Why Do We Love Temple of Doom?

Stoo

Well-known member
dr.jones1986 said:
Japan would not sign the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy until a day after the fighting with Vichy France was over. Like the war in China it wasn't yet tied directly to what was going on in Europe until after Pearl Harbor. It certainly was a prelude to the attack on Pearl Harbor and it would influence the US to take action against Japan.
I won't belabour this point other than to say that you've taught me something new. :)

However...WW2 still went global before 1941!
dr.jones1986 said:
Forest Hills is a great neighborhood and my current apartment is just south of there in Queens so that would be a great spot to meet. What would bring you to Forest Hills, do you have friends or family there?
Friends (almost family) are in Forest Hills.

---
I LOVE "Doom" because of it's the only film where Indiana Jones rides an elephant. :)
 

Kai Hagen

New member
Stoo said:
I never accused you of making such a claim. Certainly, there was fighting in Asia before 1939 but it didn’t cause outside nations to declare war in defence of either side. Had you written something like, ‘Fighting began in Asia before WWII began in Europe’, I wouldn’t have opposed. So it really “depends” on how you say it. ;)
It still depends on how you interpret it. The Japanese invasion of China wasn't a small conflict and shouldn't be ignored. The Temple of Doom takes place in 1935. The Japanese were already in China during that year. Also, note that the US placed an oil embargo on Japan in response to Japan invading China further. That led to Japan striking Pearl Harbor.

Stoo said:
Because I’m a sensitive guy. ;) Seriously, your comment came across as if the film wasn’t good enough because it “left out” the Japs. There’s only so much that can be crammed into 13 minutes but you wanted both the Japanese navy AND its air force involved? It seems like you’d prefer “Doom” to have the prologue set in India with the rest of the film in China.

Yes, indeed, “it would have been cool”. (Kai Hagen should’ve used that phrase instead.) :D
"I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if..." doesn't mean that it was a bad film.
 

Udvarnoky

Well-known member
We love Temple of Doom because it just works. I was over at a buddy's house this weekend and he decided to put the movie on since it was on Amazon Prime, so I sat through viewing #93823 of Temple of Doom. My buddy's young daughter - far too young to be watching this movie - was totally into it. Freaking out during the scary parts, jumping up and down during the exciting parts. It was just playing her like a grand piano, and I related.

There's something about Temple that appeals to our reptile brains, I think. It's a movie that sets out to have fun and is proud of it. It never seems to get tired even though it never stops moving or piling on the insanity. And that rope bridge scene still looks like a trillion bucks.

I consider this the last movie to be made by "Version 1.0 Spielberg," and boy did he go out with a bang.

The people who try to give Crystal Skull a backhanded compliment by claiming it's "no worse than Temple" are out of their minds. Temple has got a real pulse, and it's endlessly rewatchable.
 
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temple_runner

New member
Temple of Doom was the first Indy movie I watched a yearling. I still remember the mine cart scene with such fond memories.

ToD definitely had the best sidekick in Short Round (compared to Sallah from Raiders, Dad? from LC, and Mac/Mutt from KotCS)

Willie was not Marion, by far, but she was different than the other women in the movies (Spalko, German, etc.) in that she and Indy were together the entire time and their relationship had an arc throughout the film.

Also, i think the action as the most extravagant and unbelievable, but because of that ti gives a much more roller coaster ride than the other films.
 

TheFedora

Active member
Udvarnoky said:
And that rope bridge scene still looks like a trillion bucks.

Agreed on the rope bridge scene. In a way I think its a masterwork subversion of how the hero normally would get out of an impossible situation like that. In this case, Indy was ready in that moment to just take Mola Ram down with him. I think it was purely sheer luck that the other half of the bridge held up like it did. But yeah, I loved that part, as it showed how Mola Ram for all his bluster was only too willing to throw his lackeys under the bus for sheer self-preservation.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Kai Hagen said:
It still depends on how you interpret it.
No, it doesn't.
Kai Hagen said:
The Japanese invasion of China wasn't a small conflict and shouldn't be ignored. The Temple of Doom takes place in 1935. The Japanese were already in China during that year. Also, note that the US placed an oil embargo on Japan in response to Japan invading China further. That led to Japan striking Pearl Harbor.
Indeed, the Japanese invasion of China was large but it was not the start of WW2. Don't confuse things. It was a preface to WW2, not a global DECLARTION.

