Ever since I finally caught a showing of the new 4K restoration of Steven Spielberg’s classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark last Christmas, I’ve been telling people what a marvel it is. The 1981 collaboration between director Spielberg and writer/producer George Lucas is perhaps the greatest action film ever made and a timeless example of great moviemaking. Along with The Empire Strikes Back, it shares the honor of being my second favorite film behind Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (both share my number two spot depending on which I saw last).

This new transfer, approved by Spielberg has been making the rounds across the country and I was lucky enough to catch a digital screening of the movie at New York’s IFC Center just before Christmas. Forget 3D, this is better. Comparing this to 35mm film presentations I’ve sampled in the past, this restoration is like night and day. Despite owning LaserDisc and DVD copies and a home theater to rival most cinemas, I still like to catch this film in theaters every five years or so and this new digital presentation is sharper, clearer and brighter and the 35mm print I saw not long before at New York’s legendary Ziegfeld theater. The detail is incredible with something as simple as a close-up of the legendary golden idol’s eyes revealing just how realistic they look. I know every frame of this film like the back of my hand and this restoration revealed details even I never noticed before.

My original tweet last December,  while watching the movie. A camera phone can’t capture just how great this film now looks, but you get the idea:

@RonHenriques New RAIDERS 4K remaster is beautiful. Looks like it was shot yesterday. Blu-ray next year will be better than STAR WARS

• 242 days ago via Twitter for Android

Spielberg and the artisans behind this have made a thirty year old film look brand new. Now in less than a month you can see it on the big screen. A REALLY big screen as Raiders of the Lost Ark comes to IMAX theaters on September 7th!

It’s all in celebration of the Blu-ray release of INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures arriving September 18^th, appropriately just in time for the birthday of yours truly!

 

INDIANA JONES IN IMAX – FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

DIRECTOR STEVEN SPIELBERG AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER GEORGE LUCAS’

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK™

DEBUTS EXCLUSIVELY IN SELECT IMAX THEATERS

FOR A ONE-WEEK ENGAGEMENT BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 7^TH

INDIANA JONES: The Complete AdventuresDebuts On Blu-ray™September 18^th

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (August 15, 2012) – The cinematic classic that introduced the world to
Indiana Jones is ready to embark on a new adventure when director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas’ unforgettable Raiders of the Lost Ark is released for an exclusive one-week engagement in select IMAX® theatres beginning September 7, 2012.  The film has undergone a complete restoration for the IMAX exclusive one-week release and subsequent debut on Blu-ray. Tickets and a list of participating theatres are available starting today at www.imax.com.

“When I saw the stunning quality of the picture and heard the enhanced sound in an IMAX theatre, I was quite literally blown away and hope that audiences will enjoy the experience as much as I did,” said Spielberg.

“We are honored to present all the excitement of Indiana Jones in a way it’s never been experienced before – IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman & President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment.  “We look forward to celebrating this iconic film with longtime fans as well as a new generation of moviegoers.”

The IMAX release of Raiders of the Lost Ark will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Looks like come September, I’ll be doing this again…

For those hoping to see this on standard IMAX 15 perf 70mm film, it ain’t happening. So far this looks to be a digital release only, but trust me, the film looks and sounds better than it did in 1981 and is 100 percent faithful to the original version unlike what happened to that trilogy from “a galaxy, far, far away”.

Under the supervision of Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, Raiders of the Lost Ark has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film for its highly-anticipated release on Blu-ray as part of INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures.

ALL FOUR ICONIC FILMS EMBARK ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2012
WITH THE NEWLY RESTORED RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK AND
NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE FROM THE SET OF THE CLASSIC

Every unforgettable exploit of world-renowned, globetrotting hero Indiana Jones finally comes home with pristine picture and sound when INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures debuts on Blu-ray September 18, 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The cinematic classic that started it all—Raiders of the Lost Ark—has been meticulously restored under the supervision of director Steven Spielberg and sound designer Ben Burtt.  Additionally, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade have both been remastered alongside 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull making this landmark release the first time all four films in the epic and award-winning franchise have been available together in sparkling high definition. INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures will also be available on iTunes, so the adventure is just a click away!

In addition to all of Indy’s thrilling adventures, the set includes seven hours of fascinating documentaries, featurettes and interviews with cast members and filmmakers.  This comprehensive collection of behind-the-scenes bonus features is augmented by a brand new two-part documentary entitled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – From Jungle to Desert and From Adventure to Legend.”  Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, these captivating pieces transports fans back to where the legend began.

Raiders of the Lost Ark has been painstakingly restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film.  The original negative was scanned at 4K and then examined frame-by-frame so that any damage could be repaired.  The sound design was similarly preserved using Burtt’s original master mix, which had been archived and unused since 1981.  New stereo surrounds were created using the original music tracks and original effects recorded in stereo but used previously only in mono.  In addition, the sub bass was redone entirely up to modern specifications and care was taken to improve dialogue and correct small technical flaws to create the most complete and highest quality version of the sound possible while retaining the director’s vision.

Disc Specifications:

Disc 1—Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

• Teaser Trailer (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD)

• Re-Issue Trailer (HD)

Disc 2—Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

• Teaser Trailer (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD)

 Disc 3—Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

• Teaser Trailer (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Disc 4—Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the following:

• Theatrical Trailer #2 (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer #3 (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer #4 (HD)

Disc 5—Bonus Features

Bonus features are presented in standard and high definition (as indicated below) in English with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

• NEW – On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark

  • From Jungle to Desert

  • From Adventure to Legend

• Making the Films

  • The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981 documentary previously unavailable on DVD)

  • The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark

  • The Making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

  • The Making of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Disc 5—Bonus Features (cont’d)

• The Making of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (HD)

• Behind the Scenes

  • The Stunts of Indiana Jones

  • The Sound of Indiana Jones

  • The Music of Indiana Jones

  • The Light and Magic of Indiana Jones

  • Raiders: The Melting Face!

  • Indiana Jones and the Creepy Crawlies (with optional pop-ups)

  • Travel with Indiana Jones: Locations (with optional pop-ups)

  • Indy’s Women: The American Film Institute Tribute

  • Indy’s Friends and Enemies

  • Iconic Props (Crystal Skull) (HD)

  • The Effects of Indy (Crystal Skull) (HD)

  • Adventures in Post Production (Crystal Skull) (HD)