#10: Belloq's Mouth Fly This bit is the one that I have to point out to people I'm watching the film with. Most people know a few facts about this film by now, but this particular scene is so intense that the funny moment is easy to miss. The moment in question involves Indy's desperate scare tactic of threatening to blow up the Ark before the Nazis can use it to their advantage (or disadvantage, as it were). Indy makes the threat, but Belloq calls Indy's bluff because he knows him better. Indy would never destroy anything so incredibly valuable, and it turns out to be his Achilles heel (other than maybe snakes and Nazis). That's all good and does make for a good moment for Indy's character, but it's all punctuated with about one second of watching a fly crawl into Belloq's mouth as actor Paul Freeman manages to stay in character. However, this is a half-truth. Freeman did, indeed, have to deal with a fly buzzing around him on set. However, according to him, the bug never crawled into his mouth but was edited to appear that way to give his character a bit more menace. The fly took flight just before it crawled into his mouth, and someone edited things in post-production to cut away the "fly-off." That said, it's far more fun to believe that bug just crawled into the man's mouth while he maintained focus. #09: Meet Marion Ravenwood  A few 'Raiders' moments on this list are easier to pinpoint than others. But then there's Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), an interesting character who I'd strongly consider to be the best "Indy Woman." She can be seen as fallible and a solid Yin to Indy's Yang, but despite the distress she encounters, she's a damsel who can still hold her own. We first see her at her bar in Patan, Nepal, amid a drinking contest, where she manages to drink a big lug of a man under the table. Soon, Indy visits her bar, and we get a few lines establishing a previous relationship. Then, her bar is invaded by Toht (Ronald Lacey and friends, who have come looking for the same medallion Indy's after. This situation ultimately results in a fiery bar fight, showing that Marion knows how to fight. That particular scene gives us everything we need to know about Marion. She's scrappy, strong-willed, can drink people under the table, can fight, and is just about as stubborn as Indy. While she isn't exactly on par with someone like Ellen Ripley of 'Alien' fame, she's certainly more helpful than someone like Willie from 'Temple of Doom,' and, as a character, I'd say more interesting than Elsa from 'Last Crusade.' I must not be alone on this either, since she was the one they chose to "resurrect" for 'Crystal Skull.' #08: The Ark Reveal & 'Star Wars' Easter Egg  This scene is intriguing enough to give a bit of deeper thought. As Indy and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) find the Ark and load it into a crate to be hoisted out of the Well of Souls, we subtly see the excellent care they take with it as professionals. If one pays attention, they'll notice how much Indy knows about this artifact. Here, without extensive exposition, we understand that Indy knows a lot about the Ark; for example, don't physically touch the thing, which is what those long poles are for, but "no touching" is never really mentioned, either. He also knows how to react if the Ark is ever open, but that's for another scene yet to come on this list. To add to their professionalism, it's also a scene of great awe, imagining that these two found and recovered the Ark of the Covenant. After saying all that, there is one other minor detail about this scene that most of the internet knows. During the bit where Indy and Sallah are physically lifting the Ark out of its enclosure, in the background, on Indy's side, to the left of the screen, you can make out a glyph of 'Star Wars' droids, R2-D2 and C-3P0; one of those early movie Easter eggs that just about everyone managed to miss the first few times watching. Just Google "Raiders Droids," and you'll be able to find a decent pic of this pointed out. #07: The Brute Mechanic Fight  Nowadays, this scene isn't quite as iconic as it used to be, but it still has some power. I'm sure I've seen it parodied more than once, but the one that stands out involved one of Peter Griffin's many Giant Chicken fights on 'Family Guy.' Still, the scene holds up pretty well, and it has some nice, suggestive PG-rated violence to go along with it. This scene happens right after Indy and Marion escape the Well of Souls. In their attempt to intercept the Ark before it's too late, Indy is sidetracked by a mountain of a man who wants a good bare-knuckle brawl and calls out Indy for a "dance." Of course, Indy can't do much to the guy, but the problem is eventually solved as the somewhat out-of-control plane (the Flying Wing) they're fighting alongside slices the brute into a blood smoothie with its propeller. The brute mechanic was portrayed by actor/stuntman Pat Roach (NOT the guy from 'Trailer Park Boys' before he ate too many cheeseburgers). This guy was in a bunch of stuff as some small role through the 80s and 90s. He can first be seen as an uncredited Milkbar Bouncer in 'A Clockwork Orange,' and has since played a "tank" of sorts in various roles and has wrestled under the name "Bomber" Roach. But if he's known for any one role, it almost has to be this one. #06: Why Did it Have to Be Snakes?  This film has great moments and lines of dialogue, but my favourite is an exchange between Indy and Sallah. After locating and unveiling the Well of Souls, it's revealed that the room is packed with snakes of all shapes and sizes. At this point, it has been established that Indy hates snakes, so Indy must face his fears in order to advance. The exchange, Indy: "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?" Sallah: "Asps. Very dangerous... You go first!" Not only is the delivery funny, but Indy is very relatable here, at least for me. I also have what may be considered an irrational fear of snakes, and poor Indy has to jump in a pit full of deadly ones that one can't find here in my home country of Canada. So, though that dialogue exchange is a highlight, the scene doesn't end with it. As seen in the accompanying picture, I extend this moment into the Well of Souls, where Indy drops and comes face-to-face with a cobra. This was a real face-to-face moment but was filmed between a pane of glass for safety measures. In fact, from certain angles, you can glance at the snake's reflection - if you're not too busy trying to wind down from how tense this face-to-face scene is. The scene is a friendly reminder that bravery means facing one's fears, not just being fearless. #05: The Map Room  While 