Lost ending to Raiders of the Lost Ark (ark burns US govt crate)

[Kingofthehill78]

I wouldn't be surprised if this scene ( the burning us goverment seal on the ark) was removed later. Poltergeist has a similar scene in which the family is discussing what to have for dinner and the daughter suggests pizza hut. The father says I hate pizza hut .Well after that pizza hut threaten to sue Spielberg so he took out that whole scene. That scene was totally removed and never been restored to the movie. It is in the script ... Here ya go

DIANE
You can't believe the feeling.

STEVE
What's the gag? There a magnet back there? He looks behind the door in the dining room. Nothing. Steve just stands for a long moment in hapless silence, then...

STEVE
I hate Pizza Hut! Where's supper? I don'-t understand, Diane. What the hell's-going on around here?

Steve sidesteps the chalk marks, removing himself from the active area.

DIANE
I figured I'd never explain it to you. So I showed you instead, but don't-ask me how or what. Just help me figure out what to do.

STEVE
You mean there's no gimmick?

DIANE
Not from inside the house. Maybe Tuthill got himself a super remote from the Radio Shack.

Carol Anne adjusts her helmet and sits inside her launch circle. Diane and Steve are having the discussion across the room and aren't aware of her.

STEVE
Maybe the shakeup and this thing...relate.

DIANE
No ----.

CAROL ANNE
Daddy, look at me!!

They turn but it's too late. Carol Anne shoots across the room faster than before, and with no one to catch her.

ANGLE-KITCHEN WALL

At a sickening speed her helmet smashes into the wall. Diane SCREAMS Steve runs over. An eight-inch hole in the wall and the cracked plastic on the helmet testify to the force of impact. Carol Anne is dazed but unhurt.

CAROL ANNE
You promised pizza.

39
THRU OMIT
41

42 EXT. BEN TUTHILL'S FRONT PORCH - LIGHT

The front door opens and Tuthill steps into the bug light. An obvious strain in this conversation.

The motives various, the feelings mutual. About a thousand rnosquitos chow down on the Freelings while they talk.

STEVE
Hi, Ben.

DIANE
Mr. Tuthill.

TUTHILL
TV's off in here. If your set's acting up again...

[Argonus]

I'll have to check this out; awesome stuff!!

Ford's not doin' another "Indiana" movie unless it includes the death of that character; after "Crystal Skull"... can't say I blame him.

Plus, the man's not gettin' any younger.. might as well go with guns ablazin' (uh... whip crackin'?!).

Hopefully we either see his death succeeding at some world-saving quest (that ultimately costs his life).. or his retirement and death from natural causes; I'd be down with either.

[supahman]

I remember it too.. in India on a rented VHS tape..

[CessnaDriver]

Well the folks at the prop forum are just as skeptical as I.

I think what is very most likely going on here is some mis-remembering and some power of suggestion going on. Beyond that, and very unlikely would be someone spliced something in outside of the studio control. Which would be very strange, but I suppose possible, almost a fan edit of the time. Maybe trying to put in some kind of anti US government point? That seems very unlikely. But I think most unlikely is that this was some actual studio footage that Spielberg had wanted to put in at some point.
There just isn't anything to support that and this films making has been extremely heavily scrutinized for 30 years by obsessed fans.

I find it difficult to believe that that kind of scrutiny would have missed some reference to a scene that was actually in a work print or early release. Many times we don't have actual footage of cut scenes, but you do have a lot to support it was planned at some point. Interviews of writers, FX folks, actors, model makers, artists, they are going to say something.


If you want to take it to the next step, you could ask here....

http://www.indygear.com/cow/


But remember, these folks eat and breath IJ, so be prepared.


Bottomline, if your convinced this exists for whatever reasons, it needs some evidence.

[rychehitman]

Originally Posted by armitage

I wish the entire 4th movie was missing.

best post in the whole thread!

Originally Posted by CessnaDriver

But remember, these folks eat and breath IJ, so be prepared.

sheesh....what kind of geeks hang ouot on a forum and get so wrapped up in fictional characters....

[VaultMan]

Sounds familiar. But now Im not sure if I actually saw it and now Im recalling it, or you just jedi mind-tricked me

[TNovak]

Originally Posted by CessnaDriver

Well the folks at the prop forum are just as skeptical as I.

