Thank goodness Harrison Ford was sick the day they shot the Raiders scene with the black-clad swordsman.
It is a short bit in an elaborate chase scene, but the moment in which Ford as Indiana Jones shoots a man who boastfully shows off his skills with a sword is one of the singular moments in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The iconic, 10-second scene not only provides a much needed laugh, it effectively shapes how we see the character of Dr. Indiana Jones.
The scene’s simplicity is due to Ford getting ill the day of shooting, as he has famously said in the past. Because he was unable to stay standing, and was often forced to race to the bathroom, it was suggested they cut the action short and just have him use his gun.
Brilliance.
Now, for the first time, we’re able to see how that scene was supposed to go. Paramount has released a version of the scene in advance of the Blu-ray release of all four Indiana Jones films on Sept. 18.
What do you think of the original version? Do you think it’s better than the one they ended up using?
Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favorite! Thank goodness Harrison was sick the day they shot the Raiders scene with the black-clad swordsman. The scene’s simplicity is due to Harrison getting ill the day of shooting, it not only provides a much needed laugh, it effectively shapes how we see the character of Dr. Indiana Jones.