For me, watching Indiana Jones doesn't end with Raiders of the Lost Ark. There were sequels of course, though I’d rather forget The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Above all, John Williams’ music provides an immediate reference point. After hearing the first few bars, my imagination takes over conjuring images of Indy narrowly outrunning a boulder or scraping spiders off his back. All this awakens something innocent and childlike about the past, a nostalgic trip for the masses. So it’s easy to understand what drove three young men to remake Steven Spielberg’s picture. Hence the astounding making-of entitled Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made.

Directed by Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen, it charts the ambitions and complications that spanned seven summers during the 1980s. For Eric Zala, Chris Strompolos and Jayson Lamb, this undertaking formed a rites of passage. Also, it was a tribute more than a money-making enterprise. Being chased by baddies, discovering the ark and many other incidents allowed them to relive such magic first-hand. Nearly setting the house on fire, mutinous crew members and conflicting work schedules comprise significant obstacles. Therefore, achieving each stunt became a motivating factor that compelled these people to complete their version.

Ultimately, remaking a film means discarding what came before, including actors and the ambience established by the times. By necessity, a 1960s production doesn’t carry the same feeling as one from the 1990s. Movies are shaped not only by the on-screen dramatics but by the conditions in which the events unfold. As such, the purity of intention surrounding the Raiders of the Lost Ark remake caused me to re-evaluate such work. After all, telling the story again can throw light on something we might have missed.

(Released by Drafthouse Films; not rated by MPAA.)