EP63 - Raiders of the Lost Ark 40th Anniversary

The Indiana Jones Universe

In today's episode, we commemorate the 40th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which first premiered on June 12th, 1981! To honor this monumental occasion, we decided to revisit the official soundtrack of the film and talk about each iteration of the "Raiders March" that appears in the score. We explore why John Williams decided to alter this iconic theme for specific moments in the film and how those similarities and differences affect the emotional impact of each scene. We'll also play samples of the music so you can follow along with our discussion! Opening music excerpt was composed by John Williams and is titled "Ride to the Nazi Hideout"