This week I will be focusing on the actors of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I will classify each actor and explain my reasoning.

The first actor I want to focus on is John Rhys-Davies, the character Sallah. I would categorize Rhys-Davies as a character type actor.  A character type actors are able to fit invisibly into a wide variety of characters and adapting to the needs of each script and director they work with. (Goodykoontz 2011)   It would be hard to think of this film without thinking of Sallah's booming voice.  Just like the Lord of the Rings without Gimli, yeah thats the same guy. In the film Sallah is a friend of Indy's that helps him in his native land of Egypt.  He doesn't play a star role in the film, but he has a great supporting role.  I think he uses a realistic portrayal in the film.  He is a big dude, willing to help but not as brave as Indy.  He is a very versatile actor, and I think needs more credit.

The next actor I will be focusing on, you might not notice in this film.  He had a small part in the beginning but plays the part well.  Alfred Molina, who plays Satipo ( you may know him better as Dr, Octopus in the  Spiderman series)  played a small but important role in this film.  I would also classify Molina as a character type actor.  In the beginning of the film, we see Indy and Satipo entering the Temple.  He is Indy's  helpful guide.   But after Indy retrieves the Idol, Satipo changes modes into thief, wanting the idol for himself.  Which lets face it, thats a realistic portrayal.  He saw Indy in trouble and he took advantage of that.  I dont think many people would pass that up.  Great actor, great character.

Now the final actor I want to focus on is a star actor.  So obviously he is the star of Indiana Jones.  Harrison Ford is a star and usually man protagonist in all his films.  You see Indiana Jones and you think of Ford.  Indy is a distinctive screen persona.  Ford is well known in the film world.  He has played Indiana Jones (obviously), Han Solo (also a bada$$), the President in Air Force One ( in which he kicked a$$), and Blade Runner.  This guy is a star.  He is always the strong leader/heroic type of character.  I mean, Han Solo .... without him, Luke would have been shot down in that trench by Vader.  All those people would have died on Air Force One if he had gotten into his emergency pod.  When you think of Harrison Ford, you know he's going to do some amazing things.

References:

Goodykoontz, B; Jacobs, C. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. Bridgepoint Education Inc. Retrieved from Ashford University Library

thepeterson (2014Jan25)  All the Harrison Ford Movies Retrieved from www.youtube.com

Movies Coming Soon (2012Aug15) Raiders of the Lost Ark IMAX Movie Clip: Throw me the idol (2012) Harrison Ford Movie retrieved from www.youtube.com

Sounds of movies

There are three basic categories of sound in film.  The first we will look at is dialogue.  In the Film: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, there is dialogue throughout.  Simply put, dialogue is characters speaking with each other.  In the film there is important dialogue that is very meaningful to the overall story.  There's not much filler dialogue involved and that is what make it very good.

Next up we have sound effects.  Now the one thing i hear when I think of sound effects and Indiana Jones is obviously his whip.  Also when punches are landed, it reminisces other classic action movies. There is both expected sound effects and almost comical sounds.  But if these sounds were removed, it wouldnt give the same impact to the viewer that it does now. In all seriousness the sound effects in this film are amazing.  I laughed so hard at this next video and I had to post it, I hope you enjoy it.

And finally, we come to Music.  As with the sound effects and the whip, who doesn't know and love the Indian Jones Theme music?  Aside from that, the action scene's music is pretty intense too. Without the action music playing in the background during fights and what-not it would be an empty fight scene.  It definitely adds to the movie magic.  And what would this film be without this wonderful theme song?  Another part of what makes this movie amazing.

Now this song will be stuck in all of your heads.  You're welcome.

Refefrences:

indianabeavis  (2008,May,17)Indiana Jones Montage video accessed from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v06hpUyAN9Y

Philip Greene (2011,Feb,2) Indiana Jones theme music accessed from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bTpp8PQSog

ThePsualumni (2013,June,9) Raiders of the Lost Ark: Talk with Army Intel accessed from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfUkwCvXHEo

      The Raiders of the Lost Ark is a wonderful movie for lighting sequences.  Much of the film uses low key lighting for the dramatic, more frightening scenes.  By using this style in these scenes, the view gets the ominous feelings and the uncertainty that Indiana Jones feels walking through the cave in the opening scene.        
 As he runs for the exit and the giant boulder appears (above) the lighting focuses on that boulder, which makes the viewer feel the danger and gets their heart pumping.  Throughout the movie, Indiana Jones is thrown into dangerous scenes where the lighting helps show the peril of the scene as you see in the snakes scene (below).
   
  This scene's lighting sets the theme of how Indiana Jones fears snakes, and the focus is completely on the danger.  Of coarse there are lighter parts of the movie that the theme is not as ominous, but the most memorable scenes are what makes Indy, Indy.

      The lighting plays perfectly into the action/ adventure genre.  The lighting makes you feel the intensity of the scene and gets your heat pumping fast as action movies should.

      Had this film relied on different lighting such as high key lighting in the dramatic dangerous scenes, the viewer wouldn't have felt how Indy way did about the snakes.  Just think, they open the cavern and instead of darkness and lightning, you see brightness and snakes.  It would not have the same effects.  The low key lighting really sets the mood of the scenes.

References:

                    Image retrieved from

                    http://pyxurz.blogspot.com/2011/08/raiders-of-lost-ark-page-1-of-8.html 

                    Video retrieved from Youtube 

                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwIj3x24Q4