Why does everyone hate Temple Of Doom?

Thugee

New member
I love ToD. It was the first Indy movie I ever saw at the impressionable age of 8. To this day it is my favorite of the bunch, and will probably remain my favorite. But I can see why people are divided on this movie. It does posses a different tone in comparison with Raiders. It is darker and more violent, but at the same time it is also funnier in some aspects, even if the humor was darker and more aimed at gross-out humor. The film is also a lot more spontaneous then the other 3 in terms of set-up. All the other ones have a more traditional set-up while ToD Indy is just thrown into it the action as soon as the movie starts. A couple of the things I really do love about the movie are the sets (the mines, mine-cart chase, rope bridge in particular.) and how Indy is more of a mercenary in this movie but also still feels like the same character from Raiders. And the character Short Round was also rather enjoyable and is my favorite Indy side-kick (I wouldn't classify Sallah or Henry Jones Sr. as side-kicks). I'll watch the movie any time!:D
 

Paul2572

New member
I love Temple!!

Raiders will always be my favourite but Temple of Doom is awesome. It was great to grow up in the 70's and 80's especially for the movies. I remembered needing an Indy fix and desperate for another Indy film Temple of Doom filled all my needs :)
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Darth Vile said:
As already stated, you?re being obtuse. You often pick and choose when to take things literally or not. For one who prides himself/herself on keeping a thread on track, you seem determined to disrupt it. :rolleyes:
Firstly: Your dislike of the mine cart chase is COMPLETELY on-topic in a thread, titled, "Why does everyone hate Temple of Doom".:rolleyes:
Secondly: If I chose to pick apart ALL the things you say, there would be no end and there's not enough free time (nor desire) to do that.
Darth Vile said:
The fact that a sequence contains a ?live? shot, or shots, does not negate the perception of something being deemed unbelievable or not realistic. You?re being deliberately obtuse.
You were talking in absolute terms ("nothing at all believable"). Yet, you REFUSE to admit that some parts of the mine-cart-chase were actually believable.
Darth Vile said:
So does that apply to everyone here who has an issue with a particular sequence or effect that undermines the reality of the situation/scene on screen??? :confused:
Darth, it was YOU who were being specifically asked (not the other Ravenheads). Don't deflect the question.:eek:
(If "ridiculous/preposterous situations" & "dodgy effects" destroy any believability, then why do you even like Indiana Jones movies at all? )
Darth Vile said:
This isn?t a court of law this is a discussion thread on an Indiana Jones fan site. Are we viewing the mine cart chase from a position that it exists in a vacuum, that there are no other Indiana Jones movies or action/chase scenes in existence to compare and contrast it to? Are we coming from the position that it?s the first moving picture, containing colour and sound? Perhaps we should give it credit for that then??? What is your frame of reference if you believe we can?t compare the sequence to other sequences of the same ilk? :confused:
Darth Vile, "You?re being deliberately obtuse.":eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
 

Darth Vile

New member
Stoo said:
Firstly: Your dislike of the mine cart chase is COMPLETELY on-topic in a thread, titled, "Why does everyone hate Temple of Doom".:rolleyes:
I know my dislike of the mine cart chase is COMPLETELY on-topic. Thanks. I was in fact stating that it was you who were tying to de-rail that particular mine cart from the track.

Stoo said:
Secondly: If I chose to pick apart ALL the things you say, there would be no end and there's not enough free time (nor desire) to do that.
You were talking in absolute terms ("nothing at all believable"). Yet, you REFUSE to admit that some parts of the mine-cart-chase were actually believable.
I don’t believe for a second that you’re as dumb as you’re making out... so I can only assume you’re pretending to be asinine to make some other point. I'm not arguing that Harrison Ford, in the mine cart chase, is fake. I'm stating that the sequence (IMHO) is wholly unbelievable because of the premise, because of the dialogue (as in it's just played for laughs) and because of the effects. Don’t you get that???

Stoo said:
Darth, it was YOU who were being specifically asked (not the other Ravenheads). Don't deflect the question.:eek:
(If "ridiculous/preposterous situations" & "dodgy effects" destroy any believability, then why do you even like Indiana Jones movies at all? )
What question am I deflecting exactly? I thought one of the common debates was around the line to be drawn between the preposterous elements that work and the preposterous elements that detract? Isn’t that what things liked ‘Nuked the fridge’ is all about??? Or do you really think that in an Indiana Jones movie ‘Anything Goes’ (which is totally fair enough if that's the case)?

