# Raiders of the Lost Ark

> 1981 film directed by Steven Spielberg

**Wikidata**: [Q174284](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174284)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/raiders-of-the-lost-ark

## Summary

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Lucasfilm, starring Harrison Ford as archaeologist Indiana Jones. The film was released in 1981 and has become one of the most influential and beloved adventure films in cinema history, earning multiple Academy Awards and being selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

## Key Facts

- **Title:** Raiders of the Lost Ark (also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark)
- **Director:** Steven Spielberg
- **Production Company:** Lucasfilm (founded 1971, headquartered in the United States)
- **Release Dates:** June 12, 1981; August 7, 1981; October 29, 1981
- **Genre:** Action film
- **Country of Origin:** United States
- **Sound Engineer:** Roy Charman (1930-1990, English, citizen of the United Kingdom)
- **Central Artifact:** Ark of the Covenant (a wooden chest containing the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments in Judaism)
- **Sequel:** Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- **Preservation:** Selected for the National Film Registry (established 1988) by the United States Library of Congress
- **Official Website:** https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/raiders-of-the-lost-ark/

## Awards and Recognition

- Academy Award for Best Film Editing
- Academy Award for Best Production Design
- Academy Award for Best Sound
- Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation

## FAQs

**What is Raiders of the Lost Ark about?**
The film follows archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as he races against Nazi Germany to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can use its mystical powers to conquer the world.

**Who produced Raiders of the Lost Ark?**
The film was produced by Lucasfilm, the American film and television production company founded in 1971 and headquartered in the United States.

**What awards did Raiders of the Lost Ark win?**
The film won four Academy Awards: Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. It also received the National Board of Review Top Ten Films award and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

**Is Raiders of the Lost Ark considered historically significant?**
Yes, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress in 1988, recognizing it as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

**What is the connection between Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Ark of the Covenant?**
The Ark of the Covenant is a central plot element in the film—a wooden chest in Judaism that contains the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, which the Nazis seek to obtain for supernatural powers.

**Who was the sound engineer for Raiders of the Lost Ark?**
Roy Charman (1930-1990) was the English sound engineer for the film. He was a citizen of the United Kingdom and had a career in film sound engineering.

**What sequel followed Raiders of the Lost Ark?**
The sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, was released in 1984, also directed by Steven Spielberg.

## Why It Matters

Raiders of the Lost Ark fundamentally redefined the action-adventure genre and became a cultural touchstone that influenced decades of filmmaking. Its innovative blend of practical stunts, compelling storytelling, and iconic characters set a new standard for blockbuster cinema. The film's success established Steven Spielberg as one of Hollywood's premier directors and launched one of the most successful film franchises in history.

The movie's technical achievements, recognized through its four Academy Awards, demonstrated excellence in film editing, production design, sound mixing, and visual effects. Its selection for the National Film Registry underscores its lasting cultural and historical significance, preserving it as an important work of American cinema.

The film's portrayal of the Ark of the Covenant brought ancient religious artifacts into popular consciousness and influenced how audiences perceive historical and mythological objects. Its partnership with Lucasfilm, a company that would go on to define modern franchise filmmaking, demonstrated the power of visionary collaboration between filmmakers.

## Notable For

- Winning four Academy Awards in 1982
- Being selected for the United States National Film Registry for preservation
- Launching the Indiana Jones franchise, one of cinema's most successful franchises
- Setting box office records upon its release and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of its era
- Featuring what is widely considered one of the greatest action sequences in film history (the truck chase)
- Establishing the template for modern action-adventure filmmaking
- Receiving the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, recognizing its impact on science fiction and fantasy storytelling

## Body

### Production and Development

Raiders of the Lost Ark was produced by Lucasfilm, the American film and television production company founded in 1971 and headquartered in the United States. The collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Lucasfilm created what would become one of the most successful partnerships in cinema history. The film's development drew from classic adventure serials from the 1930s and 1940s, combining them with modern filmmaking techniques.

The sound engineering was handled by Roy Charman, an English sound engineer who worked on numerous films throughout his career from 1930 to 1990. His work on Raiders of the Lost Ark contributed to the film's immersive audio experience, which was recognized when the film won the Academy Award for Best Sound.

