Raiders' 30th: Evolution of a Movie Poster

Richard Amsel's iconic Raiders' poster illustrations from rough sketch to the theater lobby.

Raiders' 30th: Indiana Yankovic

As far as I know Weird Al never gave us an Indiana Jones themed song, but this almost shot for shot parody of Raiders' opening for 1989's UHF makes up for it.

Raiders' 30th: Ted's Indy

There is family artifact from 1981 that has survived numerous moving adventures, has been buried in dark and dusty garage tombs, has been stolen by nefarious siblings and finally, always belonging in a museum, is now on display in the prestigious Burbank Apartment of Antiquities curated by the person who created it ... my brother Ted

Cairo Indy by Ted Lowe age 12, 1981, pencil and marker

*Raiders' Opened 30 Years Ago Today

30 personal Indiana Jones anecdotes from the past 30 years (or 30 completely useless boring factoids about me)...

1. Before I saw Raiders, I didn't want it to be too good. I was such a big Star Wars fan that I feared it would replace it as the #1 grossing film of all time (which Star Wars was then and one reason I hate Titanic).
2. I saw Raiders' for the first time 2 weeks after it opened with my younger brother Ted at the Movieland theater on Central Ave. in Yonkers NY (I then did want it to be the #1 grossing film of all time).
3. Months later, needing a good excuse to watch it again, we convinced my Mom she'd love the movie and had to see it. Which she actually did and became an Indy fan as well.
4. My aunt Joan and uncle Joe gave me a Indy style fedora for Christmas in 1981.
5. I got Raider's of the Lost Ark on VHS as a Christmas gift in 1983 (which still may be in a box somewhere). 
6. My college's Resident Director borrowed my VHS for a student movie night held in the Freshman dorm lounge. Only 5 people showed up (including myself).
7. My brother and I received vintage looking WWI styled leather jackets similar to Indy's for Christmas in 1984.
8. My younger sister Monica around 8 or 9 years old did a great Satipo (Alfred Molina) impression which became a often requested family performance sitting around the dinner table.
9. I owned an 8mm camera in hopes of creating my own animated cartoons in high school, but the first thing I filmed was an Indy inspired adventure starring my brother as the hero and sister Monica as you guessed it: Satipo. I hope to get it digitally transferred soon.
10. Monica wrote Harrison Ford a fan letter when she was a kid and got back a signed photo. Sadly now a lost artifact.
11. One of my favorite early pencil drawings was of Indy based on a publicity still. It ended up being published on the back cover of my high school's literary magazine one year.
12. My first formal training in the arts was in the summer of '82 attending a six week program at SUNY Fredonia (in between my junior and senior year of high school). My first creation in painting class when instructed to just "play" and get a feel for the materials was a large 3' x 4' canvas of Indy's iconic shadow on a wall.
13. My high School yearbook quote was "It's not the years, it's the mileage"
14. The very same day I got home from my freshman year of college, I went to see Temple of Doom even before I unpacked my bags (at the same theater I saw Raiders)
15. I later saw Temple of Doom a second time when I took a date to see it at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC.
16. I had a giant Raiders' movie poster (known as a three sheet) which hung on my bedroom wall in high school and then all 4 years of college. It became so torn and beat up I eventually threw it away. I've seen that poster priced close to $1000 online these days. Who knew?
17.  I've been Indy for Halloween twice in my life (although a far less svelte archaeologist).
18. My family and I went to see Last Crusade the first weekend it opened. We were part of a large ticket holder line that turned ugly once we were let in. As the crowd bottle necked at the theater door. Some people started to swarm forward actually pushing others out of the way. My parents, siblings and I literally got shoved aside and separated from each other in a growing frenzy. Ushers started yelling for all to calm down. For a few seconds I honestly had fear of folks being crushed or trampled. Needless to say, not a fun movie experience.
19. Many years ago when I was a PA, I had to drop off a package to someone on the Universal Studio lot. I got lost and walked into the wrong office bungalow. Raiders' producer Frank Marshall happened to be standing there and gave me directions to the one I was looking for.
20. I tried to weave my own prop bullwhip once from strips cut from a garage sale found leather couch cushion cover. The end result looked more like a Ren Faire costume sash than anything Indy would of used.
21. I worked with a guy who claimed to be an uncredited scenic artist on Temple of Doom (among other things). Unfortunately he didn't realize I was a big fan and I pestered him with excited questions. His story sort of fell apart and I suspected he just made it up to impress, but to this day I give him the benefit of doubt, because it's fun to believe I worked with someone who worked on a Indy movie.
22. I once saw the most amazing custom Raiders' replica fedora ever made at a hat store here in Los Angeles. It was perfect, including dusty well worn aging. It was a solid real hat, not some cheap costume version. And it fit my head as if made for me. It cost $400.00. I went to that hat store numerous times over the course of a month just to look at it and try it on, debating whether to buy it. Then one day it was gone. Someone saved my bank account from myself.
23. The leather jacket I wear now is a 7 year old replica Indy style one from Gibson & Barnes. I've gotten a few compliments on it, but only once has anyone realized it is Indy's (as far as I know). One winter I was wearing it at Disneyland. While on line for a ride I noticed another visitor ahead of us smiling at me. He tugged on his jacket which was also an Indy replica and gave a knowing nod. I smiled and nodded back. Nerdy secret club fun.
24. One of the cutest things I ever saw was after seeing Crystal Skull. A father with his small son both dressed as Indy leaving the theater.
25. Years back, a producer and I during a very long and exhausting shoot day got into a heated argument. We were both just blowing off steam. Angry at me he said he'd just get the PA's to do my job. I said "Too bad the PAs don't know you the way I do Belloq". He started laughing and all was good.
26. At least once a month since 1981 (long before I became an occasional prop guy) I've thought about building my own Ark of the Covenant. One day.
27. I once spent days making a large diorama with sugar cubes of the Well of Souls to be a backdrop for an old Horizon vinyl model figure of Indy I had. I even spent hours carving in hieroglyphics. Unfortunately I failed to remember that sugar dissolves in water when I went to paint it using thinned acrylic washes.
28. Although Raiders' is one of my favorite films I haven't watched it as often as you might think. In 30 years, I can only count 16 times beginning to end (give or take one or two forgotten viewings).
29. I once found a dog-eared copy of the Raiders' novelization at an old book store that someone had obsessively highlighted all the times Marion was written. Creeped me out.
30. I think I've just used up everything I was going to post about for the rest of the month.

