Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made Blu-ray Review

The 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray presentation of "Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made" delivers a visually compelling experience, despite the inherent variability in image quality from diverse sources. The newly captured digital footage, primarily from interviews and the Flying Wing sequence's production, is pristine, rich, and realistic, showcasing excellent detail. However, as the documentary heavily relies on archival material, including local TV broadcasts and aged VHS video, the imagery frequently suffers from inherent degradation. This archival content, plagued by macroblocking, rainbow artifacting, and aliasing, presents a significant challenge in maintaining visual consistency. Nevertheless, the digital intermediate process has harmonized these sources, rendering them as presentable as possible.

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and mastered at an average bitrate of 31 Mbps, the Blu-ray achieves a well-balanced contrast and sharpness where possible. Clean white levels dominate much of the viewing experience, with strong black levels providing dependable contrast and good delineation in darker scenes. While some older footage appears softer with visible damage and compression issues, newer content distinctly benefits from sharp detail and vibrant color reproduction. Colors range from faded and worn in the older footage to bold and accurately rendered in more recent material, particularly during the behind-the-scenes plane sequence. Overall, despite fluctuations in source quality, the presentation retains an engaging visual appeal worthy of appreciation.

The audio presentation of "Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made" arrives with a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. While the mix predominantly leans towards a front-heavy focus, it superbly complements the nature of the documentary. Interviews and real-time events are prioritized, ensuring spoken words are almost always clear, with subtitles utilized in instances where ambient noise might interfere. Anton Sanko's musical score enhances this front-centric setup, spreading across the screen with notable clarity and lightly bleeding into the surrounds to create an engaging soundfield.

Though not designed for audio demo purposes, the track still provides an immersive experience with subtle but effective utilization of surround channels. The most striking moments include effects like thunderstorms interrupting the exploding airplane sequence, where the DTS-HD MA track shines with resonant thunder and enveloping rain sounds. While the LFE is not particularly impactful, it delivers when required, particularly during specific scenes and musical elements. The dynamic range is sufficiently broad to add depth to explosive sequences without aspiring to action film standards. Additionally, an uncompressed PCM stereo track offers an equally strong alternative for those preferring a simpler audio experience.

Technically, this documentary presents excellent balance and directional audio fidelity. Vocals are well-prioritized in the center channel, and the imaging in the front channels exhibits expansive detail across the mid-range spectrum. Although some high-frequency hiss from old footage adds a nostalgic charm, it doesn’t detract from the crisp dialogue reproduction. The documentary's sound mix is adeptly crafted to channel childhood dreams without overwhelming the listener with unnecessary low-end frequencies, making it a commendable effort in documentary audio design.

The Blu-ray extras for "Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made" provide an in-depth and engaging look into the making of this unique fan project. Deleted scenes offer a deeper dive into the filmmakers' journeys, capturing everything from early camera troubles to personal anecdotes about the cast. The outtakes deliver a playful behind-the-scenes glimpse, while the Q&A from the Alamo Drafthouse Premiere captures the creators’ initial thrill of rediscovery. The audio commentaries are notably insightful, featuring the filmmakers and subjects sharing detailed production stories and personal reflections on their cinematic passion. Complementing these features are trailers of various films and a booklet containing storyboards.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes: Various sequences cut from the documentary, revealing behind-the-scenes stories and personal insights.
• Outtakes from The Adaptation: Behind-the-scenes footage showing the fun-filled production process.
• Q&A from Alamo Drafthouse Premiere of The Adaptation: A panel discussion featuring a lively interaction with the filmmakers.
• Commentaries:
  • With Writer/Director Tim Skousen and Producer/Director Jeremy Coon
  • With Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos
• Trailers:
  • Raiders!: Theatrical Trailer
  • 20,000 Days on Earth
  • A Band Called Death
  • The Final Member
  • I Declare War
• Booklet: Storyboards and disc credits.

"Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made" is an exceptional documentary that delves into the passion and determination of three middle-school boys who embarked on an extraordinary journey in 1982 to create a shot-for-shot remake of Steven Spielberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Utilizing early Beta and VHS cameras, these kids, led by Chris Strompolos as Indiana Jones, Eric Zala directing and storyboarding, and Jayson Lamb handling camera and special effects, invested eight summers into their amateur production. Despite severe limitations—such as shooting in backyards and basements—their dedication resulted in a surprisingly faithful and outrageously entertaining adaptation. However, they never completed the Flying Wing sequence due to its dangerous and costly nature.

The second layer to "Raiders!" presents a heartening modern-day narrative where the original filmmakers, spurred by newfound fame after their adaptation was discovered by film fans like Harry Knowles, reunited as adults to finish their project. With the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, they faced the challenge of completing the infamous Flying Wing sequence. Directors Tim Skousen and Jeremy Coon documented this contemporary effort amidst tight schedules, dire weather, and hazardous stunts, capturing not only moments of technical failure but also profound personal stakes, such as Eric Zala's contemplative battle with potential job loss.

"Raiders!" is uniquely enriched by interviews with the creators, friends, family, and even observations from John Rhys-Davies (Sallah in the original film), adding to its authenticity. Archival footage shows their intricate efforts and youthful perseverance, while side-by-side comparisons of original and recreated scenes showcase astounding attention to detail. Beyond its entertaining surface, "Raiders!" is an inspiring reflection on how the escapism of cinema can weave into life’s adversities, proving itself a heartfelt ode to fandom and the enduring spirit of creativity.

"Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made" is a riveting documentary directed by Tim Skousen and Jeremy Coon, chronicling the remarkable journey of three childhood friends who embarked on an ambitious project to recreate "Raiders of the Lost Ark" shot-by-shot. Despite their young age and limited resources, they pursued their cinematic dream over seven summers, with the project stretching over 30 years until its eventual completion. This documentary captures the essence and passion for cinema that resonates deeply with film geeks and cinephiles, and it manages to convey these themes with authenticity and charm.

The Blu-ray release is commendable, providing a high-quality visual experience, although it is important to note that some segments feature aged footage, which adds a nostalgic layer rather than detracts from the overall quality. The audio presentation is robust, delivering impressive moments that enhance the viewing experience. The package is supplemented with a range of special features that provide deeper insights into the making of this extraordinary fan film, enriching the overall value.

While an inclusion of the actual Adaptation in Blu-ray format would have been ideal, the DVD copy provided still makes this release a highly recommended addition to any film lover’s collection. The set design—featuring a cool double cover and an array of extras—makes it a delightful purchase. Overall, "Raiders!" proves to be an engaging celebration of youthful creativity, determination, and the enduring love for cinema.

The Adaptation is one of those 'believe it or not' phenomena that make great documentaries. Producer Scott Rudin is reportedly trying to develop a fictional version of The Adaptation's creation, but the real story is so remarkable and the personalities so engaging that I doubt they could be improved upon. Skousen and Coon have done a fine job of organizing and presenting a long and complicated history, and Drafthouse's Blu-ray reproduces their efforts faithfully. Highly recommended.