Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation 320
jonerik writes "Ain't It Cool News has an article on one of the more fascinating fan film projects ever conceived: A shot-for-shot remake of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" filmed in Biloxi, Mississippi between 1982 and 1988 by Eric Zala, Jayson Lamb and Chris Strompolis. What's particularly amazing is that the trio began filming the project when they were twelve and finished six years later when they were eighteen. Now, fifteen years after the project was completed, word of the film's existence has gotten out and audiences who have seen it have reportedly been stunned by the trio's ingenuity, with none other than "RotLA" director Steven Spielberg giving Zala, Lamb, and Strompolis a big thumbs-up. The complete film isn't available online, but a trailer that gives a bit of the feel of the finished project can be viewed. The Austin Chronicle also has a story on the project."
How about a DVD? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Interesting)
Of course, if the "real" versions ever come out, I'll get them as well, but in the meantime, everyone's always turning up asking to watch my copies.
Also picked up Barton Fink and a couple of other unreleased-on-DVD films this way...
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:4, Funny)
Of course, if the "real" versions ever come out, I'll get them as well
A real rebel, you are!
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Funny)
;)
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:2)
Barton Fink [rottentomatoes.com] is available on DVD.
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Funny)
What sort of format is a laserdisc? Something non-digital?
Yeah, a laserdisk is technically just an analogue record, but instead of being made out of vinyl, it's made out of titanium cut with a laser (hence the name, laser disk). It is the same size as a record, but needs a special record player with TV out, and a slightly thinner needle to read the grooves as they are a lot thinner on the laserdisc as you need to put video on it as well as sound!
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Informative)
Ummm... release date November 4, 2003 [theraider.net]. You can't wait another five months?
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:5, Funny)
It's only hard for the first 4 or 5 minutes.
Re:How about a DVD? (Score:2, Funny)
I'm sick (Score:5, Funny)
I was gonna throw in a "now three young girls progressing through....." punch line....but....nahhhh, even I'm not that perverted.
Re:I'm sick (Score:5, Funny)
"Now three young girls progressing through puberty, that's a different story! I'd sure like to raid their arks!"
Re:I'm sick (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm sick (Score:2)
Of course you are, you're on Slashdot.
-Mr. Fusion
talk about dedicated fans (Score:5, Interesting)
But then, back in my teens in the mainframe and paper tape days, I wrote my own version of the ever popular Star Trek game. I didn't need to, I could play the original all I wanted. Even the source code was available. But I thought I could do the same job in a more easily understood manner. So I coded up a virtually identical version. It was much less code and alot easier to read, although the original was a little faster.
So I guess remaking something you like just because you can must be some kind of teen geek ritual.
Star Trek in 15 lines of code (APL code that was) (Score:2)
APL [gte.net]. (Perl for arrays.)
Star Trek in 15 lines (and a lot of 0,0rho reshaping!)
Re:talk about dedicated fans (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:talk about dedicated fans (Score:3, Interesting)
What really strike
legality (Score:4, Interesting)
Shot for Shot remake, certainly the Writers guild will have something to say.
A brilliant piece of work though. Puts Hardware Wars to shame.
Re:legality (Score:3, Informative)
If you read the story, you'd know that not only does Steven Spielberg know about it (the guy who ran the projector at the AICN film festival it was shown at gave him a copy), he was astonished by how good it is.
I think they're safe for now.
Re:legality (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:legality (Score:2)
Re:legality (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't think this film was even meant to be distributed around. It was one of those flukes that floated around the web, sorta like the Star Wars kid. [teamabuse.com] I am VERY instereted in seeing how they pulled it off. Anyone got a copy?
Woah (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Woah (Score:2)
Holy shit! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Holy shit! (Score:5, Informative)
Now this approach is not without problems. The biggest problem I found was with the seeking of the VCRs. Even on fairly expensive ones (like $500 at the time I think), they weren't frame accurate. So you had to fudge your cuts by about 3 frames in both directions, you couldn't get it dead on. I'm sure that $2000+ master units can seek to a single frame, but none that I've ever touched. Also, you don't really know how it is going to look till its all done, you can't really preview it since there is often a lot of time in seeking inbetween shots. YOu have to set the whole thing up, let it do the dub, tehn see if it came out ok. If not, you have to make the changes and redo the dub. Each time, of course, is slightly wearing down your master. Wrose still is if you want to use multiple cameras and tapes. The 2-deck controllers I used never understood this concept, they wouldn't prompt for tape switches. So you either had to shoot it all on one tape, or get a setup with 3 decks.
However, it is all possable to do non-linear. Just because it isn't digital, doesn't imply linear editing. Heck, before digital (and even now in some cases) you could do non-linear editing with film by simply physically cutting and taping together the segments. Same for audio. Get a 2-inch master tape, a sharp knife, some gloces, some tape and a lot of patience.
Re:Holy shit! (Score:2)
I did editing on a small manual editor and a manual splicer. Each roll only held 10 minutes of film, and you had to mail it "back east" to get it developed. I did little SF films, special effects for lasers were directly scratched onto the film (after processing) and
6 years. (Score:5, Funny)
Ahh...good times.
