You might’ve watched several Indiana Jones movies, but have you watched the first installment, Raiders of the Lost Ark? If not, then read this piece to know more about this incredible movie and also find out where was Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed.
The American action-adventure flick, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released during the early ‘80s and stands as the first installment to the famous film series of Indiana Jones. As you might know, Steven Spielberg was at the helm of affairs with this project. Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay of the film, which was primarily inspired by George Lucas’ fantasy adventure story.
The basic premise of Raiders of the Lost Ark revolves around the character of Indiana Jones, a daring archaeologist working for the American government. The plot thickens when a fleet of Nazi spies races against Indiana to find the mysterious Ark of the Covenant.
Raiders of the Lost Ark was a massive commercial success. In fact this gripping film became the highest-grossing film of 1981, collecting over $330 million in worldwide collections. Movie buffs, especially kids who love watching exciting adventure films, absolutely enjoyed the stellar performance of Harrison Ford and the other cast members. But the brilliant storyline of the movie was widely appreciated.
So, if you’re ready to find out more about this Oscar-winning movie, then let’s take a closer look at where was Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed.
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Where Was Raiders Of The Lost Ark Filmed? Let’s Know This Action Adventure Flick Closely!
The story of Raiders of the Lost Ark is set in Egypt. However, the shooting of this movie didn’t take place in this location. Spielberg and his team thought of exploring other filming locations around the world.
Thus after the second meeting, the makers of Raiders of the Lost Ark decided to shoot the sequences of Egypt in and around the North African country of Tunisia. To be more specific, all major outdoor scenes depicting the backdrop of Cairo were actually filmed in the city of Tozeur.
Other important sequences were filmed near the states of California and Arizona. Plus, to capture the movie’s interior sequences and morph a few outdoor scenes, the filming crew traveled to England and France to use a well-equipped studio.
The principal photography of Raiders of the Lost Ark began in the final week of June 1980 and continued till the first week of September. The filming crew had to arrange special shooting equipment, such as a Panaglide camera stabilizer and camera cranes.
These expensive pieces of equipment were pretty hard to procure. So before the shooting began, Spielberg, along with some other members of the team, invested most of their time looking for this necessary equipment.
The on-location shooting cost was around $100,000/day, so the filming crew was briefed to complete the shooting within the estimated timeline. Thankfully, the production members didn’t face any significant challenges during shooting and were able to complete the filming in time.
Now, are you ready to find out where was Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed? Let us dive right in!
France
The shooting of Raiders of the Lost Ark commenced on the west coast of France, specifically in and around La Rochelle. The production members traveled to La Pallice to capture some brilliant outdoor sequences depicting the German submarine base during World War II.
Other outdoor sequences of the movie were filmed on the outskirts of La Rochelle, specifically near Charente-Maritime. The production members then traveled to the northern part of Africa to capture the remaining scenes.
Tunisia
As mentioned earlier, the pivotal outdoor sequences in the movie, where we see the character of Indiana and his father fighting with the German troops in Cairo, were all filmed in Tunisia.
The production members traveled to this North African country instead of shooting in Egypt mainly because of a restricted production budget. Plus, the local labor cost in Egypt was way higher than in Tunisia.
Returning to Raiders of the Lost Ark, the production members traveled around the city of Tozeur and captured jaw-dropping outdoor sequences. The required logistics were arranged before the shooting commenced in Tunisia. Thus it was easier for the filming crew to capture the scenes without any hassle.
Additional sequences were shot in Sousse and Sedala in Tunisia, after which the production members moved to the next filming location.
Other Filming Locations
Other important movie sequences were filmed in parts of California and Arizona. The production members traveled to San Anselmo to capture the exterior sequences of Indy’s family home.
Some more shots were captured near the Cascade Mountains and Yuma. Then finally, the production members moved to England. All major indoor shots of Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed inside Elstree Studios, located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
And now, if you’re intrigued to know the narrative of Raiders of the Lost Ark, allow me to walk you through the plot. In the meantime, you can also read Thor: Love and Thunder, Alchemy of Souls and All Of Us Are Dead.
Plot Of Raiders Of The Lost Ark | What’s It About?
The basic premise of Raiders of the Lost Ark follows the character of Indiana Jones, a daring archaeologist employed by the American government. At the very beginning of the movie, the male lead and his father recover an ancient artifact from Peru.
As the story progresses further, the American government gets involved and asks Indiana and his father to retrieve the Lost Ark of The Covenant. However, the situation gets pretty dicey when Indy and his dad travel to Egypt to recover the mysterious item. The evil German troops soon incarcerate the male lead and his dad to get hold of the Ark first.
Watch Raiders of the Lost Ark to witness how Indiana finally defeats the Nazi troops and gets closer to the lost Ark.
Final Words
Alright, friends! I hope you liked the read and finally know where was Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed. If there’s anything that you’d like us to add, feel free to drop a comment below. We’ll definitely make the necessary changes.
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