Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom

[smok3h]

I'm gonna keep this rant short and sweet. I used to love this movie as a kid, but I watched it recently and all I could think is, "WTF? This movie is terrible." It is just so fucking fake. It did not age well at all. The only scene that is good is the ceremony in the temple with that dude getting his heart pwnt, you know what part I'm talking about. When watching this I couldn't believe it was a Spielberg film. I love Raiders and Crusade and have high hopes for Kingdom, but I just can't enjoy this movie. Anyone else feel the same way I do?

[miguel_montes]

I think you'll find you're pretty much alone there, although it is arguably the worst of the series....

I love Temple. Any of the 3 movies for that matter.

[Tweek]

It is just so fucking fake

Tis a movie.

[Cermond]

Temple Of Doom surely is also my least favourite of the trilogy.
The Bond-sequence at the beginning just doesn't work and most of the film is just stock. Although there is some legendary stuff in the caves but not enough.

[The Postmaster General]

'Tis a good film, IMO, but it does have heavy detractors. In my book, I'd take this any day over any recent adventure film I've seen - National Treasure or Tomb Raider, though I may be forgetting one that was actually good.

Many people felt that Temple went for gross out in place of real suspense, that the leading lady was null and void, and that the comic relief was more of an annoyance than anything.

Hell man, I don't care. That scene where they are all standing on the rope bridge and they realize Dr. Jones is crazy.... ROCK!

[Cronos]

I love the other 2 Indiana Jones films but Doom is just terrible, my main problem with it is the the acting which is just horrible.

[gyro_44]

A screaming baboon would have made a better leading lady than Kate Capshaw in this.

Easily the worst of the three (so far), for me.

[smok3h]

Originally posted by Tweek
Tis a movie.
That's a weak excuse.

[Le_Big_Mac]

It's definitely the least of the Indiana Jones flicks so far (it was actually the first one I saw), but it gets far too much shit. It's entertaining even when the majority of the film takes place in areas that seem too claustrophobic for action and adventure. I also enjoyed its darker quality and how much it revels in its level of disgust and gratuituity. It's essentially The Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy. It earned its state as the movie that inspired the PG-13 rating.

[DarkKnight81]

Its the worst in the series but that doesnt make it bad IMO.

[JJFlamingo]

underrated

[AceD]

I actually think LAST CRUSADE is the weakest movie. The beginning sequence with River Phoenix, the scenes in Italy, and the final sequence are great, the rest is just okay for me. Connery is wonderful and is every thing Henry Jones Sr. should be, but the flick has the worst (and by far least memorable) leading lady, boring bad guys and not enough John Rhys-Davies. Still a wonderful movie, but the least of the three, in my opinon.

RAIDERS is undoubtably the most innovative, it freaking changed teh way we watch movies. But I think TEMPLE may actually be the best, as far as set pieces, story and excitement go. I mean, Short Round! Come on!

[bigred760]

Originally posted by smok3h
It is just so fucking fake.

I find it a little ironic that you say it's fake yet the best part of the movie is a scene where a guy gets his heart ripped out of his chest. If I'm not mistaken, his chest closes back up and the guy doesn't actually die until put in the lava pit.

While it's my least favorite of the trilogy, it's still a fun adventurous movie, which is what the Indiana Jones series is all about - but it's less fun than the other two (no Sallah or Marcus Brody . . . coincidence?) which is why it's my least favorite of the three.

[robk]

Although I can understand why Temple's intensity may have turned some people off, it is still a film adventure par excellance.
Take a look at Starship Troopers for a repulsive film that hasn't aged well.

[darchangel]

Originally posted by robk
Take a look at Starship Troopers for a repulsive film that hasn't aged well.

Good fucking GOD, I'd almost managed to forget that movie existed.

[RustyRazor]

It needed more work.
The stones (that looked like really hot ass Hot Pockets, by the way) were a bit of a stretch and Short Round could be really f-ing annoying at times, but it was a "good" movie and a decent part of the trilogy.

I'm personally worried about the new one.
It may make "Temple of Doom" look like "Gone With The Wind".

