Cinematographer Will McCrabb tweeted out (via i09) the above photo offering a look at the uncensored exploding head of Paul Freeman‘s Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark before the MPAA made Steven Spielberg censor it with flames to cover up the gore. As the video below from Slate.com illustrates, it makes no sense why the MPAA would decide to censor this when the melting faces, in my opinion, are far more gruesome.
Speaking of which, McCrabb has added to his Twitter page several storyboards from the sequence to his Twitter account, all of which I’ve added below the video.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Animatic of TOHT'S melting face for the finale. pic.twitter.com/8PoSYVtd6y
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Animatic of BELLOQ'S exploding head. pic.twitter.com/Auo3MhLM4x
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
RAIDERS: CHRIS WALAS works on the melting face of TOHT. To the right of frame is a giant heater to melt the makeup. pic.twitter.com/iIJGcFf5WD
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: BELLOQ'S exploding head rig is prepared for a take. pic.twitter.com/75gKNE4jWH
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: DIETRICH'S hollowed head. For a take the crew just sucked the air out of it. pic.twitter.com/oEhhqkQKO8
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Interactive lightbulbs were put on the extras to represent the power of the Ark. pic.twitter.com/XXGhCLVXDG
— Will McCrabb (@mccrabb_will) November 18, 2013
