Raiders of the Lost Ark: Arab swordsman (Terry Richards)

Comments for death : Raiders of the Lost Ark: Arab swordsman (Terry Richards).

It is interesting to note that the director had initially planned a long choreographed swordfight for this scene. Harrison Ford supposed said, "Why don't I just shoot him?" It fit in well with the Jones character, and was used in the film.

You are somewhat correct. Harrison's suggestion stemmed from the fact that he was very ill at the time, and a long choreographed fight scene would have been torture in the blazing sun. Spielberg sympathized, and the comically anti-climactic scene became part of cinema history.

As I understood it, the scene where Indy faces two sword wielding Thuggi cult members in Temple of Doom was written in because Ford wasn't able to do the long scene with the Arab swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

In TOD, they also do a joke to referance the first film, where he goes for his gun but realizes he doesn't have it, forcing him to actually fight the Thuggees.

You are quite right, Ocafi - Harrison Ford had been suffering from dysentry, leading to a case of the "runs." For more data see [www.snopes.com].

I laughed my head off when I saw this death. It was hilarious.

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Mr. Mouseburger
(although why he didn’t focus on finding white European men carry a basket in a square full of Arabs is a question that has to remain unanswered)

No, the people carrying the basket were Arabs whos heads were wrapped in black cloths. The Europeans were only there to direct the abduction without getting their own hands dirty.

Um... I just watched Raiders today and I believe that Indy "fights" the Swordsman before the part with all the wicker baskets. The crowd parts shortly after he realizes Marion is inside the basket.

I heard it was because he had a case of the sh*ts, and the disgusted expression on his face was part of that.