[KcMsterpce]

I love TEMPLE OF DOOM. I like that it's so dark and mean. It doesn't have the Nazis, so the change of local is nice. Short Round is good comedic relief.

Kate Capshaw made the movie painful. She's a weak, high maintenance BITCH. That would be alright if it wasn't for her incessant screaming, BITCHING and moaning, and more screaming. I hate her. If she was excised from the film, and replaced with a more level-headed - or less of a screaming whiny whore - then the movie would have been a LOT better.

But I still think it's a great movie. I like the more quiet, introspective and somewhat mean version of Indy that comes from this one. I think he's kind of a jerk, because look... he has to contend with Kate Capshaw!

[Duke Nukem]

Originally posted by bigred760
While it's my least favorite of the trilogy, it's still a fun adventurous movie, which is what the Indiana Jones series is all about - but it's less fun than the other two (no Sallah or Marcus Brody . . . coincidence?) which is why it's my least favorite of the three.

Not necessarily a coincidence. "...Doom" acted as a prequel to "Raiders...", so who knows if Dr. Jones knew Marcus Brody then. Can't speak for Sallah or remember who his/her character is.

[bigred760]

Originally posted by Duke Nukem
Not necessarily a coincidence. "...Doom" acted as a prequel to "Raiders...", so who knows if Dr. Jones knew Marcus Brody then. Can't speak for Sallah or remember who his/her character is.

True about Brody, though I think it's still safe to assume.

Sallah was his Arab "sidekick" in Raiders and Crusade.

[electriclite]

Originally posted by KcMsterpce

Kate Capshaw made the movie painful. She's a weak, high maintenance BITCH. That would be alright if it wasn't for her incessant screaming, BITCHING and moaning, and more screaming.



"The problem with that woman is the noise!" Indiana Jones


I get the feeling either she was written like that or that was written in by a very observant individual.


The thing about Temple of Doom is that it works incredibly well with children. its pretty much a cartoon, and I dug the hell out of it when I was a kid. It was Temple of Doom, Batman and Jaws that were pretty much on constant rotation when I was a kid,

I found Raiders kinda boring, except for the beginning with the iconic boulder chase scene. Now that I'm older I get all of it more and enjoy it. But I still haven't gone back to Doom since I watched SOOO much when I was a kid.

[smok3h]

Originally posted by bigred760
I find it a little ironic that you say it's fake yet the best part of the movie is a scene where a guy gets his heart ripped out of his chest. If I'm not mistaken, his chest closes back up and the guy doesn't actually die until put in the lava pit.

I say that because that scene is just so intense and shocking. Remember the first time you saw it what your reaction was? Fake or not, it works because it's executed in such an different way then the rest of the movie. Watching that scene is different, I actually for a moment believed that Spielberg was behind the camera... at all the other parts of the movie I was seriously questioning it.

And i agree with electrilte on all points.

[APzombie]

I'm glad to see that alot of schmoes find it to be the least successful Indy film. Raiders and Last Crusade are legions better (and lets hope the same applies to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).

There are many problems with it but i'll state my biggest problem: It has the star wars prequel structural problem. It has a double standard in its intended audience. It trys to be so dark but attempts to even it out by adding three stooges like humor that comes off as childs play the same way they tried to balance out the politically infested plot of Episode 1 with childish characters like Jar Jar and Ani.

Having said THAT- the worst Indy film is still a hell of a lot better than most other adventure films, and i'm not going to lie when i say i still have a hell of a good time watching Temple.

[Tony_Montana]

I like it. It's not Raiders or the Last Crusade but it's decent enough.

[bonoferox]

Originally posted by APzombie
I'm glad to see that alot of schmoes find it to be the least successful Indy film. Raiders and Last Crusade are legions better (and lets hope the same applies to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).

There are many problems with it but i'll state my biggest problem: It has the star wars prequel structural problem. It has a double standard in its intended audience. It trys to be so dark but attempts to even it out by adding three stooges like humor that comes off as childs play the same way they tried to balance out the politically infested plot of Episode 1 with childish characters like Jar Jar and Ani.