### Plot and Central Elements

The film's narrative centers on the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred artifact in Judaism described as a wooden chest containing the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. In the film, the Nazis seek to obtain the Ark for its supposed mystical powers, leading protagonist Indiana Jones on a global adventure to find it first. The incorporation of the Ark of the Covenant as a central plot device connected the adventure narrative to ancient religious history and mythology.

### Genre and Classification

Raiders of the Lost Ark is classified as an action film, a genre characterized by sequences of physical challenge and hazard. The film helped define the modern action-adventure subgenre, combining elements of mystery, historical fiction, and thrilling set pieces. Its success influenced countless films in the genre and established templates that continue to be used in action filmmaking today.

### Release and Reception

The film was released on multiple dates in 1981: June 12, August 7, and October 29, with the year-wide release pattern indicating a major theatrical rollout. The film's release strategy contributed to its commercial success, which made it one of the highest-grossing films of 1981.

### Awards and Critical Recognition

The film's excellence was recognized through multiple prestigious awards:

**Academy Awards (1982):**
- Best Film Editing
- Best Production Design
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects

These four Academy Awards demonstrated the film's technical achievement across multiple filmmaking disciplines. The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognized the film's art direction, while the Best Visual Effects award acknowledged its groundbreaking special effects work.

**Other Recognitions:**
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation

The National Board of Review award recognized the film as one of the top ten films of 1981, while the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation honored its dramatic storytelling in the science fiction and fantasy context.

### Cultural Preservation

Raiders of the Lost Ark was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry, a selection of films for preservation in the United States Library of Congress. The National Film Registry was established in 1988 with the purpose of preserving films that are deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. This recognition ensures the film's preservation for future generations and acknowledges its enduring importance to American cinema.

### Franchise Legacy

The success of Raiders of the Lost Ark spawned a major film franchise. The first sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, was released in 1984, also directed by Steven Spielberg. The franchise has since expanded to include multiple films, television series, novels, comics, and video games, making it one of the most successful multimedia franchises in entertainment history.

### Production Company Context

Lucasfilm, the production company behind Raiders of the Lost Ark, was founded in 1971 and has become one of the most influential film and television production companies in the entertainment industry. Based in the United States, Lucasfilm has produced numerous landmark films and television series, with Raiders of the Lost Ark representing one of its most successful and culturally significant productions.

### Technical Achievement

The film's technical achievements were significant for their time. The combination of practical effects, innovative camera work, and careful sound design created an immersive cinematic experience. The Academy Awards won by the film recognized excellence in editing, production design, sound, and visual effects—demonstrating the film's achievement across multiple technical disciplines.

### Cultural Impact

Raiders of the Lost Ark's impact extends beyond its commercial and critical success. The film helped define the summer blockbuster format and influenced countless action films that followed. Its characters, particularly Indiana Jones, became cultural icons recognized worldwide. The film's blend of adventure, humor, and spectacle set a standard that continues to influence action filmmaking more than four decades after its release.

## References

1. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
2. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1982)
3. The Movie Database
4. [Source](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/)
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rotten Tomatoes
6. IMDb
7. Freebase Data Dumps
8. Box Office Mojo
9. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/releaseinfo)
10. Lexicon of international films
11. Swedish Film Database
12. [Source](http://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/sv/item/?type=film&itemid=5698)
13. [Raiders of the Lost Ark | Indiana Jones Wiki | Fandom](https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark)
14. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0082971/)
15. [Source](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmdyxoty)
16. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/indiana-jones-and-the-raiders-of-the-lost-ark/)
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20. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2023&s_month=5&e_year=2023&e_month=5&pageID=2)
21. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2024&s_month=2&e_year=2024&e_month=2&pageID=2)
22. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2013&s_month=3&e_year=2013&e_month=3&pageID=2)
23. film distribution certificate
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26. ClassInd database
27. [Source](http://cnc.abt.ro/registru/index.aspx?pageID=3&filmID=1923)
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29. Raiders of the Lost Ark
30. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/0B6D-5AFE-E468-B51F-AEFD-X)
31. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/85010)
32. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Raiders_of_the_Lost_Ark-3VY8W)
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