Moedred said:I highly doubt this, Aaron H. God burns an American flag in some version of one of the biggest films of all time, and no critic or commentator ever notices? The burden of proof rests on the few who claim to have seen this. Let's have a link to any video, picture, description or mention of the scene outside of this thread. Anyone?
If the scene is on mass-marketed VHS, Beta, Laserdisc, or DVD somewhere in the world, this should be easy. I've googled and found nothing. How about a link to the Amazon.com DVD comment that started this rumor?
It's not in the novelization. It's not in Kasdan's script. Perhaps only "TOP SECRET - ARMY INTEL. #9906753 - DO NOT OPEN!" burns away? I showed a 35mm print of Raiders at my university cinema recently... it's not there (I'm aware it could have been a rerelease print).
Help he out here, folks. I'm searching for the facts. Not truth. If it's truth you're interested in, Doctor Tyree's Philosophy class is right down the hall.
Moedred said:Joining 3 1/2 years ago makes me an old timer... that's cool.
It's not just the lack of evidence that makes me skeptical. Those who claim to have seen the American crate burn cannot agree what exactly burns (words? logo(s)? both? on one, two, or four sides?) or where this fits into the final sequence we know. Does the warehouseman leave a trail or smoke going down the aisle, or what?
I've heard this sort of thing from Aussies before, that Americans are too easily offended to witness certain scenes (such as the rumored duck beheading in 'Babe,' or slangy 'Crocodile Dundee' in-jokes at our expense). And it always comes down to "I've seen it, you haven't, you wouldn't understand" ...like a fifth grader explaining sex-ed to a third grader.
I predict we'll fall back on wondering if this scene was shot and included in test screenings, until someone prods Lucas or ILM for an official response.
Aaron H said:Its been a long time since I saw the footage...so pardon me for not remembering if it was a logo or just words. I do not have a clip of the scene, I do not know where to find one, and I will not say where I saw it.
The dramatic scene where the warehouseman wheels it down the aisle and the credits roll is where the scene is. Right before it goes to black we see a final shot of the crate, just like on the Bantu Wind, and the logo/words/etc burn away.
VP said:Perhaps he means that the crate burns after the credits.
SKAbatula said:What confuses me is that once the camera begins panning to show the overall warehouse, the "happy" IJ theme begins, then the warehouse worker turns behind some crates, and the credits begin to roll. I'm assuming the deleted scene would be once the worker sets the crate in its permanent home. Showing the power of the Ark just doesn't seem to fit with the Raiders March in the background. And the credits roll over the long shot of the warehouse for more than a few seconds. Having the burning crate shot as the very last shot, as the Colonel mentioned above, would screw this all up.
Ben Friend of Indy said:That's the way I heard it: after the end credits finish, then we go back to the warehouse and see the crate burning.
00Kevin said:is there a chance that someone you know might be able to do it?
I think most of us here in the US and Europe would be interested to see it. with your permission it would be placed as a downloadable movie clip on all the indy fan sites
Your name up in lights!