Why Do We Love Temple of Doom?

Indy86

New member
Just another thing I want to add why I love Temple Of Doom. Despite it's clearly darker, in almost every action sequence: the plane crash/raft, the fight in the bedroom, the trap in the cave, the fight in the temple and the fight with the guard to the return of the village, part of the Indy theme is always used. As if to give the audience a sense of hope that when they hear it they will know it's going to be alright.
 

IndyBuff

Well-known member
I love the darker tone of this film and the bizarre setting. The last half hour is quite possibly the finest string of action sequences ever committed to film.
 

DoomsdayFAN

Member
I love this movie because it's fun, it's different, and it has an unparalleled amount of over the top insane action! I also really liked Short Round. Willie was annoying, but she kind of grows on you.

Pretty much the only thing I don't really like about this movie is Indy weird laugh. He doesn't have it in any of the other films.
 

Grizzlor

Well-known member
Remains a dear favorite of mine. First Indy movie I remember watching, when it came out on VHS. I was hooked. (y)
 

ATMachine

Member
I love Temple of Doom because of Cary Grant's performance and the awesome Scottish marching band. No wait, that's Gunga Din. ;)
 

Kai Hagen

New member
I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if it showed the Japanese military and navy in the Chinese scene. Take note that WWII began in Asia before it began in Europe, so the setting would've been right for the movie. Both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade had German uniforms, weapons, and vehicles. I really liked the fighter planes in the later one. Leaving out what was one of the most powerful navy and air force at that time is throwing away a perfect plot.
 
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Henry W Jones

New member
TOD is the superior sequel. It is it's own film. It doesn't try to be it's predecessor. I like the fact it takes risks. If they hadn't gone off public opinion, and, kept being original, we would have gotten better sequels after. I know many people love Last Crusade, but, I felt they were trying too hard to bring the feel of Raiders back and it on some level ruins it for me. Crystal Skull takes it a step further, and in the process, they lost all originality. Just my opinion
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Henry W Jones said:
TOD is the superior sequel. It is it's own film.
Agreed. Welcome back, Henry W Jones! :hat:

Kai Hagen said:
Take note that WWII began in Asia before it began in Europe,
Take note that it didn't.
Kai Hagen said:
I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if it showed the Japanese military and navy in the Chinese scene. Take note that WWII began in Asia before it began in Europe, so the setting would've been right for the movie. Both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade had German uniforms, weapons, and vehicles. I really liked the fighter planes in the later one. Leaving out what was one of the most powerful navy and air force at that time is throwing away a perfect plot.
The opening bit was an homage to the Chinese gangsters depicted in some of the '30s/'40s serials*. It wasn't meant to be, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" :rolleyes:

*Examples can be provided, if you want them.

This is a thread about LOVING "Temple of Doom". If you're dismayed that the film didn't show any Nips during its first 13 minutes, then here's a more appropriate thread for your bewildering opinions:
Why does everyone hate Temple Of Doom?
 

dr.jones1986

Active member
Stoo said:
Agreed. Welcome back, Henry W Jones! :hat:

Take note that it didn't.
The opening bit was an homage to the Chinese gangsters depicted in some of the '30s/'40s serials*. It wasn't meant to be, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" :rolleyes:

*Examples can be provided, if you want them.

This is a thread about LOVING "Temple of Doom". If you're dismayed that the film didn't show any Nips during its first 13 minutes, then here's a more appropriate thread for your bewildering opinions:
Why does everyone hate Temple Of Doom?

He isn't wrong that the conflict began when a full scale war erupted between Japan and China in 1937, but it was still a regional conflict at that point and not yet "a world war." Even once Germany invaded Poland in 1939 it was still two separate conflicts. It wasn't until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor that the two conflicts became part of one larger struggle that we refer to as WWII. So it is at least debatable.

I think TOD has great villains but I would have loved to see Indy battle the Imperial Japanese military on the big screen. A movie set during WWII would have been great but at this point Harrison is too old to portray the character at that stage of his life, even though Indy mentions in Skull that he was a part of missions in the Pacific Theater.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
dr.jones1986 said:
He isn't wrong that the conflict began when a full scale war erupted between Japan and China in 1937, but it was still a regional conflict at that point and not yet "a world war." Even once Germany invaded Poland in 1939 it was still two separate conflicts. It wasn't until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor that the two conflicts became part of one larger struggle that we refer to as WWII. So it is at least debatable.
Military history is one of my greatest passions so I know the events. My main objection is that the conflict didn’t create a ‘world war’, which is what Kai Hagen seemed to imply.

dr.jones1986 said:
I think TOD has great villains but I would have loved to see Indy battle the Imperial Japanese military on the big screen. A movie set during WWII would have been great but at this point Harrison is too old to portray the character at that stage of his life, even though Indy mentions in Skull that he was a part of missions in the Pacific Theater.
Indy battling the Japs during the WW2 era is a great idea. That’s why I love “Tales of the Gold Monkey” so much and also the Dark Horse comic series, “Indiana Jones and the Thunder of the Orient”.