Re:6 years. (Score:5, Funny)
Jones waned after a heated August afternoon with a bunch of friends, following which the guy who
played an evil German had to be rushed to the hospital.
You should have used those little plastic army men, a cigarette lighter and an aerosol can, for
the "melting german soldiers" scene.
Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Ingenious? (Score:2)
Anyway, I'd be far more interested in seeing a documentary on how these kids remade the film than actually watching it.
Use it as a tool (Score:5, Funny)
I think more than anything else, people are cheering it on because of the ingenuity displayed by these amatuers in writing this OS. Low budget software like that are far more impressive than stale Microsoft remakes precisely because they are low budget - people have to improvise. Surely you would not see the remake for the interface or anything new - it's a remake, you've seen it before. It's just something that makes me step back and marvel at what can be accomplished if you are dedicated enough.
Cheers ;)
Re:Ingenious? (Score:5, Interesting)
That's good enough for me.
Besides, these kids were *kids* - not Gus Wossname with millions of bucks and a full production crew.
Kudos to the kids !
others were supressed, nice to see this one live (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:others were supressed, nice to see this one liv (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:others were supressed, nice to see this one liv (Score:2)
A lot of people don't get that derivitive works contribute to the original work. Just look at open-source software if you want good examples of this effect. How else was an Indiana Jones movie going to make it onto the front page of Slashdot today? I can't think of too many that do not include a derivitive work.
Re:others were supressed, nice to see this one liv (Score:2, Funny)
Now, its fine, dandy, and wonderful that Spielberg is not being an asshole.
What is wrong is that the ONLY reason that these guys are not behind bars already is that Spielberg appears to not be an asshole.
"Asshole-ness" should not be the reason one is or is not legitimately liable for IP "theft"... even if they are never charged for it.... they should live in fear, because maybe, someday, Spielberg may change his tu
Re:others were supressed, nice to see this one liv (Score:4, Insightful)
The very next day I could legally create, with my own hands, a nearly identical replica of that piece of furniture. Thank you for the excellent example.
Too many acronyms... (Score:5, Funny)
"Rolling on the laugh ass", what the hell?
Re:Too many acronyms... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Too many acronyms... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Too many acronyms... (Score:2)
aye aye... (Score:3, Funny)
It would be in keeping with the Spielberg spirit, after all..
Re:They ruined it! (Score:5, Funny)
I have mod points! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I have mod points! (Score:4, Funny)
Now there's just no more incentive :)
Cool (Score:2, Funny)
Young Whippersnappers (Score:5, Funny)
Okay, I managed to snag a copy. (Score:5, Informative)
So, if you want to watch an AMD K6/2 400mhz go up in flames on a 768kbps DSL line. Here you go:
Raider's of the Lost Ark Remake Trailer [bunchofdrunks.com]
My ISP is so going to kill me...
Re:Okay, I managed to snag a copy. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Okay, I managed to snag a copy. (Score:2)
I see 21 apache processes, so if you assume 70KB/s divided by 20, well, they're only getting 3.5KB/s each. However, the server itself is far from being maxed out. Just the bandwidth
Re:Okay, I managed to snag a copy. (Score:3, Funny)
Fantastic Job (Score:5, Interesting)
These guys did every sequence in the movie save one. After some frightening messing around with explosives they opted not to attempt the flying wing sequence despite having access to an aircraft and the part of the bald mechanic already cast.
Every other scene is there though and done with impressive skill given their ages and the era in which they made it.
No spoilers please! (Score:2, Funny)
I'm still waiting the DVD release anytime now.
Ha! I did something similar! (Score:3, Funny)
This I would enjoy seeing (Score:5, Interesting)
Starship Exeter [www.starshipexeter.com] is one example of fan based work. Based on classic star trek, their one release actually has a somewhat decent story as well as capturing that late 60's sci-fi theme while by todays standards is considered most cheezy. If you can get over the wind in the boom low quality film and shacky camera man, it's a worth see.
Now, i'm not nessicarly going to say that this is going to be any good... but it should prove to be entertaining at the very least. More so then alot of things targeted tward the typcial 12 year old. I intend to watch it, if for nothing else but to use as an example, "Look at what these 12 year olds did... hollywood you have no excuse".
So... (Score:3)
Music (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Music (Score:2, Informative)
It's from the album Supermodified (Amon Tobin) - an absolutely brilliant and a hardly known piece of work.
In other news, three teenagers were arrested... (Score:4, Funny)
Anyone have it? (Score:4, Interesting)
Some friends of mine did a similar project. It wasn't a shot for shot re-make, but an original story called Indiana Jed. Was a lot of fun for high-school students to make, and sure beats the heck out of playing computer games for hours on end. Take a look at Indiana Jed [linnproductionsmedia.com]
World premiere screening (Score:2, Informative)
Great! (Score:2)
I know some kids about that age who are attemping their own version of the LOtR trilogy, complete with costumes and sets that they sew and make themselves.
guess i just like having fun and its nice to see some kids come through with it.
