Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When the Nazis board the Bantu Wind, there are some shots of the pipe Indy is hiding in. During these shots, there's a big grey pipe right behind Indy's pipe. However, in the rest of the Bantu Wind shots, this grey pipe is on the left of Indy's pipe, not directly behind it. (01:36:19 - 01:37:05)

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Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Visible crew/equipment: When Indiana frees Marion, locked in the cabin pilot of the Nazi plane just after one of the soldiers is killed by the blades, a set light is reflected on the plane's glass. (01:20:32)

Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Continuity mistake: As the truck pulls up next to the Command Tent, four soldiers lift the Ark's box and a fifth soldier, positioned between the two wooden posts of the Ark's box and to Gobler's right, picks up the sticks that Indy and Sallah had used. In the next shot, that soldier is now to the left of Gobler and the Ark's box. (01:21:40)

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Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Continuity mistake: After Toht's command, the Mongolian and the Nepalese grab Marion, then the former puts his hand on Marion's cheek. During this, the Nepalese faces Marion, whose mouth is open. In the next shot, the Nepalese is suddenly looking at Toht, Marion's mouth is suddenly closed, and the position of the Mongolian's head has changed. (00:30:28)

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Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Continuity mistake: On the Bantu Wind, after Dietrich takes Marion from Katanga and begins to leave, the soldier next to the pipe where Indy hides throws his cigarette and leaves the scene. In the next shot, when Belloq stops Dietrich, the soldier is now back at his original position. (01:36:51)

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Raiders of the Lost Ark mistake picture

Continuity mistake: In Geheimhaven, Indy watches the submarine hidden behind some ropes. When Marion comes out of the submarine and the camera focuses on the back of Indy's head, the ropes disappear. (01:39:13)

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Revealing mistake: While Indy and Marion are in the Well of Souls, and they encounter the snakes, Indy falls to the ground only to be confronted by a hissing Cobra rearing its head. Look carefully and you'll see the snake's reflection on the safety glass between it and Indy. Briefly you can also see the torch's reflection while he's waving it around. You can also see Marion's reflection when she falls in later on and is face to face with the cobra. [This has been corrected in the new DVD set. You can only see it if you have the original VHS. I think it's visible in the "making of" on the DVD as well.]

More mistakes in Raiders of the Lost Ark

Indy: There's a big snake in the plane!
Jack: Oh, that's just my pet snake Reggie.
Indy: I hate snakes, Jack! I HATE 'EM!
Jack: Oh, come on! Show a little backbone, will ya?

More quotes from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark trivia picture

Trivia: In the Well of Souls, you can see hieroglyphics of C3PO and R2D2 on the wall.

More trivia for Raiders of the Lost Ark

Question: After the scene where Indy first goes onto the German U-boat, he runs around apparently looking for something, then the scene changes to the inside of the sub where you can hear that the order has been given to dive. Was there an actual scene cut out of the film where Indy lashes himself to the periscope? (When Raiders first came out in Aus, I vividly remember seeing it with this scene.)

Answer: The scene you describe was indeed filmed. It was cut out of the US release of the film although I cannot speak for the Australian version. The scene also appears in the Marvel Comics adaptation. http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders/deleted_scenes.php has a list of this and the other deleted scenes.

Phil C.

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