I think what is very most likely going on here is some mis-remembering and some power of suggestion going on. Beyond that, and very unlikely would be someone spliced something in outside of the studio control. Which would be very strange, but I suppose possible, almost a fan edit of the time. Maybe trying to put in some kind of anti US government point? That seems very unlikely. But I think most unlikely is that this was some actual studio footage that Spielberg had wanted to put in at some point.
There just isn't anything to support that and this films making has been extremely heavily scrutinized for 30 years by obsessed fans.

I find it difficult to believe that that kind of scrutiny would have missed some reference to a scene that was actually in a work print or early release. Many times we don't have actual footage of cut scenes, but you do have a lot to support it was planned at some point. Interviews of writers, FX folks, actors, model makers, artists, they are going to say something.


If you want to take it to the next step, you could ask here....

http://www.indygear.com/cow/


But remember, these folks eat and breath IJ, so be prepared.d


Bottomline, if your convinced this exists for whatever reasons, it needs some evidence.

Or we could just not give a sh!t if you believe it or not and know that several of us here and other places saw it and remember it clearly and therefore don't need any convincing ourselves or care if you are convinced.

Also anybody that actually saw it in a theatre would be at least 40 by now and most likely closer to 45, so most people that hang around these forums are younger than that which would explain why there are only a few of us. It does seem though that of those that did see it in a theatre a lot of us remember it.

[CessnaDriver]

Fine by me. Fair enough.
It's just a movie.
Just that fans of this film are indeed rabid and a previously unheard of scene coming to light 30 years hence IS a big deal to them, and me as a fan. It's not worth getting pissed about.
I did ask a whole other forum with plenty of Raiders nuts in the correct demographic to try to learn more and try to get to the bottom of this. I'd love to see the footage if it exists. So shoot me. LOL

You'll note, I said someone could have spliced something in.
I do not doubt you folks are remembering seeing this, simply memory is flawed especially 30 years later, it's quite a possible explaination too as it actually existing.

I've talked to someone absolutely convinced that he saw a Godzila Vs Gamera film as a child.
Convinced. This would be like Ford and Chevy making a car together. Competing studios, never happened.

[TNovak]

Originally Posted by CessnaDriver

Fine by me. Fair enough.
It's just a movie.
Just that fans of this film are indeed rabid and a previously unheard of scene coming to light 30 years hence IS a big deal to them, and me as fans. It's not worht getting pissed about.
I did ask a whole other forum with plenty of Raiders nuts in the correct demographic to try to learn more and try to get to the bottom of this. I'd love to see the footage if it exists. So shoot me. LOL

You'll note, I said someone could have spliced something in.
I do not doubt you folks are remembering seeing this, simply memory is flawed especially 30 years later, it's quite a possible explaination too as it actually existing.

I've talked to someone absolutely convinced that he saw a Godzila Vs Gamera film as a child.
Convinced. This would be like Ford and Chevy making a car together. Competing studios, never happened.

But do you know a dozen or more who don't know each other and have never spoken and yet remember vividly and clearly seeing Godzilla vs Gamera?

and I'm not pissed. Just don't like being bossed around to produce evidence when an open question was asked if anyone remembered that scene and I do

Personally I think the scene was cut after the early theatre release because they didn't want the US equated with Nazi Germany with burning the crate again. It would have been easy to do because it was about the last thing shown. I will admit I am surprised there isn't info out there about it.

[CessnaDriver]

Sorry to sound bossy, I get aggressive I guess when digging into something interesting.

I think that two somewhat similar scenes making a double memory for more then one person especially when the internet can cast a really wide net.
That is we see a wooden crate in the Bantu Wind's cargo hold with printing burning off and later in a similar wooden crate also but with markings being painted on. The burning off and the painting on of markings could have been transposed in memory some.

I'm not sure how it would fit into the ending though, at what point did this happen? The guy carts the Ark off into a matte painting. Music swells, credits roll. Great ending, the Ark is "lost" again.

Could it have been an attempt at implying a sequal involving the Ark maybe??? That is the only narrative that would seem Spielberg-ian to me. The film's spirit was based on old adventure serials, with cliffhanger endings.