I think this proves one of my beliefs (Score:5, Interesting)
The only trick is knowing what you consider worth making an extended effort for. That takes vision. All the implementation takes is dedication.
How in the world did they get . . . (Score:4, Insightful)
They are in my opinion quite obviously geeks, not that that's bad, considering how they had to make it, but when your a geek it's hard to get a girl to do anything (personal experience).
Was at the first premiere. (Score:5, Interesting)
Four words in closing. The fire is real.
I'm inspired (Score:2, Funny)
hmm (Score:2, Funny)
They should pull a Lucas (Score:2, Funny)
I think I should get $5 just for suggesting it.
Parody/copyright shenannigans (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Parody/copyright shenannigans (Score:2)
Re:Parody/copyright shenannigans (Score:2)
However, in the rare circumstances where there's a misunderstanding, a la Coolio/Amish Paradise, he still has fair use law to fall back on.
In
AMON TOBIN (Score:2, Interesting)
Slashdot having illegal advertising? (Score:3, Informative)
"Star Wars Trilogy DVD $31.99 Only. Ready for delivery One shipping rate for any quantity"
which linked through to http://www.dvdoriginal.com/product/viewprod.asp?p
Which have such wonderful nuggest such as:
"Due to the fragility and bulkiness of standard DVD case, all of our DVD titles will come in a specially designed light-weight DVD sleeve pack. This shall hold and protect the disc better than the normal case." Riiiight...
or
"Q5: Does your DVD come with inserts or booklets that normally contained within the DVD case? A: No. Our DVD consists of Disc and Cover Art only. There are no inserts of booklets. " Uuuh huh.
Erm... slightly illegal copies of the Star Wars movies... how is it legal for Slashdot (by way of OSDN) to promote such illegal products on the website?
another trailer mirror (Score:3, Informative)
click [talker.com]
My idea (Score:2, Funny)
Re:My idea (Score:2)
Just make sure that Han shoots first.
Wow... (Score:2)
Re:Wow... (Score:2)
Or perhaps it's their terrible use of the news flash [cnn.com]. You know it's a sad day when one of the dozens of articles on fark are actually real and newsworthy, and then it's confirmed with slashdot picks it up.
(note, all of the above taken from fark under the guise of 'information')
Kids! Your path forward is clear! (Score:2)
RotLA? Whadabout good ol' Star Wars :) (Score:2)
"StarWars I.alt"
Anyone think they can do a better job than George?
(Hmmm...forget about the prequels...make a SEQUEL!
Fanfilms could be the way of the future... (Score:2)
In any scenario, I think the internet and new imaging tech, etc, plus the general lack of lives, need for nostalgia, and the stupidity of the tv/moviemaker corporations has led more and more fans to start making their own remakes. Take Star Trek Exeter [mac.com], for example...
Re:Ah yes.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Ah yes.... (Score:2)
I don't subscribe, and I got it at 65KBps, which is 520Kbps!
Re:Copyright Violation! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Copyright Violation! (Score:4, Informative)
I think 'derivative work' is a more fitting appelation here. Of course, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on television, but I'm pretty sure that Parody isn't a catch all term that grabs all works in this class.
Re:Copyright Violation! (Score:2)
Re:Copyright Violation! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Awesome news! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Awesome news! (Score:5, Funny)
now [boomtownbiloxi.com] we [isleofcapricasino.com] have [boomtowncasinos.com] all [parkplace.com] kinda [beaurivage.com] stuff [presidentbroadwater.com] to [casinomagic.com] do. [ipbiloxi.com]
And that's just a sampling of biloxi...
Here's a sample of Tunica's boats! [tunicamiss.org] Of course, here is a whole web site [mississippicasinos.com] dedicated to Mississippi's new found wealth.
If you enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, Elvis, the blues, college sports, famous authors--then you might rather visit this site. [visitmississippi.org]
Anyway, trying to get Mississippi a few props... and I have a few Karma points to burn.
Davak
Re:Awesome news! (Score:2, Funny)
You should be proud that it inspired these guys to do something cool...
Re:I hope someone posts it on Kazaa (Score:5, Informative)
They can't, since it's a scene for scene remake it falls under the heading of 'derived work' and requires permission of the copyright holder (LucasFilm, I presume) to distribute.
Re:I hope someone posts it on Kazaa (Score:3, Interesting)
George Lucus ISN'T Stephen Spielberg. Lucus is to Media what Sco is to linux. For those who can't remember, Lucusfilm sued Battlestar Galactica because of multi-points of similuarity between it and Star Wars.
But even George Lucus has a sence of humor, according to this site [http://www.nitcentral.com/askchief/ac980522.htm]
"I remember the guy who made a Star Wars parody, Hardware Wars, got a letter from Lucas' lawyers warning him about copyright infringement, and he sent them a letter saying, "yo
Re:NAKED PROSTUS!!!!!! (Score:2, Funny)
Keeping in mind the majority of /. readers, I really really hope that they don't post proof.
Re:This is an obsession (Score:2)
Re:This is an obsession (Score:2)
Re:Download Link? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:In other news... (Score:2)
You stupid mods. This was chickbait!