"I remember the guy who made a Star Wars parody, Hardware Wars, got a letter from Lucas' lawyers warning him about copyright infringement, and he sent them a letter saying, "your boss liked it", and he included a copy of a letter from George Lucas saying how much he liked the parody. He never heard from the lawyers again."
So, strictly speaking if the director of the orgin work likes it, it really helps.
[why sue Galactica and not hardware wars, this is beyond me, oh perhaps because lucus wanted the money, and new hardware wars made no money]
While you are correct, the artical seemed to emply that Mr. Spielberg liked the derived work planed to see it on opening night.
However, I don't know other copyright holders that may have an interest in this work.
According to [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/07
Raiders of the Lost Arc is chapter 24 in the complete adventures of Indiana Jones. So there might be an author that still holds a copyright somewhere, but who knows.
I would suspect that that Spielberg would be willing to atleast co-operate with the kids if they decided to release this either on P2P systems, TV, or video, at least give them a whos who to contact.
I am not a Raders of the Lost Arc geek... perhaps someone who knows more about the specifics can shed some light on the details.