Steven Spielberg is understood for guiding the primary 4 movies within the globally fashionable Indiana Jones franchise. The action-adventure franchise began with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and continues to be revered for its motion set-pieces, together with the Well of Souls scene from the primary installment.
In the notorious scene, Indiana Jones finds himself coping with a crypt stuffed with snakes, whereas attempting to get well a mysterious artifact. The scene required using a number of actual snakes, which shortly become a nightmare for director Steven Spielberg, who was caught yelling at a snake for messing up his shot, albeit jokingly. Here is why the Well of Souls scene was difficult for Steven Spielberg.
Steven Spielberg Blamed a Snake For Ruining the Well of Souls Scene within the First Indiana Jones Film
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, protagonist Indiana Jones escapes a booby-trap of snakes within the opening scene. However, in the course of the climax, Jones is as soon as once more confronted with snakes whereas attempting to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant.
In one scene, Jones lowers himself into the Well of Souls, solely to find it’s utterly lined with snakes. However, whereas filming the scene Spielberg confronted a singular problem. In the behind-the-scenes documentary, the Academy Award-winning director defined that the snakes, who had been presupposed to be afraid of fireside, ended up being drawn to it.
“In the script, you’re supposed to hate fire! Why do you like fire? You’re ruining my movie!”
Spielberg made the above assertion in a behind-the-scenes clip from the movie’s set, the place he’s seen confronting one of many snakes. As a outcome, it’s evident that Spielberg and his crew had a troublesome time filming the Well of Souls scene, and the director at the least jokingly felt that the snakes had been answerable for it.
Steven Spielberg Wanted to Puke After Seeing the Well of Souls Scene Set
During the identical documentary, Spielberg additionally spoke about one other problem the movie’s crew confronted whereas coping with the snakes within the Well of Souls scene. Spielberg defined that the crew had ordered roughly 2000 to 3000 non-venomous snakes for the scene.
However, the snakes barely lined the middle of the set, leading to Spielberg asking for extra snakes to be introduced in.
“I gotta have live snakes, and there’s not enough. The set’s too big for the amount of snakes that we have.”
Spielberg may be heard making the above assertion in one other one of many behind-the-scenes clips from the units of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Eventually, the crew introduced in additional snakes, bringing the full variety of snakes on set to roughly 7000. The website was completely displeasing for Spielberg, who confessed:
“I’m not afraid of snakes, but that made me nauseous. That made me want to puke.”
From Spielberg’s phrases, it’s evident that working with the snakes was not a pleasing expertise for the director. Meanwhile, Spielberg’s shut pal George Lucas, who devised the movie’s story admitted that he had anticipated the problem with the quantity of snakes on set, and joked it was the first motive he didn’t need to direct the film.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is streaming on Disney+.
