Time to Social Distance the heck out of this epidemic and watch a movie together while still staying in three different states: North Carolina, Florida, and California. First up for the Tri-State Watch Party (is that our name? IT IS NOW.), Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark!
The Netflix Watch Party app ended up being a little complicated, so we just set a time to hit “play” and then chatted through instant messenger. Click the jump to read some highlights from the conversation.
The Players: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kathryn, Nathan, and the parents (Parents represented here by Marian, because Dad would chisel a message in a stone tablet before typing anything on a phone.)
Kathryn
One minute!
Hannah
Here!
Elizabeth
Are we all hitting play or trying the extension?
Kathryn
Play
Elizabeth
one sec one sec
Hannah
Now?
Kathryn
Yes!
Hannah
Going
Elizabeth
Same, going!
Hannah
This very much like the time mom tried to let me call a cue and I couldn’t pull the trigger on “go”
Elizabeth
hee
Kathryn
I forgot Lucas produced this.
Elizabeth
Seriously the tasting the poison thing always gets me
Hannah
Is he the same guy as “hecho me luz” at the beginning of Jurassic Park?
Elizabeth
Maybe?
Kathryn
Oh hi, young Harrison Ford!
Hannah
Hiiiiiiiiiiii indeeeeeeeed
Elizabeth
Prettier than he was in Star Wars I think
Hannah
It’s fun to imagine that this was the first anyone ever saw of Indiana Jones
Elizabeth
My hair is trying to crawl off my head now
Hannah
Hahaha
Elizabeth
Such an iconic scene
Shouldn’t a taken out that last handful of dirt
Kathryn
No WAY the sand bag weighed the same as the idol.
Nathan
Nowhere near!
Hannah
Gold is very light!
Elizabeth
That bag was pretty puny to begin with.
Hannah
I do love how Last Crusade is basically this movie in reverse
Elizabeth
Huh, so it is!
Hannah
John Williams is such a boss
Elizabeth
So are the violins, that crap is HARD TO PLAY
Elizabeth
Aw, I forgot about the dapper gentleman leaving him an apple.
Nathan
And Marcus stealing it.
Hannah
Everything I watch right now I’m like, “WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING THINGS PUT DOWN THE APPLE”
Elizabeth
Hee
He doesn’t eat it does he?
Kathryn
Six feet, SIX FEET.
Elizabeth
I read something one time that says if someone actually eats an apple in a movie that means they’re kind of a jerk, automatically.
Hannah
Haha that’s one of those things that makes me wish I were still in college so I could write a paper on it
Kathryn
I’m still amazed that this was the first time I ever even HEARD of the Ark.
Elizabeth
Same
Nathan
Me too.
But, I was 10 when I first saw it.
Elizabeth
Though most of the time I forget this whole part in between the golden idol and him showing up in the desert.
Kathryn
Well there’s the bar.
Elizabeth
OH the bar that’s right
Hannah
Aside from the melting faces, I associate this movie with the bar
Elizabeth
For me I always picture the desert
And the pit with the snakes
Hannah
And with Raffie teaching me how to make regular faces into melting faces in magazines (in the Frankel Building)
Elizabeth
Whaaaa?
Hannah
Scribbling on magazines
Elizabeth
Aahh
Marian
What is the name on the plane?
Hannah
Izmelda Mcgee
Kathryn
Toothy McGee!
Nathan
Ah, the good ol’ days!
When you could throw a revolver into your suitcase and walk onto a sea plane.
Hannah
This is distinctly old-fashioned lighting, right? How many 80s movies have this aesthetic?
Elizabeth
It’s funny that you notice that, I always think it has such a typical 80s feel in the style, but now I can’t think of any that are similar
I put it with Jurassic Park in style, but that’s just the Spielberg effect
Side note: We had a teacher in elementary school when they showed this, paused the movie specifically to tell us how flipping dangerous it was to do this
Kathryn
I don’t remember that.
Nathan
Who needs a liver anyways?
Elizabeth
She also told us how it could kill you to drink straight alcohol from a straw because of it hitting your tongue in that one spot
Kathryn
That may be BS
Hannah
Haha to drink competitively?
Elizabeth
Hah, yes
Yeah, that many shots I believe is dangerous, the straw thing not so much
Yet I still feel you could get drunker if you drank it with a straw
Hannah
I believe that!
Kathryn
This could have been a conversation between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford.
Elizabeth
Boy howdy
Hannah
Can we pause after this burny adventure so ma can make some tea?
Elizabeth
Yep!
Hannah
I’m not .wild. about the makeup department’s work on north east asians here…
Elizabeth
Yeah, not subtle, and makes me wonder how many of the actors were Asian to begin with?
Nathan
None, I’ll bet.
Hannah
YAS QUEEN
Get you some whiskey
Kathryn
I’m still astounded that they showed this to us in elementary school.
Elizabeth
The scream of the burning hand is definitely a touch point for me in this movie
Kathryn
Pausing!
Elizabeth
Pausing!
Hannah
Same
Kathryn
I needed another beer anyway.
