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"Knowing that we're somewhere in the tome of Indiana Jones chronicles is really flattering."
Chris Strompolos |
What did you most enjoy about making the film?
Chris: I liked the truck scene and the submarine scene was fun. The kissing scenes were pretty fun too. I was a young kid and had never kissed a girl before, so Angela, who played Marion Ravenwood, was my first kiss.
Looking back, what part of the film are you most proud?
Eric: I think I'm most proud of the Truck Scene - seventy-six shots chock full of stunts and shot by multiple, moving vehicles, driven by under-age teenagers who may or may not have had their driver's permits. I always love seeing the audience's reaction to the finished result. And the most fun time also occurred then. I'd say it was some point filming the truck scene on location, feeling like we were on top of our game, not only capturing some cool stunts and channeling the spirit of Vic Armstrong and the other stuntman greats... but also loving it, joking around. We had gelled, and were a professional crew. We'd found our Raiders identity.
Chris: I think what I'm most proud of - and it's not something I was aware of back then - is seeing the movie through other people's eyes as we travel around the world and seeing how it inspires them…Knowing that we're somewhere in the tome of Indiana Jones chronicles is really flattering.
You had to do all the stunts yourselves, of course. What was the most difficult?
Eric: Despite the fact that Chris played Indiana, it seemed that I was the main person who suffered major injuries, including my head being trapped inside layers of construction plaster; suffering singed hair from being lit on fire; and a broken arm. Yet, all-in-all, no one was seriously injured, another means by which we were very lucky. Most dangerous for me would have to being lit on fire (I was stunt-doubling for the character of the Ratty Nepalese, who is killed during the fiery bar-fight), my back doused with gasoline. I was wearing a fire-retardant raincoat underneath my costume, so I naively thought I was protected well enough. But the kids manning the smothering blankets kept pulling them off prematurely, fanning the flames higher. We eventually wound up blasting me with the fire extinguisher. We got the shot, but man, it could've turned out bad.
When did you first notice attention from outside your family and friends?
Chris: I think it was always a bit of a local oddity. We got some local TV coverage, which was really nice. But it was in 2003 when Eli Roth found the film and it got its world premiered in Austin, Texas and Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News gave us an amazing review. That's when things took off.
Eric: Eli passed it on to Steven Spielberg, who saw it, apparently loved it, and asked Eli to track us down, to write us a letter of thanks. So Eli tracked us down, through the Internet. When I got this email from someone named Eli Roth claiming to have seen our movie loved it and passed it on to Spielberg, I frankly didn't know whether to cheer, or to wonder if someone was pulling my leg. It was just so fantastic.
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"Meeting Spielberg was incredible. I still get chills up my back thinking about that."
Chris Strompolos |
Have you had the chance to meet many of those involved in the real Indiana Jones films?
Chris: We've had the amazing honour of having contact with Steven Spielberg. He wrote us an amazing letter and then a year later we went to his office and sat with him for a good hour and hung out with him. That was amazing. We've also been up to Skywalker Ranch and Industrial Light & Magic. We haven't met George Lucas, but we've seen everything in the Lucasfilm archives. Meeting Spielberg was incredible. I still get chills up my back thinking about that. He was everything that a fan of Spielberg would want.
Eric: There were so many times during the making of our film where we'd fantasize about how cool it would be if we ever met the Man - Spielberg -- himself who, along with George Lucas, crafted this perfect adventure, created this world that we so much wanted to inhabit. Then jump forward 15, 20 years, and the three of us are sitting in a conference room at Amblin, on the Universal lot, drumming our fingers on the table nervously [waiting to meet Spielberg].
And now Indy's returning. What's your level of excitement about the Crystal Skull coming out?
Chris: Very high. Very very high. I can't wait, actually. I've tried to be cool-headed about it, but it doesn't work. When I saw that first picture come off set, the one Spielberg took of Harrison in his Indy gear, I just turned into a 10-year-old kid all over again.
Eric: I know where I'll be May 22nd.
There's been talk of a film being made about your experiences making this film. Do you know what's happening with that?
Chris: As far as we know, it's still in active development. Daniel Clowes finished the script and Paramount loved it. Indy IV is such a dominant film that I think they're going to wait until it clears before putting it together…I know Dan has stuck pretty close to our experiences - that's what he tells us - which is nice. I think we'll just be included as consultants and maybe work with the kids playing us. We'll be on hand. But Scott Rudin's producing and he is a very powerful and very intelligent producer. I don't think he needs us to help out. He knows what he's doing.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation will be receiving its LA premiere at Mann's Chinese Theatre on Wednesday 14th May, in aid of the Festival Of Children Foundation. If you're in the area and want to see the film, then you can buy tickets here. You can also read more about the film here.
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