Stoo said:
Darth Vile, "You’re being deliberately obtuse.":eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
I’d say that’s more an example of me mocking you than being obtuse Stoo. ;)
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Forbidden Eye said:
I don't hate Temple of Doom! Heck, its Indy's 2nd best adventure put on film!

It was so good it should have been twice as long! I would have loved to have seen a longer adventure in Shanghai while Harry was still in his prime.
 

Forbidden Eye

Well-known member
Montana Smith said:
It was so good it should have been twice as long! I would have loved to have seen a longer adventure in Shanghai while Harry was still in his prime.

I agree Club Obi Wan is the best part(or rather the first 22 minutes). If Indy 5 is made, lets hope it focuses more on that part of Asia.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Forbidden Eye said:
I agree Club Obi Wan is the best part(or rather the first 22 minutes). If Indy 5 is made, lets hope it focuses more on that part of Asia.

It's a shame it could no longer be the Shanghai of the '30s - unless it was told in flashback...
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Darth Vile said:
I don?t believe for a second that you?re as dumb as you?re making out... so I can only assume you?re pretending to be asinine to make some other point.
Darth say stop mo-shun sh*t. Stoo not like. Make Stoo MAD!:mad:
Forbidden Eye said:
I don't hate Temple of Doom! Heck, its Indy's 2nd best adventure put on film!
Eye talk good. Doom good!:D
 

MinnesotaJones

New member
In my opinion ToD was the only film where Indy acutally was a hero.
In the other films he was a hero but they didn't show the consequences of him not being a hero.
In ToD you see the children trapped, you see the parents in distress.
At the end of the film you see how happy everyone is thanks to Indiana Jones. So don't shoot temple of doom. :gun:
It's just a bit more cartoony and a bit dark and creepy.

Good Day :hat:
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Raiders had a cartoon element as well, but it became more prominent with TOD, with a scene such as the hammer on the Thuggee's head. (TLC had the aircraft overtaking the car in the tunnel; KOTCS had the fridge...)
 

Mephisto

New member
TOD is probably my least favorite the original 3. However. I still love it...which is more than I can say for Crystal Skull. TOD is the movie that made me love Indiana Jones in the mid 80's when it was on HBO. I mean when you are 3 years old how cool are the bugs and snakes at the dinner table. There are a lot of great lines in the film. Lao Che would have been awesome to see back in a sequel...if only they would have done Indy 4 around 1993 or so. Willie and especially Short Round do not bother me that much. Wills I can get why she would irk audiences though. The only person I don't really like is the young prince. If not for Connery it's possible I would like this better than last Crusade. I saw Last Crusade in the theater with my father when I was 6. I actually didn't see Raiders in it's entirety until sometime in the 90's but is definitely my favorite.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
MinnesotaJones said:
Okay, how about using un-realistic comedic moments which are usally used in cartoons?

No, really, by TOD Indy was a fully-fledged live-action cartoon.

I wrote this in one of my earliest posts on The Raven:

Smiffy said:
You can't watch any of the movies as historical documentaries (since there are too many anachronisms), so you have to accept them as pure entertainment, like a live action cartoon. Elements of the real world intrude as plot devices.

And a couple of months later:

Smiffy said:
I wrote earlier that the series was a virtual live-action cartoon. In a cartoon absurd things happen that the viewer accepts as they know they're watching a cartoon, rather than reality. All the Indy films are larger than life. My first realization of this, at a young age, was watching Indy being dragged behind the truck. You might call it my personal 'fridge moment'. It's a thought that has always remained with me: why wasn't Indy badly wounded, or at least get his clothes ripped?

My reaction to the truck scene in ROTLA prepared me for TOD. And I have a lot of affection for TOD, despite Short Round.
 

Mephisto

New member
Oh another reason I like Temple is it may have the most random scene of any movie of all time. "Shorty where's my razor?!"

Awesome!
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
Mephisto said:
Oh another reason I like Temple is it may have the most random scene of any movie of all time. "Shorty where's my razor?!"

Awesome!

I didn't take it to be random at all. This plot enabled Indy to stay in an unshaven state at the dinner with the Maharaja, balancing out his professorial image with that of a rugged adventurer. Not that Indy wanted it. Us, the audience, wanted it.
 
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