Lost ending to Raiders of the Lost Ark (ark burns US govt crate)

Hey gang,

I posted this in two other forums and it has generated some heated debate. I figured I'd post it here, too, as the more people who have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark in theaters (1981) will help uncover the truth.

So I was chatting with a buddy of mine and he was telling me about a scene that he only saw once. I looked it up online and here's the jist of it:

"I first saw "Raiders" at the cinema when it was released in Australia and I distinctly remember a scene which has never appeared on video or DVD. After the end credits, there's a cut back to the crate housing the Ark in the warehouse, and the U.S Govt. stamp on the side of the crate is slowly burning off, as if a fire within the crate is scorching it. One other friend (also in Australia) also remembers. Does anyone else remember this, and can anyone shed any light on what happened to this scene?"

So I wanted to ask: does anybody know more about this missing scene? I have been looking online and have not uncovered much information on it.

Thoughts?

-CG

That scene doesn't happen at the end of the movie, it happens on the Nazi ship. And it's not missing.

No no.....this is a second scene where the crate housing the ark catches on fire. I asked my friend the same thing. According to my friend and others on different discussion boards, the original theatrical release (1981) had two different scenes:

1.) the Nazi crate burns
2.) in the warehouse (the US government crate burns)

That particular scene was removed, but was allegedly the last scene in the film. I wanted to know if anyone on the boards had seen this scene for themselves.

-CG

This is a movie I remember seeing opening week (me, my buddy Tim and my brother were the only ones in the theater for this showing) and there was no second burning crate scene.

I saw Raiders a couple times in the theaters. I don't ever remember a scene after the credits, just the crate being wheeled into the warehouse.

We already know the power of the Ark. It would be redundant to show it happening again.

I'll be interested to hear if someone has seen this... but it's probably false memories.

I remember seeing wires hanging out of Walrusman's severed arm when it was lying on the floor in the cantina. I was 4 and it was my first time in a movie theater.

I was completely wrong.

I believe the only time people saw this scene was during the early theatrical release back in 1981. From what I heard online, the film was modified within the first month of the film's debut and this particular scene was never seen again. I heard a rumor that the Region 4 (Australian) DVD of Raiders of the Lost Ark still has the scene, but I have not seen any evidence to determine whether this is true.

I saw ROTLA in 81' but I don't recall this scene at the end. I was 11 at the time.

I saw it.........



















no I didn't....sorry

I think I remember this scene from the first time I watched raiders it was a bootleg vhs copy of it.memory is a bit hazy as this was some 17-18 years ago tho.

I think I remember this too on video or tv.

It wasn't after the credits though. It was right before.

ProgMatinee said:

I think I remember this too on video or tv.

It wasn't after the credits though. It was right before.

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Yeah it was before the credit.

I never saw that scene (I also saw the movie in its original run) but I do recall this rumor coming up before...

I don't think there's been any kind of official evidence to support it, just the "false memories" a la the Biggs with Luke in Tatooine scene.

I saw it in 1981 and don't remember that part at all, but that was ages ago , I was 10 years old.....it wasn't burning when we saw it in KOTCS.....

seems like i remember that or want to remember it that way............but whatever........that crate is all busted up now........

I saw this in the theaters as well on opening weekend and many after that, can't say I recall ever seeing that particular scene or hearing about it until now.

I remember seeing a lot of weird ____ in movies that wasn't there when I was a kid.

CombustedGremlin said:

I believe the only time people saw this scene was during the early theatrical release back in 1981. From what I heard online, the film was modified within the first month of the film's debut and this particular scene was never seen again. I heard a rumor that the Region 4 (Australian) DVD of Raiders of the Lost Ark still has the scene, but I have not seen any evidence to determine whether this is true.

Click to expand...

Just threw the disc in and it's not on there.

I swear I remeber seeing this as a kid as well, but I'm assuming I've just gotten it mixed up with the scene on the boat.....

Its one of those kind of scenes that is probably in a totally different film to give you suspense and we're transposing it onto this movie. But I do remember a scene like that as a cliff hanger somewhere.

ProgMatinee said:

Its one of those kind of scenes that is probably in a totally different film to give you suspense and we're transposing it onto this movie. But I do remember a scene like that as a cliff hanger somewhere.

Click to expand...

Either that or they're just transposing it from the boat scene since the Ark ends up back in a crate at the end of the movie.