On this day in movie history - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981):

Raiders of the Lost Ark

directed by Steven Spielberg,

written by Lawrence Kasdan,

based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman,

was released in the United States on June 12, 1981.
Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, Wolf Kahler, Anthony Higgins, Vic Tablian, Don Fellows, William Hootkins, Bill Reimbold, Fred Sorenson, Patrick Durkin, Matthew Scurfield, Malcolm Weaver, Sonny Caldinez, Anthony Chinn, Pat Roach, Christopher Frederick, Tutte Lemkow, Ishaq Bux, Kiran Shah, Souad Messaoudi, Terry Richards, Steve Hanson, Frank Marshall, Martin Kreidt, George Harris, Eddie Tagoe, John Rees, Tony Vogel, Ted Grossman, Vic Armstrong, Alan Austen, Roy Beck, Darrell Brook, Russell Brook, Trevor Butterfield, Darin Chambers, Pola Churchill, Peter Diamond, Harry Fielder, Nick Gillard, Romo Gorrara, Martin Grace, Reg Harding, Barrie Holland, Billy Horrigan, Terry Leonard, Rick Lester, Sergio Mioni, Dennis Muren, Robert Nevin, Bob Papenbrook, Chris Parsons, Glenn Randall Jr., Peter Ross-Murray, Michael Sheard, Barry Summerford, Rocky Taylor, Frank Welker, Bill Weston, Paul Weston.

On this day in movie history - The Long Good Friday (1980 movie & book):

The Long Good Friday

directed by John Mackenzie,

written by Barrie Keeffe,

was released at the Cannes Film Market in France on May 17, 1980.
Music by Francis Monkman.

Cast:

Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, Paul Freeman, Leo Dolan, Kevin McNally, Patti Love, P.H. Moriarty, Derek Thompson, Bryan Marshall, Ruby Head, Charles Cork, Olivier Pierre, Pierce Brosnan, Daragh O'Malley, Dave King, Karl Howman, Brian Hall, Alan Ford, Dave Ould, Paul Kember, Bill Moody, Alan Devlin, Eddie Constantine, Stephen Davies, Bruce Alexander, Nigel Humphreys, Brian Hayes, Georgie Phillips, Mary Sheen, Pauline Melville, Trevor Laird, Paul Barber, Dexter Fletcher, Billy Cornelius, Michael Ryan, Rob Walker, Nick Stringer, Gillian Taylforth, Robert Hamilton, James Ottaway, Roy Alon, Tony Rohr, Tony Clarkin, Tim Condren, George Coulouris, Maxwell Craig, Jim Dowdall, Harry Fielder, Terry Forrestal, Jill Goldston, Peter McNamara, Ralph G. Morse, Terence Plummer, Alan Talbot, Bill Weston.

Recommended reading:

The Long Good Friday

screenplay by Barrie Keefe.

Filmed as The Long Good Friday (1980), directed by John Mackenzie.

Published by Methuen Publishing.

Published 2006.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0413722902

ISBN-13: 978-0413722904

Description:

The first British thriller to even approach the cracking vitality of the classic Hollywood gangster movies ...dazzlingly slick. – Daily Mail.

The best British gangster flick of all time. – Empire.

Barrie Keeffe's acclaimed screenplay for the classic film. Harold Shand has made it from Whitechapel to running his own 'corporation' and owning his own yacht and classy mistress. He has the police and the local authorities in his pocket, is planning a major London property development and forging links with the international Mafia. Everything indeed is coming up roses for Harold until the Easter weekend when enemies unknown embark on a series of lethal outrages against his organisation. As the story accelerates to a crazy vortex of violence, Harold discovers he has unwittingly crossed enemies whose connections, expertise and dedication to violence outclass his own.