However, it's silly for Kai Hagen to say, “I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if it showed..."

I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a larger presence of the British Raj.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a longer dance routine.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy in an opium den.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy going to the moon.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed ... (blah, blah, blah.)
 

DeepSixFix

New member
RareAntiquities said:
Seeing Indiana Jones dressed in a James Bond fashion was a nice touch.
I thought it was a Bond homage as well but I believe it was actually meant to evoke the look of Humphrey Bogart's character Rick in "Casablanca."
 

Stoo

Well-known member
DeepSixFix said:
I thought it was a Bond homage as well but I believe it was actually meant to evoke the look of Humphrey Bogart's character Rick in "Casablanca."
It was. He comes down a spiral staircase in the same way. An homage that many Indy fans don't seem to realize. :(
 

Kai Hagen

New member
Stoo said:
Military history is one of my greatest passions so I know the events. My main objection is that the conflict didn’t create a ‘world war’, which is what Kai Hagen seemed to imply.
It depends on how you look at it. For the people in that region, the fighting started before 1939. Of course, I'm not saying that it caused the conflict in Europe. But then neither did the invasion of Poland start the conflict in Asia.

Stoo said:
Indy battling the Japs during the WW2 era is a great idea. That’s why I love “Tales of the Gold Monkey” so much and also the Dark Horse comic series, “Indiana Jones and the Thunder of the Orient”.
Well those stories didn't become a film. So the Temple of Doom would've been the best chance to see the Japanese military.

Stoo said:
However, it's silly for Kai Hagen to say, “I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if it showed..."

I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a larger presence of the British Raj.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a longer dance routine.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy in an opium den.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy going to the moon.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed ... (blah, blah, blah.)
Are you Steven Spielberg? Why are you being so sensitive about this?
 
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dr.jones1986

Active member
Stoo said:
Military history is one of my greatest passions so I know the events. My main objection is that the conflict didn’t create a ‘world war’, which is what Kai Hagen seemed to imply.

Indy battling the Japs during the WW2 era is a great idea. That’s why I love “Tales of the Gold Monkey” so much and also the Dark Horse comic series, “Indiana Jones and the Thunder of the Orient”.

However, it's silly for Kai Hagen to say, “I would've liked The Temple of Doom more if it showed..."

I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a larger presence of the British Raj.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed a longer dance routine.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy in an opium den.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed Indy going to the moon.
I would’ve liked ToD more if it showed ... (blah, blah, blah.)

I didn't mean for it to come off that I was agreeing with the lack of the Japanese Military being shown on screen (though they are mentioned) as a fault of the film. I love TOD and I love the villains. I was just agreeing that it would have been cool to see Indy battle the Imperial Japanese on screen. Too bad Harrison is now to old for a WWII set Indy film. You did mention some examples in other media and you could add the novel "Secret of the Spinx" to that list.

I know, like me you also have a passion for military history (I actually teach social studies for a living). So I was just saying that he isn't off base with that comment and I didn't mean to imply that you lacked knowledge on the subject or argument he was trying to make. You could argue the Second Sino-Japanese war that started in 1937 eventually became a part of the global struggle we call WWII. The German invasion of Poland is usually considered the start of WWII but even at that time it was primarily relegated to Western and Central Europe. It really didn't became a global struggle until 1941 with the war spreading to North Africa, USSR and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which linked to two conflicts together. I know you are familiar with all this so it wasn't meant to imply you lacked knowledge on the subject.

I also would have loved to see more of the British Raj and an even longer dance number to start the film would have been fine by me!

Anyway, back to the topic of why we love Temple of Doom, I always felt that Indy walking down the stairs in the white tuxedo was an homage to Rick in Casablanca which is one of my favorite films from that era of Hollywood.
 

Henry W Jones

New member
Stoo said:
It was. He comes down a spiral staircase in the same way. An homage that many Indy fans don't seem to realize. :(

I just watched Casablanca the other day for the first time. Definitely influenced by that film.

