Clockwork of the Lost Ark

I was watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for the umpteenth time at the weekend, when my wife interrupted to ask me why I enjoyed watching certain films over and over again. Or reading certain books, for that matter. The natural response to such a question is of course, “Hush, dear, I’m watching Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Instead, I trotted out something glib about favourite stories being like old friends.

But her question got me thinking. Not everyone likes to revisit stories over and over. My wife doesn’t, for example. So, what is it that makes me want to come back for more?

I think maybe it comes down to this. Experiencing a story – through whatever medium – is a bit like sitting inside a gigantic piece of clockwork. You’re surrounded by plot and character and performance and scenery and drama and surprise and the countless other things making up that marvellous machinery. All the time you’re inside, the clockwork’s whirring away. Sometimes it purrs smoothly. Sometimes it rattles. Sometimes a great big bell starts banging in your ear. It’s got a rhythm and a sound and a smell and a billion spinning widgets that hold your attention.

So each time I rewatch Raiders of the Lost Ark, or reread a favourite book, I find myself climbing back inside that clockwork knowing my senses are going to be given one hell of a workout.

As a writer, I’m especially interested in how all that clockwork goes together. There’s always something new to appreciate: how does this plot-cog mesh with that character-pinion? Just what is it that kicks the whole thing into a higher gear at the beginning of the third reel? Nor does knowing what’s going to happen spoil things. It just heightens that delicious thrill of anticipation as the pendulum winds up those counterweights to the point where the clappers start hammering like crazy on the great big bell.

I could have said all this to my wife at the time, but I didn’t want to interrupt Indy while he was jumping off the horse and on to the truck. If he’d gone under the wheels, the Nazis would have got the Ark and then where would we be?