Mola Ram: Illusionist?

[RaideroftheArk]

How do you think you're suppose to take the "heart ripping" scene of TOD? Did it actually happen or was Mola Ram pulling some kind of Illusion to make us think he just ripped the still beating heart from his victims chest?

I lean towards Illusion, some kind of black magic power, only because the sacrifice victim was still alive after it happened. Also, at the end, when he tries to rip Indy's heart out, after he fails, Indy looks really fatigued as if he fought back some kind of spell instead of an attack...

I know, I know...I'm really reaching, I'm sure GL and SS really intended Mola Ram to have the ability to rip people's hearts out while leaving them alive to be sacrificed... just some thoughts I had, I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks... :whip:

[Snakes]

I always thought it was supposed to be real. One of the supernatural elements of the film. It's always possible that it was an elaborate trick, but I think it was actual black magic. The same could be said about the Ark. Was it really the wrath of god, or an illusion made by the Ark. I actually think that the Ark being an illusion would be a bit more likely. The lighting and face melting fire was certainly real though. I think that Mola Ram failed to rip Indy's heart out because he fought back, unlike the sacrifice victim, and was fatigued because he had to hold back Mola Ram with one hand.

[|ZiR|]

Real but definitely supernatural.

I actually think that the Ark being an illusion would be a bit more likely.

Sorry, why do you think that was more likely? It's interesting that you think that ripping-the-still-beating-heart-out-of-a-person isn't an illusion, yet the Ark was.

[Snakes]

Sorry, why do you think that was more likely? It's interesting that you think that ripping-the-still-beating-heart-out-of-a-person isn't an illusion, yet the Ark was.

I don't think the Ark was, I just think it would be easier to create the illusion of ghosts than a beating heart being ripped out.

[RaideroftheArk]

Yeah, I don't see how the Ark would be more likely to be an illusion...

I mean...with the Ark, yes they're faces melted, but they clearly died because of that...

the sacrifice victim has his heart ripped out and he's still alive...and not just alive for a couple of seconds, alive long enough to be lowered into a pit of lava, while screaming...that's why I lean towards maybe it was an illusion.

[DanRO]

So if the Ark created an illusion... where did all the nazis and Belloq go? :p

Anyway, the idea of illusions on both movies sounds rather far fetched. People always tend to think too much about action movies. If it was inteded to be an illusion then they would have made it clear for the spectator.


And it is a movie for Christ´s sake!

[Snakes]

I don't mean the face melting or lightning bolt were illusions, those HAD to be real. I'm just talking about the ghosts. I never believed it WAS an illusion either.

[RaideroftheArk]

So if the Ark created an illusion... where did all the nazis and Belloq go? :p

Anyway, the idea of illusions on both movies sounds rather far fetched. People always tend to think too much about action movies. If it was inteded to be an illusion then they would have made it clear for the spectator.

I'm not over thinking it, I'm just speculating a little, (just for fun, all in the name of having fun, I'm not taking anything serious, just having fun with some thoughts)...mainly because of the tone of the movie...drinking blood, being under spells...magic rocks... Maybe you can't believe everything you see when it comes to the allure of the Temple of Doom?

[NamedAfterDaDog]

I think that it was made to be real, but as everybody else has said, very, very magical (not in a good way ;) ). Black magic "medicine", or whatever, kept him alive until the ssss.... oooh.... ahh... EEKK!
:sick:

[The_Raiders]

Yeah, I think in the movie it was ment to be real, Mola Ram acually taking his heart out, not sure why the guy lived, as others said black magic. Still a pretty interesting scene in the movie :up:

[oki9Sedo]

No, its real. He actually rips his heart out. He uses black magic to give himself the strength to to do it and to keep him alive afterwards, though.

[Yure]

In the movie it's real. And since it works so well in taking the viewer inside the picture and forget about the real world when he's in front of the screen... oh well, I love to be part of that and believe it :)
It's magic, but in another way ;)

[bonoferox]

I never thought of it as being an illusion. They could put people into a mind-control-like trance and used voodoo, so this could have been possible.

The only illusion is how the grail somewhat refills after it is emptied onto Henry's gunshot wound.

[Lao_Che]

My take is that all the religious deities in Indiana Jones have some sort of presence in the films.

So Mola Ram is channeling/calling on Kali during the heart ripping while Jones is momentarily channeling S(h)iva on the bridge.
The same way Mola Ram is calling on Kali during the ceremony is the same as Jones saying "You have betrayed Shiva" then the stone burns Ram.

[crowmagnumman]

I'm sure it actually happened in the movie, but I'm also sure Mola Ram was using the power of Kali to make it possible. Or it could be like the Indian rope trick. Mola Ram could be conjuring up a tulpa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa

[AHegele]

a theory: it was partially the fumes in the temple, getting everyone... a bit high. plus everyone who thinks its real are a couple of hundred feet away, they could have also all drank the stuff Pat Roach gave Indy. Indy, Willie and Short Round were on a ledge quite a distance away.

this does not discredit the voodoo doll though.

[bonoferox]

Do we think that was also a real head that he (or someone) shrunk and placed on his headpiese, or just something he picked up from a trinket shop?

They way he pets it in the torture scene makes it seem like it was someone he once knew or something and always creeped me out.