Stoo said:
Agreed. Welcome back, Henry W Jones! :hat: ]

Thank you Stoo!!
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Kai Hagen said:
It depends on how you look at it. For the people in that region, the fighting started before 1939. Of course, I'm not saying that it caused the conflict in Europe.
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. ;)

Kai Hagen said:
Well those stories didn't become a film. So the Temple of Doom would've been the best chance to see the Japanese military.
?Tales of the Gold Monkey? isn?t an Indiana Jones story. It?s a TV series from 1982-83. If you?re into seeing a WW2-era-leather-jacket-wearing adventurer who confronts the Japanese army & navy & air force, then I highly suggest checking it out! :whip:

Kai Hagen said:
Are you Steven Spielberg? Why are you being so sensitive about this?
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.

dr.jones1986 said:
I didn't mean for it to come off that I was agreeing with the lack of the Japanese Military being shown on screen (though they are mentioned) as a fault of the film. I love TOD and I love the villains. I was just agreeing that it would have been cool to see Indy battle the Imperial Japanese on screen. Too bad Harrison is now to old for a WWII set Indy film. You did mention some examples in other media and you could add the novel "Secret of the Spinx" to that list.
Yes, indeed, ?it would have been cool?. (Kai Hagen should?ve used that phrase instead.) :D

Forgot about ?Secret of the Sphinx?. Nice addition!

dr.jones1986 said:
I know, like me you also have a passion for military history (I actually teach social studies for a living). So I was just saying that he isn't off base with that comment and I didn't mean to imply that you lacked knowledge on the subject or argument he was trying to make. You could argue the Second Sino-Japanese war that started in 1937 eventually became a part of the global struggle we call WWII. The German invasion of Poland is usually considered the start of WWII but even at that time it was primarily relegated to Western and Central Europe. It really didn't became a global struggle until 1941 with the war spreading to North Africa, USSR and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which linked to two conflicts together. I know you are familiar with all this so it wasn't meant to imply you lacked knowledge on the subject.
No offence taken so don?t worry. If I ever get back to Long Island again, we?ll go for a beer, yes? (y)

There's no argument that the Japanese-Chinese War became absorbed into the larger picture but it was not the basis of WW2. That said, I must come down on you hard for thinking that things didn't get "global" until 1941. Several non-European nations declared war straight away in Sept. 1939 (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia, India, Nepal, etc.) so it was global from the get-go. As for geography, WW2 had already spread outside of Europe by 1940: to Africa (North, East & West), the Middle East and French Indochina. Heck, how ?bout the famous Battle of the River Plate? That was South America in 1939!

dr.jones1986 said:
I also would have loved to see more of the British Raj and an even longer dance number to start the film would have been fine by me!
Apart from the British Raj, I was joking about the rest. Kind of like saying:

I would've liked Crusade more if it showed the U.S. cavalry & artillery in the Utah scene.
I would've liked Raiders more if it showed (insert fantasy here) in the Peru scene.
 

dr.jones1986

Active member
Of course once Britain went to war so did the rest of the Empire (although the commenwealth had a choice to declare war unlike in WWI) and I meant no disrespect to your homeland of Canada which provided a great deal for the Allies. My point was that for the most part the fighting was located in Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the British Empire was fighting to support the island of Britain in their struggle against Germany not to defend their homelands (which for many that would come later after Japan entered the fray). Plus you include the fighting in Indochina between Japan and Vichy France but how can you include that as part of WWII if you are not considering Japan to be a part of WWII until after the attack on Pearl Harbor? I am not arguing with you that the German invasion of Poland on September 1st 1939 isn't a valid date for the start of WWII, just that you can argue the fighting began earlier ( I have seen some historians who go even further to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria).

As for the beer, that would be awesome next time your in NYC or Long Island
 

Stoo

Well-known member
dr.jones1986 said:
Plus you include the fighting in Indochina between Japan and Vichy France but how can you include that as part of WWII if you are not considering Japan to be a part of WWII until after the attack on Pearl Harbor? I am not arguing with you that the German invasion of Poland on September 1st 1939 isn't a valid date for the start of WWII, just that you can argue the fighting began earlier ( I have seen some historians who go even further to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria).
Dr.Jones1986, I never indicated that Japan entered WW2 only because of Pearl Harbor. The Nips became a part of WW2 by their invasion of French Indochina in 1940. To my knowledge, that was the first WW2 attack by Japan against "the West". (The French Foreign Legion fought there.) I'm talking about 1940. Which action are you referring to? :confused:

dr.jones1986 said:
As for the beer, that would be awesome next time your in NYC or Long Island
Our beers will probably be in Forest Hills. (y)

---
Why do I love "Temple of Doom"? It has roller-coaster action and a magnificently gorgeous leading lady! :D
 

dr.jones1986

Active member
Stoo said:
Dr.Jones1986, I never indicated that Japan entered WW2 only because of Pearl Harbor. The Nips became a part of WW2 by their invasion of French Indochina in 1940. To my knowledge, that was the first WW2 attack by Japan against "the West". (The French Foreign Legion fought there.) I'm talking about 1940. Which action are you referring to? :confused:

Our beers will probably be in Forest Hills. (y)

---
Why do I love "Temple of Doom"? It has roller-coaster action and a magnificently gorgeous leading lady! :D

I was referring to the 1940 Indochina incident. It is a little different from the rest of Japan's involvement because they were not fighting against an Allied nation but a puppet state to the Axis. 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.

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?

As far as the gorgeous leading lady I agree, though I may have to rank her #3 on my list of Indy's love interests.
 
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