Epic Movies Returning to Theaters

80s action mainstays Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dolph Lungren are currently enjoying box office success with “The Expendables 2.”

Harrison Ford wasn’t invited to that party, but one of his most iconic characters is returning to theaters this weekend.

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The IMAX Experience begins Sept. 7 and runs for just one week.

The remastered film will be shown at Great Escape Simpsonville this weekend. See here for ticket information and directions to the theater.

Watching Indiana Jones punch Nazis is one of the great joys of cinema. Now imagine a giant Indiana Jones punch giant Nazis in their giant faces. 

Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of greatest epic movies ever made, and the movie that launched the Indiana Jones franchise.

It was the first time that director Steven Spielberg teamed up with Georges Lucas, who came up with the original story for the film and remains the duo’s greatest achievement.

The two filmmakers were at the height of their powers here, long before they lost their minds and filmed Shia Labeouf swinging on a vine like Tarzan, complete with a troop of monkeys.

Earlier this year, legendary actor Peter O’Toole announced he was retiring from acting

“It’s time for me to chuck in the sponge,” O’Toole told the LA Times. 

Younger viewers may be most familiar with O’Toole from his wonderful turn voicing the food critic Anton Ego in Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” but the actor’s career has spanned five decades and includes wonderful performances in such films “The Ruling Class,” “My Favorite Year,” “The Lion In Winter,” and “Becket,” a film that has been shown in the classrooms of the coolest European History teachers for years.

One of O’Toole’s earliest and greatest movies returns  to theaters next month for a special one-night only screening.

“Lawrence of Arabia” returns to screens 7pm Thursday, October 4 in honor of the film’s 50^th anniversary.

“Lawrence of Arabia,” directed by David Lean (“Bridge Over the River” Kwai, “Doctor Zhivago”) depicts the life of British officer and author T.E. Lawrence’s experiences in Arabia during World War I and afterwards.   

The film features cinematography that remains stunning even on TV screens, and terrific performances from Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn, in addition to O’Toole’s Oscar-nominated performance as Lawrence.

Greenville’s Hollywood 20 will be screening the film on October 4. For a list of theaters showing “Lawrence of Arabia,” see here. 

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/10/entertainment/la-et-mn-peter-otoole-announces-his-retirement-20120710