Three Mississippi Kids Remake Raiders of the Lost Ark

nonsensenyc.com wrote:
FRIDAY, JULY 6
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation

An extremely rare presentation of the semi-legendary shot-for-shot
remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark, made by three 12-year-olds in
Mississippi. Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jayson Lamb started
shooting in 1982 -- and didn't have a clue what they were getting
themselves into. Their production wrapped in 1989, and was shelved
and forgotten until 2003 when Eli Roth screened a bootleg copy in the
middle of the night at Austin's legendary Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. A
feature film based on the filmmakers' story is now in production with
Dan (Ghost World) Clowes penning the script.

The film is nothing short of stunning. Everything is here -- the
rolling boulder, the live snakes, the heart-thudding truck sequence,
and everywhere flames, flames, flames. The boys have made a few
inventive substitutions -- a puppy dog stands in for a monkey, a boat
for a plane. But even more impressive are the things they don't
substitute -- a submarine, a truck on fire, a melting face, the same
copy of a 1936 Life magazine used in the original. This is not "cute"
or "impressive considering their age" -- it is a genuine virtuoso work.

The film is a crowd-pleaser, turning all the Raiders action – clichéd
after 20 years of imitation -- into a new and genuinely startling
viewing experience. How will they do this next scene? How can they
pull that stunt off? And don't forget that these kids are literally
growing up in front of the camera. Voices deepen, hairstyles change,
the hero grows stubble, the heroine grows breasts. Though writers
abuse this phrase ... it's like nothing you've seen before.

Anthology Film Archives
32 2nd Avenue, Manhattan
8p; $8
Continues SATURDAY
212 505 5181

NOTE: This is film is a true celebration of the amateur and the glory
that can come only from being way out of your league. It's also
genuinely obscure. We tracked down a rare copy online, and although
it's impressive on a little screen, you really need to watch with an
audience to appreciate it. Here's your chance.