Having said THAT- the worst Indy film is still a hell of a lot better than most other adventure films, and i'm not going to lie when i say i still have a hell of a good time watching Temple.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[the_sneaker]

Like everyone else, I do agree that it was the weakest of the three by far, however, it holds a certain nostalgic value for me. I remember when I was a kid, Temple of Doom was the only Indiana Jones flick my family owned, and I watched it constantly. I love it. It is the worst of the trilogy, but it is much better than most of the crappy action flicks that have come out in the past 20 years.

[smok3h]

I don't know, maybe I was being a bit harsh on it. I just was completely shocked when I watched it the last time because i didn't remember it being like that. Granted, I was baked out of my mind when I watched it recently, so I was paying so much attention to everything and over analyzing that I might not be giving it a fair rep. I will say that yes, ok, it is not a teeerrible movie, and can be enjoyable if you just take it for what it's supposed to be.

[Blofeld]

I love Temple of Doom and daresay I watch it the most of the released three.

It does, however, suffer from being incredibly rushed. If you watch it, there is a care to detail in Raiders and Crusade that is lacking IN PARTS of TOD.

Watch the bridge sequence after it's been cut - the continuity errors are HORRENDOUSLY obvious, even to me as a child. Really shoddy. In fact there are continuity errors throughout the movie that are really just down to editing laziness.

The shot of the minecar leaning to the left is laughably bad (and it looked bad in 1984, too). I used to think the jumping out of the plane with the inflatable raft looked so cool as a kid, but some of the shots are real cheap.

The scene with Willie and Indy going back and forth across the hall is quite clever and ironically, is the kind of goofball humour that Lucas was trying to inject into his prequels - perhaps the director is the key, hmmm?

That said, it does go for the lowest common denominator on a lot of occasions - the dinner scene, the entire 'travelling to Pankot Palace' sequence, etc.

I do think it's Williams' best score for an Indy film, hands down, however.

I also don't understand the hate-on for Kate Capshaw - chick is an ACTRESS. She played the part of a histrionic, spoiled nightclub singer/brat SO WELL that people have thought it was her REAL personality for YEARS. That's saying something. Watch the woman interviewed...it's called a PERFORMANCE of a SCRIPT.

[JJFlamingo]

Personally, I found Kate Capshaw gorgeous, still do...:D

[the_sneaker]

Yeah, I wasn't bothered by Capshaw either. I know some people just thought that Spielberg used her because she was his wife, but that didn't bother me.

[Dorrito the Imp]

I used to regard the Indiana Jones films as some of my favorite films, but then I started noticing certain parallels between it and the Pirates of the Carribean series, and that kind of brought Indie down from its pedestal. Anyone else gone through this?

Third one's still badass, though (Indie, of course, not fucking Pirates).

[EvilHenchman]

Originally posted by JJFlamingo
Personally, I found Kate Capshaw gorgeous, still do...:D

Yeah...definitely. Also, Spielberg was still married to Amy Irving at the time of Temple - I think. His marriage to Capshaw was a lot later.

Anyhoo, I enjoy Temple even though it's clearly the low point (to date) in the series (I'd still take it over most of the CGI-crapfests that are being passed off as action movies these days any day of the week and twice on Sunday).

One of my favorite elements is the interplay between Short Round and Indiana - in spite of how nonsensical that whole relationship really is.

C'mon: "Dr. Jones, no time for love." That's some classic shit.

[notchreturns]

The bridge is fucking classic shit.

I remember seeing that as a kid and being in awe.

[EVILxxx]

Originally posted by notchreturns
The bridge is fucking classic shit.

I remember seeing that as a kid and being in awe.


Fuck yeah! I remember watching that scene as a kid thinking you don't have the balls Jones but he certainly showed me. I don't know what was up with Ford's moaning though. He sounded retarded.

[bigred760]

Originally posted by notchreturns
The bridge is fucking classic shit.

I remember seeing that as a kid and being in awe.

