Profit participation, production shorthand, Tunisia, animal work, reused footage and sets, props, stunts, costume origins, and the physical cost to Ford
Lucas reportedly received between one and four million dollars plus gross participation, while Spielberg received $1.5 million plus participation.
The script described the Ark opening only as “all hell breaks loose,” leaving the effects team to invent the sequence. — Bill Simmons
Tunisia stood in for Egypt in extreme heat; widespread dysentery spared Spielberg because he ate imported canned food. — Bill Simmons
The monkey salute reportedly required about 50 takes and a grape on fishing line; depleted stunt staffing led producer Frank Marshall to pilot the airplane for days in severe cockpit heat. — Bill Simmons
Stock footage came from Lost Horizon and The Hindenburg, while the canyon location and hieroglyphs connect visually to Star Wars. — Bill Simmons
Indy’s bullwhip sold for about $43,000 in 1999, and the Well of Souls occupied the same soundstage set footprint as the writing room in The Shining.
Vivian Kubrick reportedly halted production over snake handling until additional protections were provided. — Chris Ryan
Ford performed many stunts, bruising ribs, tearing a knee ligament, and narrowly avoiding worse injury under the airplane. — Bill Simmons
The German-mechanic fight was largely improvised as Spielberg kept adding ideas, and Indy’s clothing was based on Charlton Heston in Secret of the Incas. — Bill Simmons
