Y'all have heard about this, right?

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark:_The_Adaptation -- Not shot on DV, but that's beside the point.

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation - YouTube

On IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0772251/

Raiders of the Lost Arc: The Adaptation - BBC Review - YouTube

More here: Ultimate 'Indy' Flick: Fanboys Remake Raiders of the Lost Ark (http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/news/2007/05/diy_raiders)

And here: The Kids Who Remade Raiders (http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1564)

See also...

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation (http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/)

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation: The Making Of... Pre-Production (http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/pre_production.php)

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation: The Making Of... Production (http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/production.php)

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation: The Making Of... Post-Production and Beyond (http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/post_production.php)

Thanks for the link, Chris. I have not heard this (but that isn't unusual!). Is this on the level? The kid in the trailer looked a bit old for 12 - it looked like he had sideboards. But it also took them 6 years to complete, so they may not have shot in order. There is no chance this is another "Blair Witch-type" publicity, is it?

Very interesting. Has anyone seen this film?

Wow! That is strong! I would love to catch this at a film festival. Has anybody heard if this will be rolled out on the festival circuit?

Paul - Is that not an amazing film (if true)? I suppose I have no reason to believe that it isn't true. I wish I could see it somewhere. I'm not as experienced as you guys (ie: I haven't been around as long) - is this RAIDERS remake a well-known thing? Is it taken for granted that it's legit?

This is completely legit; the story I linked to was from a movie marathon by Austin legend Harry Knowles who screened this with the filmmakers in attendance. Hundreds of people have seen this thing, including Spielberg (who loved it). It's very much for real and if you dig for it, you should be able to turn up plenty of links... such as:

Here's a review from the Austin Chronichle (http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-05-30/screens_feature4.html) complete with a production still.

And also, from a blog somewhere (http://www.nonplus.net/blog/2003_06_01.php#000682): "The movie was thoroughly enjoyable and I was glad to have watched the original the night before. Two of the guys who made it were at the screening and answered questions after the movie. The movie is a shot for shot remake of Spielberg’s original (with the exception of the fight scene by the airplane). The film makers were nine and ten years old when they saw the movie (in 1981) and decided to re-shoot it. It took them 8 years and you could see them change in age from scene to scene. In one scene, Indy’s voice changes between two shots. The kids incredibly ingenious in their special effects and in substitutions and staid true to the original. It was fun waiting for the next scene and wondering how they’d do it. And they never took an easy way out. The funniest part was their using a puppy (Snickers, according to the credits) as a substitute for the monkey. They even had it do the Sieg Heil gesture (with a nylon string, as they told us in the Q&A). Definitely a great movie to see, if you ever get the chance." Hope this helps,

Woah, looks like it's still playing in Austin!

See http://www.drafthouse.com/online_tix/show_details.asp?show_id=738.

Don't have anything planned Monday night; think I'll go up and see it. Any other Austin area DVi members want to meet me for a beer at the Alamo Cinema Draft House and check this thing out?

Chris, please give us a quick review of the flick if you have time and thanks for the explanation. That is truly amazing what those boys/young men did. I wish I had that type of ambition and drive at 12!

SEE Indiana Jones grow six inches, drop into a baritone and grow facial hair! SEE Marion Ravenwood develop breasts! SEE the meanest pack of prepubescent nazis ever recorded on film!

Oh, man! I've gotta see this someday!

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : Woah, looks like it's still playing in Austin!

See http://www.drafthouse.com/online_tix/show_details.asp?show_id=738.

Don't have anything planned Monday night; think I'll go up and see it. Any other Austin area DVi members want to meet me for a beer at the Alamo Cinema Draft House and check this thing out? -->>>

Ah man, I will be in Austin all weekend - but have to leave on Sunday. Chris, drink a cold one for me.

HEY CHRIS, I JUST MIGHT MAKE THAT DRIVE, ITS A BUCK,RIGHT?

Paul, I'll have three or four for you.

Gary, it's just a buck! I'm coming up from practically the north side of S.A., so your drive won't be much longer than mine... the more, the merrier!

Could ya take a cam and record it for those of us unable to make it? I'll even send you the buck for admission :)

When I was 13, I borrowed a then hi-tech tiny consumer hi-8 camera to make a bunch of short horror movies (okay, two actually). The following summer, before high school, my Dad bought me a VHS camera and I made TONS of tiny little comedy and horror movies. In high school, it was sick and twisted comedy stuff. Without editing, btw. It was all done in camera! Ah, those were the days....