Elizabeth
Same
Hannah
Just a mo…
Elizabeth
No rush!
Hannah
Okay, ready for a restart?
Elizabeth
Yep!
Elizabeth
I wonder how many other movies had done that “red line going over the map” before this
Or did they do that because it was already a big thing?
Hannah
Didn’t they do that in Casablanca?
Elizabeth
I think you’re right
Hannah
Yeah I think Spielberg called on a lot of 40s stuff
Elizabeth
Heh, when Cricket is running around like a crazy person she does that monkey tail curl
Hannah
Heh
Come to think of it, Casablanca=Nazi intrigue in not-Europe must’ve been a massive influence in this whole concept
(I’m slow)
Elizabeth
I’ve never watched Casablanca from beginning to end so I only know what pop culture has told me
Nathan
WHAT?!
This must be rectified!!
Elizabeth
I know I know!
Nathan
My favorite scene!
Elizabeth
Hee
Kathryn
ICONIC!
Hannah
The fucking comic timing there
Elizabeth
He doesn’t even really wait to see if he hit him
Hannah
There’s not even a hesitation
Kathryn
I love the backstory on that.
Elizabeth
I always wondered if the back story was true, it’s such a great moment to have been a whim
Kathryn
And you can just see the fed up frustration
Although that could have been really good acting.
Nathan
Lot of free flowing alcohol for a Muslim country.
Elizabeth
heh, true
Kathryn
Well, for the westerners anyway
Nathan
Ah, the “you and I aren’t that different” speech.
Hannah
Hahaha
“It will take more than children to save you” does… not make sense?
Elizabeth
What’d he say about marines? Was Indy a marine?
Nathan
Better than the US Marines.
Elizabeth
Ahhh
Nathan
Was referring to his children.
Elizabeth
Gotcha
Hannah
OH THAT POOR MONKEY
… spoilers
Elizabeth
Hee
Except the monkey did the Heil Hitler gesture so evil
Kathryn
Another scene that REALLY stuck in my head.
And of course I have no memory of the actual dialog in this scene because the whole time I’m waiting for someone to eat a date.
Elizabeth
I want some of those glass lamps
Hannah
Ok that’s obviously Eric Idle
Elizabeth
Wait is it?
Aww, RIP evil monkey
Hannah
Haha no, just looks like a Python character
Elizabeth
Juuuuust making sure
Nathan
What is your quest? What is your favorite color.
Elizabeth
hee
Hannah
90 percent of movies in the last 40 years haven’t had this level of cinematography
Nathan
Mostly cause they’ve tried to CGI it.
Elizabeth
Seriously
To both the previous comments
Kathryn
I love the whole concept of a map that you use with sunlight and a crystal at the right time of day.
Hannah
YOU WOULD
Yes, Nathan, exactly. How clean and choreographed this all is
Elizabeth
And realistic looking!
Kathryn
Damn, like a religious icon.
Hannah
Oh man, wish you guys could’ve seen the Asolo Sound of Music where they draped the theater in Nazi flags in the second act
Elizabeth
Booooold bold choice
Hannah
VISCERAL
Elizabeth
Heh, his logic is sound, but she’d have been well within her rights to kick him in the nuts for that one.
Kathryn
His final loyalty really is to the archeological find.
Elizabeth
As a kid the scar on his hand felt so true to me. “OH BECAUSE IT BURNED INTO HIS PALM.”
No idea, but I DEFINITELY remember that moment.
Hannah
Whatever is happening… that’s pretty
Elizabeth
So pretty
Kathryn
This movie and Poltergeist really made me freaked out about thunderstorms for a while.
Elizabeth
Speaking of which we had one HELL of a thunderstorm last night, woke most of San Diego up. Freaking LOUD.
I love his friend by the way
Kathryn
“Indy, why does the floor move?”
Elizabeth
I’m not even afraid of snakes and yet I’ve still got the creepy crawlies right now
Nathan
Kathryn
I remember it wasn’t even them being venomous that freaked me out. It was them slithering out of the holes that bugged me.
Hannah
Haha Mom and I just agreed that we were perfectly fine with snake. Singular.
Elizabeth
THAT’S the key
Elizabeth
I love her defiant knee walk to the table
Nathan
Defiant is a good description of Marian.
Hannah
Okay so Poltergeist vs Exorcist: which is scarier?
Nathan
That’s a tough one!
Elizabeth
I lean towards Exorcist because it’s grosser
Kathryn
Don’t…think asps have hoods?
Elizabeth
Yeah I called BS when he said it
Nope, I’m wrong, the dictionary says it’s another term for Egyptian cobra. Nevermind!
Kathryn
Did they ever say why her character didn’t come back for the next movies?
Elizabeth
I’m sure it’s in the trivia
Nathan
I think the actress was difficult to work with?
Elizabeth
Pfh. Nowadays we’d say she didn’t let herself get pushed around.
But I’m guessing
Nathan
Apparently she’s in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Elizabeth
Oh no..
Kathryn
Ugh
Elizabeth
Haven’t seen that one and have no plans to
Nathan
Me either.