'Indiana Jones' is very much focused on action and adventure in archaeology, one cannot deny that each of these films has a magical element to them as well. This scene, for example, involves Indy stumbling on something very awe-inspiring; he's all on his own when it happens, and the expression on his face says everything he's feeling at the moment. The scene in question involves Indy entering an overlooked map room while his rival Nazi diggers are searching all around them. Everything comes together in this scene from what we've experienced up to that point, specifically the Staff of Ra, the medallion mentioned in Moment #9, and the sun rising at the perfect time of day. The sun shines through the Staff of Ra, shining an almost laser-focused beam onto a miniature of the Well of Souls. Despite said sunbeam, John Williams' score makes things shine here. Each Indy film has the theme music we all know and love but is accompanied by another, more movie-specific theme. This is where we hear that theme in full force. The scene is full of eerie mystery and awe, and somehow, it is more iconic than the reveal of the Ark of the Covenant itself. The scene gets things going by telling Indy, "Here's where to start," and you know that the race is on now. #04: Indy vs the Swordsman Another iconic scene that everyone knows about by now is Indy's encounter with an impressively talented swordsman. The script initially called for a showdown between the two characters. However, on the day of filming, Harrison Ford was suffering from a stomach bug, and thus, the simple shot was fired, and Ford improvised one of the best pieces of comedy throughout the film. Some other information I found out about this scene, however, was just how long the scripted piece originally was. Sure enough, Indy would have been showing off his skills with his whip, and it was meant to establish how Indy used his whip in combat, eventually besting this swordsman with it. According to Spielberg, there was even meant to be a gag in which the swordsman cuts a marketman's meat perfectly, for which he's thanked. I often wonder what the film would look like with this showdown, as we don't see his whip used a hell of a lot as a weapon, so much as a handy tool. But with that said, it's safe to say that the scene Ford gave us stands out, not only as a significant bit of comedy for the film but also as a bit more shaping of Indy's character. The scene was improvised, but it became so iconic that it was (almost) repeated in 'Temple of Doom,' but we'll touch on that for that Top 10 list. #03: The Chase Scene  Back in the early 90s, and I'm sure very few will remember, there were two parodies of 'Raiders' entitled 'Pasadena Jones.' One was on an episode of 'America's Funniest Home Videos,' and another was a segment in 'Tiny Toon Adventures' entitled 'Pasadena Jones and the Secret of Life.' Both heavily featured parodies of this chase scene, and it's one of the more recognizable bits of the film. The scene is essentially when the Nazis intercept the Ark after Indy and Sallah manage to find it. Indy goes after the truck the Ark is loaded on, riding a horse at full speed in hopes of catching up. The action ensues for eight to ten minutes as our hero pursues the Ark while the enemy stops at nothing to take him out - but Indy's a hero who holds on, as you can see in the accompanying photo. It's a significant bit of old-school stunt acting. While watching this scene, one can't help but feel a longing for how they filmed action scenes like this in the past. With actual vehicles, real stunts, and the John Williams accompanying score, this scene is cinematic gold and holds up to this day. Add to all that the idea of Ford being dragged for some of these shots, resulting in bruised ribs for the sake of his art - and Ford does love this character, as far as I've read. It's one of the most iconic action scenes of all time. #02: Opening the Ark  This scene is actually a pretty major spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen this movie, but it simply can't be overlooked. I'm also willing to bet it's been long enough that spoilers probably shouldn't matter at this point. This is what would be considered the climactic part of the story, where the baddies get punished for disturbing the contents of the Ark upon opening it. Every 'Indiana Jones movie has some supernatural horror element. 'Raiders' involves an intense soundtrack reminiscent of the 'Psycho' theme, screaming, melting faces and exploding heads, all complete with some pretty disturbingly creative sound effects like gargling on one's own melted flesh and blood. All the while, Indy and Marion remain safe with their eyes closed throughout the process. It's one of the best scenes that show the world what we could get away with with old-school PG! I didn't understand until recently why Indy and Marion were safe with their eyes shut, but I assumed it had something to do with respect for not "looking into the eyes of God," so to speak. However, according to some Bible verses unbeknownst to this agnostic, one can't touch or look into the Ark, which is why the Ark is carried with long poles, as mentioned in Moment #8. Learning details while researching scenes is always fun, especially when they don't say these factoids throughout the film. #01: The Entire Opening Sequence  This isn't just the #1 moment in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' but probably the most iconic moment in 'Indiana Jones' history. We all know how it goes - Indy heads through a Peruvian jungle and temple, where he retrieves a mysterious golden idol and famously gets chased by a giant boulder after setting off a booby trap. This scene defines 'Indiana Jones' and tells you almost everything you need to know about the guy. We get that he can kill, he doesn't take any shit, he's clever and calculating when it comes to his work, he's a snappy dresser, and he's willing to risk his life for his job if it means going after the important stuff, and of course, he "hates" snakes! The scene immerses the viewer into the film immediately, letting us know that we're in for a real adventure. The scene itself ranges from the Paramount opening logo fade-in up to Indy escaping by the skin of his teeth into his friend Jock's (Fred Sorenson) plane (where a snake is encountered). It's easily one of the best movie openings in cinematic history, and it is an iconic sequence that has been parodied countless times. I would use this scene to define what an adventure movie should look like indefinitely and to think that this is something one can go back to, watch, and enjoy, and it doesn't involve superheroes!
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