INDY SHOOTS THE SWORDSMAN

PAUL RUDD and JAMES GUNN on RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

RUDD: I was in sixth grade. The scene where the crowd clears and that guy is swinging his sabre around ready to kill Indiana Jones. I’ll never forget the audience’s, and my own, reaction to Harrison Ford taking out his gun and shooting him. It was pure elation.

GUNN: In 1981, I was at the Des Peres cinema in Des Peres, Missouri, seeing Raiders Of The Lost Ark on opening day. I was already having a peak cinematic experience, but when Indy shot the swordsman, I and the entire theatre lost it. I was laughing so hard I fell onto the floor — I still remember the feeling of the sticky spilled soda and popcorn on my knees and the palms of my hands. I still love sloppy theatres where my shoes slightly stick to the floor, because it brings me back to that moment.