Hannah
I mean, Temple of Doom was a complete crisis with Lucas’s divorce and Spielberg’s ditzy-ass wife at the time
Nathan
And Short Round.
Elizabeth
Explains why it’s the weakest of the series, but I’m not counting Crystal Skull in the series
Hannah
Nobody does
Elizabeth
I almost feel sorry for Shia Labeoufe, nobody liked him BEFORE the movie
Hannah
Oh, it is .quite. racist
Kathryn
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Atomic-Proof Refrigerator
Hannah
Hahaha
Hannah
Last Crusade did well enough I guess in making all of the bad stuff European?
Elizabeth
True, just pointed straight at the Nazis and left it there
Kathryn
So appealing, the two of them getting the giggles
Elizabeth
I also remember her turning a knife on him and them losing it anyway
Kathryn
The most threatening clothes hanger in the world.
Elizabeth
Hee
Elizabeth
Man the design on that thing, something about the pointy wings just looks so alien and threatening
Kathryn
Biblically accurate, apparently
Elizabeth
I also remember us all getting the giggles at “Ha ha haaaaa son of a b..”
Kathryn
I don’t know why I like that delivery so much “I wonder if you have that clearly in mind.”
Elizabeth
Let’s not forget she’s completely drunk at this moment
Nathan
I would imagine being thrust into this situation would sober you quick.
Elizabeth
Heh, true
Kathryn
I literally had to close my eyes at this part
Elizabeth
Yeah the snake coming out of the mouth is one of the three most traumatizing moments of this movie
Elizabeth
However this upcoming fight with the shirtless Nazi is up in the top ten
in that it’s BRUTAL
Kathryn
God that full body slump
Hannah
Heh so apparently they totally invented this Nazi aircraft?
Elizabeth
Did they?
Nathan
Really? Wow,
Elizabeth
I mean this scene is so great because just when you think his situation couldn’t get worse IT DOES
Yay explosions!!
Kathryn
How did his friend get away from the Nazis?
Elizabeth
Uh, plot point?
Hannah
Mom was asking about a plane earlier and all Google came up with was the invented Nazi plane
DON’T LOGIC THE PLOT, KATHRYN
Kathryn
Hee.
Elizabeth
Pattie always says the key to a great movie is good lookin men and good lookin horses.
Nathan
Wilhelm scream!
Hannah
I cannot ever remember having seen this action sequence
Elizabeth
Really? I always remember it starts with the horse anyway
And isn’t there a dragged-under-the-truck-sequence?
Kathryn
Yep. I remember hearing it was the last scene they had Ford do, so they wouldn’t have to recast if he died.
Elizabeth
heh
Hannah
Well I remember it in terms of Last Crusade, which is quite similar
No, I never remember them transporting the ark thusly
Elizabeth
On the ship?
I remember something but I’m concerned about this Captain gentleman
Marian is such a class act
Kathryn
A little slapstick before the last act
Elizabeth
hahaha
Hannah
The desert action scene was entirely replaced in my head by Last Crusade
Elizabeth
I remember reading this is a total trope, the bad guy who grits his teeth through the pain, until the woman is cleaning him up and then he’s all “ouchee ouch ouchee”
Kathryn
Heh
Hannah
I definitely have not seen this end of this movie for 30 years
Elizabeth
I’m happy to say my fears about the Captain were incorrect, I thought they were going to go for an uncomfortable racial stereotype and they didn’t.
Hannah
I DEFINITELY DON’T REMEMBER SUBMARINES
Elizabeth
Hee
Elizabeth
Where the heck did he hide on a submarine all that time?
Kathryn
Nathan says most of the time the submarines WOULDN’T be underwater. I didn’t know that.
Elizabeth
Me neither
Kathryn
I can’t remember another situation where stealing the guard’s armor DIDN’T work.
Nice subversion of a trope there.
*uniform, not armor.
Elizabeth
Same thing
Also this movie came out the year before Blade Runner?
Kathryn
Can you imagine how history would have changed if they HAD waited to open the Ark for Hitler?
Elizabeth
Maaaaan
Hannah
I DEFINITELY DON’T REMEMBER INDY WITH A MISSILE LAUNCHER
Elizabeth
Hee. Me neither.
Kathryn
And once again, his final loyalty is to the find.
Elizabeth
And I’m of course distracted by the fact that someone had to sew a custom cover for the Ark in a small amount of time WHERE ARE THE NAZI SEAMSTRESSES
Took me years before I watched this scene with my eyes open
Kathryn
AND heeeere we go…
Hannah
Fuck yes that was fun
Elizabeth
Boy howdy
I was grinning the whole scene
Another giggle the class got out of this scene, after trying to be adult with all the damn’s and other bad language, Indy goes “…fools” and we lost it.
Kathryn
I remember that!
Hannah
Hahaha
Kathryn
And from this shot, a thousand memes were born.
Elizabeth
Yaaaaaay!!!!!
Hannah
Amazing
Nathan
Fantastic film!
Kathryn
Really holds up, don’t you think?
Elizabeth
SO does
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