Raiders of the Lost Ark

In preparation for our live show with screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, we’re re-running this episode from the Scriptnotes archive. Craig and John spend the entire episode discussing and dissecting RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, looking at both its structure and scene work. This amazing and iconic 1981 film established so much of what we expect of out movie heroes and set pieces — but a lot of what it does would have a hard time getting through modern studio development. Five-minute exposition scenes! Nazi monkeys! Helpless heroes at the climax! And yet it works so well. There are great lessons to be learned for screenwriters in every genre. Links: Get your tickets now for Scriptnotes, Live on January 25 with Jason Bateman and Lawrence Kasdan, a benefit for Hollywood HEART Raiders of the Lost Ark official website, and on IMDb, Netflix, iTunes and Amazon George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Larry Kasdan’s Raiders story conference transcripts “Apple for teacher? Why’d he do that?” thread on theraider.net (via @sethgs) OUTRO: A British Tar from the HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan, performed by John Rhys-Davies You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.The post Raiders of the Lost Ark first appeared on John August.