Continuity mistake: As the big German engages Indy in the fight, Marion is removing the chocks from one of the wheels. In the wide shot you don't see her at all, even climbing the plane to knock out of the pilot.
Movie Nut
1st Jun 2020
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
1st Jun 2020
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Revealing mistake: After Indy shoots the driver of the truck that Marion is supposedly in, the camera looks at the driver's bloody hand falling limp. In the shot of the truck tipping over, you see the stunt driver working the wheel.
11th Oct 2017
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Revealing mistake: As the truck tips to the left, the stunt driver is seen steering, and appears to be activating the ram to finish the stunt.
11th Oct 2017
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Continuity mistake: Indy swings on the vine, and his bag is on his hip. As he gets up on the plane, it disappears, but the strap is on his shoulder again in the cockpit.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Continuity mistake: As Marion initiates the drinking challenge with Belloq, from the front she quickly tosses the drink back, tipping her head back then forward. From behind she repeats the motion.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Factual error: The truck that turns over and blows up after Indy shoots the driver is a Mercedes Benz L701. It began production in 1944, and this movie is set in 1936, so the truck is not period correct. Also, the alleys are too narrow to allow this truck to turn a corner.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Revealing mistake: When the thug with the blade sticking out his back is standing still, there is some kind of squared device on his back under his clothes, presumably to retract the fake blade to end the sequence.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Continuity mistake: After hitting one thug, Indy jumps out of the way of one trying to spear him, leading to the one behind Indy getting run through. As the guy gets run through, he is in front of a hanging string of fruit, with the stacked fruit to his right. After a cut scene to Indy and Marion running away, the run through thug is now facing the fruit stand, setting up the sight gag of the blade sticking out with two fruits stuck on it.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Audio problem: In Marion's bar, she uses a burning log to knock one of the goons out. As his face changes, you hear "ow!" then he moans as he falls over. However, his mouth doesn't match any of the sounds.
22nd Mar 2016
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Question: In the first sequence, there is a trap with Indy's competition's body stuck on it. Although it is sprung by somebody breaking the beam of light (which I find hard to believe, given that it and other traps were done without any kind of more modern technology we're used to, but suspend disbelief for the sake of the movie), how was it reset without human intervention after Forrestal was killed, and prepared for Sapito?
Answer: More than likely, they left Forrestal's body as a warning.
Answer: The character played by Alfred Molina is actually named "Satipo," after a town. "Sapito" would mean "small frog." It's a common typo, but the more you know.
7th Aug 2013
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Continuity mistake: When Indy is driving the truck with the ark, a German tries to get in on the right side. Indy kicks the door open twice, and after the second time the top hinge of the door gives easily. The guy is half way dragging on the ground, holding onto the now askew door. Then in the next closeup, the door is hung correctly with the guy on it, and Indy kicks it again. The guy goes dragging again, and then he and the door fall off.
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Chosen answer: Likely, it wasn't. The Hovitos are still guarding the temple. Presumably, they maintain and reset the traps.
Captain Defenestrator
You'd think in that case that they would've removed the body.
I don't know, I'd be more afraid to rob the place with a dead body stuck there than without.
kayelbe
Why? It's a good warning to other would-be thieves.
Captain Defenestrator
What better way to scare away future intruders.