* Although this post is dated the 12th, I know it never showed up then. The weekend turned out to be a busy one and I'm behind schedule.

Raiders' 30th: At a Theater Near You!

There's something extra nostalgic about an old TV commercial for a movie, especially captured on a VCR with all the scratchy "tracking" lines and warped sound. Love this ad for Raiders. I remember it well.

Raiders' 30th: Buy the Stereo Videocassette!

Here's another odd bit of nostalgia I have. A postcard ad for Raiders' first time on video back in 1983. I actually found this awhile back tucked in one of my old 80's sketchbooks. I remember taking several off the counter from our local video store back then. Which was not really local. Video stores were still uncommon.

In my day kids, we had to go 50 miles to rent a video... in the snow... barefoot.

Raiders' 30th: What if Raiders was made today?

There was a trend on YouTube posting trailers for old movies recreated in a more modern "Inception" style. This one for Raiders is pretty cool. To watch it click on image or here.

Raiders' 30th: Secrets of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye

In the past several years I've come to the conclusion that the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland is the last truly great attraction made there. It's on the same level of production value and design that makes Pirates or the Haunted Mansion classics.

I've learned that it has behind the scenes mysteries and secrets unknown to the general public worthy of an Indy movie itself. I thought it be fun to spotlight a few this month.

First up, when riding through the mummy lined catacomb portion, keep an eye out for Bones, a Mouseketeer hat wearing skeleton.

