Earliest Indy Net Talk (June 1981)

Posted by Micah [indyfan.com] on Wednesday, December 12, 2001 at 10:52am :

Google recently made the full USENET archive available all the way back to 1981! There weren't many folks online back then, but there was something called the SF Lovers Digest which made mention of Raiders. Here's a rather enthusiastic review of Raiders by an early wired Indy fan...

Date: Sunday, 7 Jun 1981 20:18-PDT
Subject: Review: Raiders of the Lost Ark
From: mike at RAND-UNIX

Screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saturday, June 6th. Directed by
Steven Spielberg. Lucasfilm, Ltd production.

This is a non-spoiler review. Don't let anyone spoil this movie for
you: don't read the book, leaf through the magazine, color in the
coloring book or any of the other ways you could spoil the movie.
JUST GO SEE THE MOVIE, and be surprised.

Don't be a fool! Go see this movie as soon as it opens! Go see it
twice. Seeing this movie the first time was as fun as seeing Star
Wars the first time. And I don't say that lightly.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is an adventure film of the old cinematic
school: the romantic setting is not outer space but a far-away jungle
or desert, the villains are not Storm Troopers from the Empire, but
Nazi's from Germany. Our heroes don't use the force, just good ol'
American pluck and spirit. They drink their whiskey straight, too.
So does Lauren Bacall, er, whatever the name of the heroine is.

Supposedly the inspiration for the film comes out of the Saturday
morning serials that used to run in the theatres for a nickle. Does
anyone know what these might be? I suppose the original Flash Gordon
fits into this mold.

The Action is continuous! The Danger immense! How can our Hero
Survive? Will Paramount's stock Double?

NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH: Warning to parents of very small children:
many of the images in the movie are strong. Maybe strong isn't the
right word. Maybe TERRIFYING is the right word. The woman next to me
in the theatre cringed continuously. As Indiana Jones said peering
into a sacred crypt where-man-was-not-meant-to-be, "Snakes. Why did
it have to be snakes?"

Michael Wahrman

SF Lovers Digest search on Raiders

Follow Ups:

nice - indyguitarist 9:46pm 12/13/2001

Re: Earliest Indy Net Talk (June 1981) - Danno 9:14pm 12/12/2001

Wow... - Brett Maverick Lambert 3:15pm 12/12/2001

Re: Wow... - Micah 3:58pm 12/12/2001

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: Google recently made the full USENET archive available all the way back to 1981! There weren't many folks online back then, but there was something called the SF Lovers Digest which made mention of Raiders. Here's a rather enthusiastic review of Raiders by an early wired Indy fan... : : Date: Sunday, 7 Jun 1981 20:18-PDT : Subject: Review: Raiders of the Lost Ark : From: mike at RAND-UNIX : Screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Saturday, June 6th. Directed by : Steven Spielberg. Lucasfilm, Ltd production. : This is a non-spoiler review. Don't let anyone spoil this movie for : you: don't read the book, leaf through the magazine, color in the : coloring book or any of the other ways you could spoil the movie. : JUST GO SEE THE MOVIE, and be surprised. : Don't be a fool! Go see this movie as soon as it opens! Go see it : twice. Seeing this movie the first time was as fun as seeing Star : Wars the first time. And I don't say that lightly. : Raiders of the Lost Ark is an adventure film of the old cinematic : school: the romantic setting is not outer space but a far-away jungle : or desert, the villains are not Storm Troopers from the Empire, but : Nazi's from Germany. Our heroes don't use the force, just good ol' : American pluck and spirit. They drink their whiskey straight, too. : So does Lauren Bacall, er, whatever the name of the heroine is. : Supposedly the inspiration for the film comes out of the Saturday : morning serials that used to run in the theatres for a nickle. Does : anyone know what these might be? I suppose the original Flash Gordon : fits into this mold. : The Action is continuous! The Danger immense! How can our Hero : Survive? Will Paramount's stock Double? : NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH: Warning to parents of very small children: : many of the images in the movie are strong. Maybe strong isn't the : right word. Maybe TERRIFYING is the right word. The woman next to me : in the theatre cringed continuously. As Indiana Jones said peering : into a sacred crypt where-man-was-not-meant-to-be, "Snakes. Why did : it have to be snakes?" : Michael Wahrman

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