Raiders of the Lost Ark: An Analysis

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Cute little fangirl essay.

One serious downside, though. If it's going to be an analysis, we're going to need both the good and the bad described. Honestly, at this point we really don't need it written open to us that Raiders is a good film - we know it is. Stuff like this needs an angle. For example, "what makes Raiders such a good film despite its flaws" - now that'd be an interesting read.
 

oki9Sedo

New member
Finn said:
Cute little fangirl essay.

One serious downside, though. If it's going to be an analysis, we're going to need both the good and the bad described. Honestly, at this point we really don't need it written open to us that Raiders is a good film - we know it is. Stuff like this needs an angle. For example, "what makes Raiders such a good film despite its flaws" - now that'd be an interesting read.

Steven Spielberg has often said that if you try to apply analysis and logic to why a film is great, not only will you not succeed in understanding why the film is so good, you'll actually kind of ruin the magic of it. I'm in total agreement.

You can certainly break it down to a certain level: eg. Indiana Jones is endearing, the action is intense and exciting and original, its funny etc, but you can't break it down any further (eg. WHY Indiana Jones is endearing)
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
oki9Sedo said:
You can certainly break it down to a certain level: eg. Indiana Jones is endearing, the action is intense and exciting and original, its funny etc, but you can't break it down any further (eg. WHY Indiana Jones is endearing)
Nice point. So ironically, in a way that brings it to a double-fail. First it tries to be something we don't need, and doesn't even quite deliver in that.

That may sound harsh, but it shouldn't be taken too heavily. I'm an Indy fan, so I agree with the article too. It's just not an analysis. I said already in the top of my first post to this thread what it is, so I won't repeat it here.
 

oki9Sedo

New member
Finn said:
Nice point. So ironically, in a way that brings it to a double-fail. First it tries to be something we don't need, and doesn't even quite deliver in that.

Not even trying to do something we don't need, but trying to do something that can't be done. You can apply logic and reason to why a building is functional, but not to why it is aesthetically pleasing, or to why a film pleases on an emotional level.

And I don't think its even a case of not quite delivering, you can't even get close.

If scientists could analyze why a film is great, then great films would be churned out in their 100s. That, sadly, is not the case.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah. More interesting would be an essay delving into some sort of issue in the films, with some sense of critique. I like lots of films, but it doesn't mean I'm not able to criticize parts of them. Even more, it doesn't mean that the films I like ought only to be considered in a point-by-point look at "this is what makes it a good film." Whether the makers of the films intended them to or not, the films have something to say - and I be interested to hear your take on that. Also, I'd maybe try to work without so much of the "surely everyone will agree with me when I say this is incredible," which may have been appropriate for this essay, but was still a little off-putting. Of course, I'm kind of steeped in academic writing, so...your mileage may vary on this point.
 

Sankara

Guest
This is a "wanna-be-analysis" and nothing more. And it's sooo bad written.
For example:

"Indy was incredibly handsome.... I know women who nearly fell off their chair when they saw that first shot of Indy after he whips the gun away from Barranca" :sick: :sick: :sick:

This sounds, said before, like a cute little fangirl essay.
 

oki9Sedo

New member
Sankara said:
This is a "wanna-be-analysis" and nothing more. And it's sooo bad written.
For example:

"Indy was incredibly handsome.... I know women who nearly fell off their chair when they saw that first shot of Indy after he whips the gun away from Barranca" :sick: :sick: :sick:

This sounds, said before, like a cute little fangirl essay.

He is a dreamboat though, isn't he? SWOON!

;)
 
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