I wish they had DV and Apple FCP back then (even iMovie).

heath

ps-Didn't they make that movie years ago over a span of, like 12 years, the Raiders of the Lost Ark? Spielberg congratulated them.

I read that article back when it came out on AICN indeed. There
seemed to be a lot of different opinions on the subject. Some
thought it was way cool, others thought they had better made
there own movie others thought it was criminal and they need
to be charged with it....

I just got back from watching this with Chris, and I can verify that it is indeed, a shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark, albeit missing a few scenes for obvious reasons. They didn't do the flying wing scene, or the scene where Indy charges off on the horse, but other than that, it's an amazing feat. They borrowed a lot of the soundtrack, but the video editing is surprisingly good.

This movie would be a really great extra on the Indiana Jones DVD set, but I doubt that'll happen. An alternative audio track by the creators would be really cool as well. I'm sure there are some great stories about Snickers and how they came up with the effects and sets. The most impressive parts of the movie were the stunt-heavy sequences, the bar fight in Tibet, and the fight on the truck leaving the dig. It's amazing that nobody died and nobody's house burned down.

It's really inspiring to see what a couple of kids with a video camera can come up with. It makes me feel lazy for having so much technical capability and not doing more with it. I'm sure there are kids out there doing amazing things with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker and a cheap 1 chip camera. Hopefully we won't have to wait 15 years to see the results of those efforts.

You stole the sentiments from my head. I also feel guilty as hell for being top heavy with fantastic equipment and not using it to it's (and my) full potential. When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, all I had was Super-8 and when you're that young, you have no conception of limitation. At that age we thought anything could be done. Now, we can go to Best Buy ans outfit ourselves with a system that the networks were using in the mid 90s. So yes, the children are an inspiration. A wise man once said that the true geniuses are those who have never lost their child like outlook. Be inspired. Lets make movies to entertain.

The most incredible thing about this Raiders remake wasn't the spectacular stunt work (as Jenn mentions, the truck chase and the bar-room-on-fire brawl), but the fact that these kids actually finished it. From opening shot to credits, this is Raiders of the Lost Ark, shot for shot. It's an amazing excersize in dedication, of following through and completing what you start... not just on an individual level, but for a large group of teenagers. There are several principle roles and a big supporting cast and they all stuck with it for years until it was finished. I've got to hand it to Kurt Zala, brother of the director, who played a huge variety of supporting bits such as Arab digger, marketplace Arab, Afrika Korps Nazi, Kriegsmarine Nazi, ship's crewman, passenger, etc. etc. That kid must have had twenty credits in cast and crew.

Okay, so the production values of this thing were on the level of Edward D. Wood, Jr. but that was definitely part of the appeal. It's not easy when you're in high school to pull off multiple exotic set designs, costumes, props, etc. As Jeff said, there was no Flying Wing sequence (no way could they have done that, I think), and no riding off on a white Arabian, but they did have a U-boat and they did have a cargo ship. The highlight of the whole thing was the truck chase, very inventive, very convincing stunt work, very effective editing. They used a convertible VW Beetle for the German command car, a nice touch.

This was a sold-out show and the crowd loved every minute of it. There were numerous moments of spontaneous applause and cheering. Nobody cared that is was on third or fourth generation VHS. What mattered was the group effort of a bunch of motivated teens who saw this project through over the course of several years.

It makes me think, man, if only I was that young now, with summers free, with the gear that's available today, as cheaply as it is. In a way, the current Lady X project by some of our DVi members is as close as anyone is that I've seen to doing something creative as a group just for the fun of it with this amazing and affordable technology.

Raiders shot-for-shot by teenagers, two thumbs up, way up.

Hi Hugh

Lets Chat about Super-8 cameras. What have you done to preserve those films?

Thanks for the review, Chris. I really hope that this comes to NC so that I can see it. It sounds like great fun to watch!

