After the Nazis snatch the Ark out of Indy's hands, they throw him and Marion into the Well of Souls to die. Indy quickly finds a way out, only to encounter various fights against the Nazis. Once he sees that the Ark is being taken away and Marion has been taken prisoner, Indy infiltrates a Nazi base on an isolated island near Greece and threatens to blow the Ark up with a Bazooka. However, his nemesis Belloq urges him to watch what's inside the Ark before he does. Indy submits and is taken prisoner, along with Marion. While they are cuffed to a pole, Belloq, interrogator Toht, and Colonel Dietrich open the Ark. Realising that one cannot watch the power of God, Indy orders Marion to keep her eyes shut. Spirits come out of the Ark, beautiful as they can be-only to turn into demons on Earth. The Nazis all scream with fear as the power of God is unleashed upon every Nazi around. Toht's face melts; Dietrich's face is disfigured, and Belloq's head explodes. All of the corpses fly to the sky. Then the Ark is closed. Marion and Indy survive the event due to Indy's advice. In America, the Ark is taken into a warehouse, another box in the middle of nowhere.
Grappa
Answer: I also remember this scene. After the ark is sealed, the camera performs a close up of the side of the crate. The stamp reads "Top Secret Army Intel 9906753 Do Not Open" This stamp is burned off just like the swastika is in the scene on the submarine, because in the eyes of God, no nation is holy or worthy enough to claim ownership of the ark. However, this final scene was cut (the burning of the stamp) from the film for a variety of unclear reasons. While it was in theaters, this scene was not included on the DVD version.
Add me to this. We saw the movie in a "pre release" version in Orlando Florida. No advance warning of the movie. We went to see another flick and at the end were "invited" to see this if we were willing to critique it afterwards. This scene was included. I also always wondered why the change.
I also remember seeing this mysterious 'burning' of the logo, most likely it was on a VHS copy of this movie. Yes, it did exist.
I saw it in former Czechoslovakia in the second half of 80's in cinema (west movies came to the east countries' cinemas years later). And I thought it was a great joke that burning out the swastika wasn't just because the Nazis are bad but because nobody is great enough to own the arc. Then after the Velvet revolution I saw the film again on TV (beginning of 90's) and said everyone around: watch it until the end, wait on the post-credit scene, there will be a surprise.
And there was a surprise. The scene was cut off! I was angry on the TV they didn't show the scene. I cannot be influenced by internet discussion or urban legend. The internet didn't exist yet.
I saw it in Portland, Oregon, and was so impressed with the message it carried, that I told friends and we went several times just to see it. Funny thing was when I mentioned it a few years ago, many people said I was a LIAR that it never happened. I could not convince anyone. It was removed because it wasn't Politically Correct. USA is a force for good, God would not burn off AMERICAN TEXT! BUT WE DID SEE IT. Thanks to our Australian eye witness, we know we did not imagine it.