Kai Hagen said:
"I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if..." doesn't mean that it was a bad film.
"I would've liked your post more if" it left no room for misinterpretation. Doesn't mean that it was a bad post. ;)
 
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Kai Hagen

New member
Stoo said:
No, it doesn't.
Yes, it does.

Stoo said:
Indeed, the Japanese invasion of China was large but it was not the start of WW2. Don't confuse things. It was a preface to WW2, not a global DECLARTION.
For Asia, it was.

Stoo said:
"I would've liked your post more if" it left no room for misinterpretation. Doesn't mean that it was a bad post. ;)
I would've liked your post more if you weren't so sensitive to something that wasn't even directed to anyone in this forum. It was directed at a movie. Doesn't mean that it was a bad post. ;)
 

IndyBuff

Well-known member
This was my favorite Indy film growing up. There's just something exciting and sinister about the plot that draws you in, not to mention the last 30 minutes is perfectly choreographed. I have yet to see another film that can weave so many intricate action sequences together so fluidly, at least to me. Some have come close but the last act of Temple is in a league of its own. I do agree with a previous poster that seeing Indy go up against the Japanese would have made for a great enemy, though a bloodthirsty cult is certainly different and helps differentiate the film even further from the others.

It's not perfect film but I love it for what it is and there's a certain charm about it that keeps it in solid second place for me after Raiders.
 

Paul Pauley

Active member
It would've been interesting if they had gone with a tween Maharani instead of the Maharajah. I mean the way they dressed him, he might as well have been a princess.
 

TheFedora

Active member
IndyBuff said:
This was my favorite Indy film growing up. There's just something exciting and sinister about the plot that draws you in, not to mention the last 30 minutes is perfectly choreographed. I have yet to see another film that can weave so many intricate action sequences together so fluidly, at least to me. Some have come close but the last act of Temple is in a league of its own. I do agree with a previous poster that seeing Indy go up against the Japanese would have made for a great enemy, though a bloodthirsty cult is certainly different and helps differentiate the film even further from the others.

It's not perfect film but I love it for what it is and there's a certain charm about it that keeps it in solid second place for me after Raiders.


Agreed. I loved the way it was revealed gradually that there was something sinister about the palace, and then you see really how that was a whole front for the Thuggee operations.
 

The Man

Well-known member
Though I disagree with his overall sentiment, very little of this critique is actually incorrect. Doom is wonderful, but crazy as a badger's ass! On a broader plain, I find this dude far more engaging, far less arbitrarily nasty and narcissistic than that Plinkett blight...

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i8VchpTS4FQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>​
 

Lambonius

New member
I take issue with the whole premise that the movie needs to adhere to real-world logic in order to be "good." How many of us always consistently adhere to supposedly "correct" rational logic in everything that we do anyway? What does that even mean?

The idea is even more absurd when applied to entertainment media (and action-adventures, no less) which by definition are SUPPOSED to be escapist.

Temple of Doom is brilliant--absurdist fantasy, racist stereotypes, and all. lol


He also falls into the trap of talking about Crystal Skull as though its faults were a result of its plot premise and not sloppy execution.
 

Justin Dees

New member
Why I like Temple of Doom

I guess I liked Temple of Doom because of the adventure, as well as the fact that I was brought up on the Indiana Jones series, Temple of Doom being the first action movie I saw.:whip:
 

Willie Hott

New member
Teneas said:
At the time I think I would of agreed. My taste for women seems to delve into the dark some times though. Marion is a total bada**. Strong, knows what she wants, a fighter, and isn't afraid to scrap with the boys. Those type of women are much hotter than needy divas any day in my book.

Marion from Raiders...not...well today.
Marion was definitely the most bad ass Indy gal. I mean, she drinks a husky dude under the table and kills a man to save Indy within the first 10 or 15 minutes she's on the screen. Also cold cocks Indy with a hay maker.

However, Willie also kills a bad guy.. With a GREAT right handed punch.. Knocks a Thuggee clean off the mine cart down a cliff inside the cave. She's very proper and prissy early on in the movie but definitely shows her strong side and spunk later on.. Even when facing certain death, she gives evil Indy a vicious scowl and then spits directly in his face. Then she winds up and slaps him while she's delirious after he saves her.

Willie is by far the most underrated Indy gal.
 

AndyLGR

Active member
Maybe because time has been kind and so we're not watching it now with all the baggage of Raiders in our minds like we did back then. For me I can watch the film now and not compare back to Raiders, I can watch it on its own merits and enjoy it without thinking about a still fresh Raiders of the Lost Ark and everything I had in my mind about what I thought TOD would be.
 
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