I love the line, "Mola Ram! Prepare to meet Kali... in Hell!"

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Dorrito the Imp
I used to regard the Indiana Jones films as some of my favorite films, but then I started noticing certain parallels between it and the Pirates of the Carribean series, and that kind of brought Indie down from its pedestal. Anyone else gone through this?

Third one's still badass, though (Indie, of course, not fucking Pirates).

wait, you lost respect for the Indy franchise because of a film franchise that was started nearly 20 years later?

[randychico]

Spielberg should keep his family away from movies, (do the words gymnastics and velociraptor make sense to you?), but anyway, I'm here to defend what used to be my favorite Indy movies and I still like it pretty much. There's the bridge scene, a room with a crushing ceiling with protruding spikes, sacrifices,Chilled monkey brains, Kalimaaaaaa and definitely my favorite scene from the trilogy even if it's a little outdated, the minecart chase.

Today, even with its flaws I find it somewhat refreshing, a change of pace from the nazi killings and the christian artifacts. Even the addition of a sidekick.


When they announced the addition of Marion Ravenwood to the 4th series I wasnt that happy because characters like short round were never explained and the chapters were set apart, they weren't necessarily sequels.

[Dorrito the Imp]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
wait, you lost respect for the Indy franchise because of a film franchise that was started nearly 20 years later?

Yep. Allow me to elaborate:

I saw Indiana Jones, and had a great fun time. Action and adventure and cool bad guys, a chick, and a very distinct and fun and memorable and interesting main character. At the time, I just thought, "well gee, this is a great film."

I don't watch Indy for a while. One day, Pirates comes along. It has swell action and pretty good bad guys and a chick and a very distinct, fun, interesting, memorable main character. But I'm older when I see it, and I've seen a lot of films before I see Pirates, and I recognize it as a film that is a great movie, but not much of a film. It entertained the fuck out of me, but it didn't connect and hit me on that aesthetic level. The second one comes out and nothing is cosistent with the first except the enjoyable main character, and I remembered, when watching it, thinking something similar about Indy 2. That's when I saw a lot of connections and realized- although Indy is one of the greatest movies ever, it's still not, for me personally, a work of great art. Now you can get into debates over what qualifies as good art, but I'm just saying, I'm not hit with this feeling of aethestic appreciation for Indy like I am for, say, a Kubrick film. And that's what Pirates revealed to me, just that I don't see Indy as one of the few great great great films.

[bigred760]

Originally posted by Dorrito the Imp
I used to regard the Indiana Jones films as some of my favorite films, but then I started noticing certain parallels between it and the Pirates of the Carribean series, and that kind of brought Indie down from its pedestal. Anyone else gone through this?

You're saying that after watching a completely different movie series, you lost respect/interest in another that was made 20 years prior?

Wow . . . I think that would make me stop watching movies if that ever happened.

[Gordon]

Alright let's shut the fuck up and let the man now elaborate on his elaboration. I totally get what the shit he's talking about. and I can't figure out whether or not it's because you guys are all fucking stupid, or if it's because I've been listening to his ramblings for long enough that they've started to make sense. Kind of like how I understand Boomhower on King of the Hill now....

[Dorrito the Imp]

Originally posted by bigred760
You're saying that after watching a completely different movie series, you lost respect/interest in another that was made 20 years prior?

Wow . . . I think that would make me stop watching movies if that ever happened.

I don't think it's too shocking that watching one movie would change my perspective of another movie. Isn't that kind of the point of watching movies?

Then again I don't like the direction I seem to be going with this. Everyone understand, the Pirates series, at least compared to Indy series, blows extra large barrels of horsedick, no doubt about it in my mind.

But seriously, let's not kid ourselves- Indy ain't no Kane. Connecting Indy to Pirates simply clarified that for me.

[Jim Colyer]

I hated Temple of Doom and walked out after the first few minutes.

[the_sneaker]

I hated Temple of Doom and walked out after the first few minutes.

Lucky bastard. At least you got the chance to see an Indy flick in theaters. :D