Mystery Man on Film has leaked a 125-page transcript of a 1978 brainstorming session for Raiders of the Lost Ark, with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Lawrence Kasdan.  Two of these men, Lucas and Spielberg, both fresh off of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind respectively, are at their creative peak for the decade(In Lucas’s case maybe ever, Prove me wrong sir, prove me wrong!).  Listening to these guys brainstorming for an iconic character like Indiana Jones is amazing.  Lucas and Spielberg’s embryonic vision of the character is as a bounty-hunting archeologist, whose character they’ve based on everyone from Humphrey Bogart and Peter Falk to Toshiro Mifune and Clint Eastwood.  That’s pretty much what they ended up with in Harrison Ford.  The transcript is an incredible find and gives wonderful insight into the thought process of three of Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers at the height of their genius. Truly amazing stuff for any film dork.

The site has posted the highlights from the brainstorming session. as well as the entire 125 page transcript in PDF format.

Brainstorming Raiders of the Lost Ark @ Mystery Man on Film