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Raiders!


raiders The story of the greatest fan film ever made is told in Raiders!.  In 1982, eleven year old Mississippi friends , , and Jayson Lamb set out to shoot a shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  The boys kept shooting this remake over the course of seven years and finished every scene except for one.  More than thirty years later, Eric and Chris reunite to try and finish the work that they started. It was in 2008 when ‘s film Be Kind Rewind introduced the term of “sweding,” referring to the film’s self-made remakes of popular films.  In essence, these kids in the 1980s were making a sweded version of Raiders of the Lost Ark, decades before that term was in the public consciousness.  Raiders! recounts both the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation, while also following Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos as they attempt to finish the project by shooting the 124 shot airplane sequence.  The film also features interviews with the likes of , Harry Knowles, and even sage advice by John Rhys Davies. Simply put, Raiders! is just pure awesomeness.  It is crazy how far these kids went to remake Raiders of the Lost Ark, complete with them performing dangerous stunts, with barely any adult supervision.  Then there’s the drama surrounding Eric and Chris’ efforts to finish the project, which goes wrong in possibly every way imaginable, including constant rain, a ticking clock and a very shocking “Oh my God” moment.  Altogether, Raiders! is a very entertaining and even touching look at these individuals setting out to fulfil a dream that began at childhood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |  LOVED IT   Screenings:

  • Tue, Apr 28, 4:00 PM – TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
  • Sat, May 2, 6:30 PM – Revue Cinema

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Sean Patrick Kelly

Sean Patrick Kelly is a Toronto-based freelance film critic and blogger with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies from York University. Since founding his site in 2004, Sean has shared his passion for cinema through insightful reviews and commentary. His work has also been featured in prominent outlets, including Toronto Film Scene, HuffPost Canada, Screen Anarchy, ScreenRant, and Rue Morgue Magazine.

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