Photo by Andy Neitzert

Spotting him is tough though, usually Bones is one of the first mummies you speed by on your left, but sometimes Disney Cast Members (aka employees) have been known to place the hat on different figure for a day or so. It's even been removed completely at times never to be found. Legend has it was done as a prank by one of the Cast Members years ago and has stuck around.

Raiders' 30th: Last Crusade Lighter Prop Coming Soon

Photo of the actual prop from the book "Star Wars to Indiana Jones: The Best of Lucasfilm Archives"

I think this month's Raiders celebration is the perfect time to turn a Zippo lighter I have into Indy's "lucky charm" seen in Last Crusade. It's a simple but recognizable prop. I've always wanted one, so why not make my own?

Technically it's Dr. Elsa Schneider's lighter. Indy borrowed it to light his way searching the dark Venice catacombs. Later, he had obviously pocketed it when Henry Sr. pulls it from Indy's jacket and attempts to burn the ropes holding them captive. Although Indy called it his "lucky charm" it proved far from when dropped to the floor and caught the whole room on fire.

My "how-to" for this project is coming soon.

Raiders' 30th: The Vinyl Soundtrack

On a forgotten lower bookshelf in our home rests several of my fiancee's vinyl albums saved from her youth. While looking at them one day I happily discovered the original Raider's soundtrack. She's a nerd like me, but hides it much better. I love that she kept the cellophane wrapping intact. The sticker on it really takes you back in time.

Raiders' 30th: 10 Ways To Crack a Whip

Raiders' 30th: Indy III Button

Not long after I graduated college in 1987, I took a concession stand job at the Cineplex Odeon in Universal City for a couple of months. Not my proudest career move. I only have three good memories from working there..

1. Watching Robocop for free over the course of a week in 10 minute installments on my breaks.
2. Selling Paul Stanley of KISS a soda and popcorn.
3. Having to wear an Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade promotional button on my uniform. 

 Although my required bow tie and name tag are long lost, I've held onto that Indy artifact.

Raiders' 30th: Jim Steranko

Comic art legend Jim Steranko created some amazing conceptual illustrations prior to even casting Raiders of the Lost Ark. I can easily imagine these as covers on some 30's or 40's pulp magazine with the Indy logo and a 10 cent price. They perfectly capture the movie serial spirit that inspired Lucas and Spielberg to make Raiders.

Images via The Drawings of Steranko

The latter illustration was used as the box art for the Raider's board game by Kenner. Note that the cigarette disappeared.

Raiders' 30th: Indy's Rolling Stone

Nope, not the one from the opening scene. I mean this one.

Believe it or not, there was a time when nobody knew who Indiana Jones was. I remember those days and when reading about the upcoming movie hero thought...what a stupid name. But once I first saw that rolling stone almost flatten him in the theater... no name was cooler.

Found the above image at the Rolling Stone site cover gallery. For a trip back to 1981 click here.

The Raiders of the Lost Blog-a-Thon Begins

As mentioned the other day, I'm dedicating this month of posts to celebrating Raider's 30th anniversary. If my blog banner art at the very top of this page never clued you in, I'm sort of an Indiana Jones fan.

The plan for my blog-a-thon will be 30 daily posts celebrating it's 30 years. Some posts will be nostalgic fanboy tales growing up. Some will spotlight the art and design of the movie (always a favorite topic here). Some will be inspired sketches or doodles of mine. Some just random cool or fun things I've found on the web. I may even make a themed prop or two. Overall, it will be smorgasbord of things, but hopefully fun to read. My web comic Para Abnormal is also celebrating with Indiana Jones themed cartoons all month.

In-between, I'll probably sneak in a few non Indiana Jones related posts about the stuff I usually blog about.

If you're blog, etc. is celebrating Raider's 30th as well in anyway, let me know via a comment. The more, the merrier the adventures. I'd love to read and add you to the sidebar link list (feel free to use the blog-a-thon logo I made on your site if you want, alternate version here).

Okay, I think it fitting this blog-a-thon begins with the original movie trailer, just to set the mood.