I still can’t believe it has been over 40 years since Steven Spielberg’s landmark RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK hit theatres, and with it a box office and critical sensation. It has stood the test of time as well, winning new fans every generation for its big action and adventure sequences and a commanding lead by Harrison Ford as our hero Indiana Jones. Much has already been said about the movie so I won’t repeat myself here, of course.
The entire INDIANA JONES trilogy is all worth celebrating (and I’m pretty much the only person in the world who really liked CRYSTAL SKULL, warts and all), and here is yet another important release of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK to add to the already large assortment of movie releases for the picture. Sure, you can stream this movie on Netflix, but where’s the fun in that? Join the physical media and 4k/HDR and restoration crowd as it’s a lot more fun over here, we promise.
About the 4k release:
This current 4k disc release is the same disc that was featured in the stunning box set that I reviewed earlier this year. Great care was taken in the 4k restoration which brought the 1981 movie back to life in as close to its original theatrical presentation possible. Over the years, Spielberg did do some re-tooling to some of the effects, but like with his re-mastering of ET in the early 2000s, this has all been reversed to preserve this movie, and I am all for it. Both the stunning picture, matched along with the flawless Dolby Atmos restored soundtrack will give you the definitive experience of the movie, save from creating time travel and going back to 1981 and checking it out in a 70mm presentation. Once again, this is absolutely worth owning if you have a 4k setup.
The bonus features disc is not included as in the set, but all of the features are on the provided Apple TV digital copy link and are viewable on Apple TV on your computer or if you have an Apple TV box (if you have a Smart TV with the Apple TV app installed however, you are out of luck). If you are needing the features in a disc format, I still recommend picking up the big box set.
The Steelbook presentation is gorgeous with a cover that more closely matches one of the key poster artwork. On the back, once the paper card is removed, there’s a world map with the ark located in the middle of the back. Opening it up, there’s the usual Digital Copy card and behind it is a is a folded poster for the original theatrical release. I usually keep these snug in the case and never hang them up on my fridge, but the option is there if you want it. The disc itself is identical to the set (and the only place you’ll see the title INDIANA JONES & THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in the package). I also removed everything to see a key photo from the movie of Indy and Sallah picking up the Ark, which is one of the most famous shots in the picture. Overall this is a beautiful packaging and a must-have for fans, and certainly a lot more sturdy than the somewhat plastic-heavy packaging for the box set release.
The entire trilogy will be released on Steelbook throughout the summer and all three together will look great on your shelf. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is now available on 4k Steelbook from Paramount, and as always our thanks to Paramount PR for sending along a copy for review.