Hey Valerie,

Go ahead and post here in public about Super-8 cameras... many of our members including myself have fond memories of using those, and it would be great to discuss them out in the open where everyone can join in -- thanks,

Dear Val:

If you are inquiring about Super 8 I can only assume you are at least in your mid 30s because only us old retreads remember making home movies on Super 8 and later, Super 8 direct sound recorded on the magnetic stripe (and later "stereo" on the balance stripe). When I was a wee lad, I saved and scrimped and shoveled the snow from the neighbors driveways and sidewalks and was finally able to purchase my dream camera runner up: Chinon Pacific 12SMR (My dream camera was the Fujica ZC1000 Single 8. But that wasn't happening in my lifetime). <<Sigh>>. Twelve to one zoom, slo mo... jeez I get butterflies thinking of it. You know, today's mini dv has about the same resolution as Super 8 (I think) or is it the same frame size? Correct me if I'm wrong, people. ANYWAY... there are still alot of Super 8 enthusiasts using Super 8 for independent movies but why bother? Heck, mini dv is the way to go. I am about to start my second one hour indepenedent project called "Bounce Down", a shortened version of a full length two hour screenplay I had written in the mid 90s about auto insurance fraud and the insane bunch of detectives who work the unit. By the way, I used to live in Essex and Dundalk, Baltimore County, Md., and THAT place is very (as we used to say as kids) "moviesque". Now I'm in Jersey and this state is fabulous as far as movie locations. By the way, I knew a Valerie Shields once...

Hi HUGH
I was glad to see you are still into screen plays and filming! This is the SAME Valerie Shields you use to know. I have e-mailed you a few times, perhaps you did not get them. Please e-mail me at albieval@att.net. It would be good to hear about your projects.
VALERIE

Dear Valeremus (aka squeegie) and Gang:

Let's not get too bent out of shape over Super 8. Super 8 is a format who's time has come and gone. Remember, Super 8 was a cost efficient replacement for 16 millimeter. My memories of Super 8 are fond and reverent (the same way people feel about Kate Hepburn, may she rest in peace). Time to move on. I'm so excited about DV I can hardly contain my enthusiasm. The optics are superior, picture quality and potential. I mean, c'mon, color correction on your computer! How cool is that? I'm gonna use my Canon until it either falls apart or until the manufacture of an affordable 2/3" 24p with interchangeable lenses. By the way, Val, I sent two e-mails.

Hey, how come we can't find this thing online anywhere for sale or to view? That's weird in this day and age!

If anyone has any updates as to where we can see this thing...please pass it along.

Murph

In my opinion, it should've been included as a "special feature" of the real Raiders DVD set.

But can we see it anywhere then? I've never even heard of it until I stumbled upon this thread.

It would probably be out on DVD already if it were possible. I'm sure Spielberg liked it, but ultimately doesn't want a feature length parody out. If it were a short I'm sure we'd see it online at all those short film sites.

I really want to see it!

Murph

I really really reallly want to see this!!!

Somebody please find out how to find this so we can all enjoy this treasure!!

Thanks!

I heard about this film on Nation Public Radio a few weeks ago. Someone (I didn't catch the name) is making a "fictionalized" film about what these young people did. I hope when that film is released the remake will be released on dvd.

As for Super/Regular 8 film/16mm, I shoot them all as well as DV. It looks very different than DV. To my eye, even something as small as Reg8 will give wonderful results. The reason most homemovies look like crap is the same reason most home videos looks like crap. If you have the right film and a good camera and know how to use them, you can created some amazing images.

Film is expensive. The start up costs are low (about $100) but 3 minutes of 8mm film will run you about $18! I've never edited film but it doesn't look like a lot of fun. If you want to NLE you have to get the the film "telecined" and that isn't cheap. And then ofcourse, there is the sound issue. If you want to have sound, crack out the visa card.

I encourage video people to work in film. Reg8/Super 8/16mm are all still avaliable. Get a camera at a thrift store or off the internet and have fun with it. Don't worry about which is "better" (its like arguing religion) just enjoy it. I learned a ton playing with film.

I remember shooting with my Chinon Super 8 I received when I was about 14. 3 Minute Cartridges would be gone so fast and then you had to drop them off at the Kodak counter and wait like 2 weeks to get them back!

I tried editing everything in-camera and shooting in sequence as splicing and cementing that tiny film was such a pain. Thank god for DV and thank god for the DVX!

Hey, I just bought 4 tickets to the Cooliage Theater in Boston for Sept. 20th.

The Director Eric Zala is going to be there, so I'll try and ask some questions and also post a little review of the film. Anyone in the Boston area want to go? Go to the Cooliage website to buy tix quick....I've got 2 extras, so I might end up having them available so keep in touch.

It's weird, but I'm more excited about seeing this than any other film coming out the rest of the summer! (except Star Wars on DVD the next day!)

Murph

would have gone but i'll knee-deep in school+homework. let us know how it went.

A few months ago I saw this film covered on a few different shows and news programs. I could have sworn that these filmmakers were not allowed to show this film anymore. Something that had to do w/ copyright and Spielberg.

After more than nine years... links in the first post have been updated, to include some video clips.