“Raiders of the Lost Ark What is the essence of “Raiders” seen from the “Remake version of Raiders!” created by two boys?

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2018.05.11Tetsuya Inagaki

Spielberg's motivation for filmmaking

Why on earth were the two boys so obsessed with recreating "Raiders"? Their mother says her own divorce may have been what inspired her sons to make films. The world of "Raiders" is an escape from reality, a compensatory act...

This also overlaps with Spielberg's appearance as a boy. Spielberg began making films at the age of 12, when his parents gave him an 8mm camera, but around the same time, his parents began to have a falling out. Eventually, Spielberg's parents divorced when he was 16 years old, but he continued to make independent films like an obsessive. They were war movies, sometimes westerns, and when Spielberg's mother was asked to collaborate on a movie, she would accept any role, even as a soldier, and appear in the movie.

Spielberg is also known for often recreating experiences and images from his childhood in his works. In particular, the motif of ``the absence of a father'' appears frequently in his works. It was repeated in Close Encounters of the Third Kind , E.T. , Catch Me If You Can , and even Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It's no coincidence that Spielberg's movie ``Raiders'' was so appealing to two young boys who were afraid of losing their parents...but it would be an exaggeration to say so.

One thing is clear: Spielberg and these guys are no different in terms of their passion for film. Like the two boys, Spielberg became obsessed with independent films and eventually became a professional. He created ``Raiders'' in order to revive the ``action drama series'' that he had become obsessed with at the movies when he was a child. The motive itself is no different from the two boys. In that sense, ``Raiders'' can be considered an epic $20 million independent film made in the middle of Spielberg's film career.

The master David Lean, whom Spielberg admires, wrote his earliest work `` Clash! ” and commented as follows.

"[Spielberg] is exactly what movies used to be, and he just loves making movies. He's entertaining his teenage self. What's wrong with that?"

“ Raiders! When you watch the footage of ``Raiders,'' you realize just how good Spielberg's ``Raiders'' is. It's a treasure trove of things that will captivate teenage boys and girls.

In fact, Spielberg also said this.

"There are some things that you can watch without even realizing it's your own work, like ``Raiders.'' You can enjoy it with your kids. You can enjoy it as an audience member, forgetting that you directed it or how it was made. That's what makes me the most happy. ”

Documentary film “Raiders! ” is a work that is definitely worth watching if you are a Spielberg fan. Because it will definitely remind you of the excitement you felt when you first saw ``Raiders''. At the root of this emotion is Spielberg's spirit of independent production that entertains him, which he has had since he was a boy. *“Raiders! ' is available on Netflix

Reference materials:

“ The Spielberg Secret Written for the First Time ” Written by Frank Sanello / Translated by Machiko Nakamata

From “ Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures ” Blu-ray bonus footage

Text: Tetsuya Inagaki

TV director. My personal goal is to realize a documentary project that depicts the obsessions of manga and movie creators. Programs he has directed in the past include ``Gekiga The Godfather : The Man Who Revolutionized Manga'' (WOWOW) and ``Takeshi's Birth: Master of Oira and Asakusa'' (NHK). Currently, he is planning a documentary about a famous manga artist.

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