How did Spielberg make the snake pit scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Question

How did Spielberg film the snake pit scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark?  Did they actually walk through the snakes (on top of them), or did they have a sort of path for the actors and stunt doubles to walk on, so they did not step on top of them?  Also, were these actually venomous snakes, or were they non-venomous?  I know they are actually live snakes, but wondered how they shot the scene without people being bitten and how they got through the snakes without smashing them.

Diane (PFLAG) · Accepted Answer

Here's a video about the making of that scene...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P4S0S0R7xY&feature=related

Molly · Answer

I think part of it is the idea that the government has plenty of top secret things that they sock away and forget about. But don't forget - the scene just prior to the warehouse is Indy and Marian together again, which was a re-shoot. So the original edit had - just before the shot of the warehouse - had Indy complaining to the government men that they had no idea what they had their hands on, and where was the Ark... To which the government replies they have top men working on it. Who? Top men. So it's really a dig at the government - lying, saying they're doing things they aren't, and entrusting something so powerful to a guy with a cart in a warehouse.

Angel 1 · Answer

They were non venomous snakes that the actors walked through and there was glass separating Indy when he lands on the floor and is staring straight at one them.  The crew made a path for them using torches so the snakes wouldn't get too close and if 1 they had a wrangler on the set with to move the snakes.

Anonymous · Answer

Most likely computer generated.

How did Spielberg make the snake pit scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark?

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