Best Moments In The Temple of Doom

ACME04

New member
I guess if Lord Excalibur can start a thread about best moments in LC, I can start one about best moments in ToD.:D

My favorite moment is the "mine cart" scene! Every effect in that scene was awesome, especially when Indy stopped the entire cart with his foot, which caught on fire afterwards!:)
 

Canyon

Well-known member
Sometime ago, I posted my favourite parts from temple of Doom in this thread here and I thought that rather than re write my reasons, I would post my original comments that I made here:

"Raiders is my favourite, Crusade is personal to me, and Temple is a wonderful film!
Some time ago there was a thread entitled 'Which Indiana Jones film is your ALL time favourite?' and I mentioned a lot of stuff about Raiders and something about Last Crusade. Found here:www.theraider.net/theraven/s...93&pagenumber=2
What I didn't mention was why I consider Temple of Doom to be a pretty good film, so I shall post my thoughts here.

Firstly, I think that you must put the film into the context of when it was brought out. Temple came out in 1984, and at the time there was an uproar about it. As quoted in my last post by Indy Smith, I can't help but think that a Raiders replica would have been a very bad idea. When you bring out a film like Raiders or Star Wars, you will always have the problem of trying to top it, which is an extremely difficult thing for people to do.

I think if the second Indy film had been a copy of Raiders or if it had been a film with more romance and less action, it would have come under fire, as Temple did. If it was a film with a lot more comedy and less action, it would have still been critisized. What I am trying to say is, it deosn't matter what the second film is like. It is like any sequel (or prequel in this case) some people will never be satisfied.

Personally, I think that Spielberg, Lucas and Ford were very brave to do what they did when they made this film. In some ways I can understand why Temple was critized as it gets a bit scary in some places. I recently got to see it on the big screen, and the parts where Indy, Short Round and Willie discover the sacrificial ceremony and when Mola Ram rips out the man's heart were quite bone chilling and also when Indy is forced to drink the blood of Kali can be quite scary to watch on the big screen.

Apart from that, in my opinion, Temple is a great film and has some fantasic parts in it. My favourite scenes are:
*Just before Indy shuts the airplane door "Haha nice try Lao Che!" and then the scene following where we see Indy for the first time in his gear (I understand that some audiences in the theatre cheered at this point! )

*The whole love scene between Indy and Willie (namely Indy striding around in his suite). I love the part where him and Willie are muttering away
Indy: "Palace Slave", followed by a laugh. *sigh*

*The spike room scene. Some great dialogue here:
Indy: "Just stand against the wall"
Shortie: "You said to stand against the wall. Not my fault! Not my fault!"

Willie: "Let me in"
Shortie: "Let us out!"

Another great part is the look on Indy's face when the door opens and I nearly die with laughter every time I see that! And then Willie inadvertantly starts the whole thing off again!
Shortie: "It wasn't me, it's her!" points to Willie
Willie: "Huh?" having not realised what she has just done.

Another one of my favourite scenes is the part, just after the ceremony, when Indy goes down into the cavern and heads toward the Sankara Stones. As Indy cautiously approaches the stones, he picks one up and he has the most wonderful look on his face.I love this whole scene, and John Williams' wonderful score really adds to it.

When Indy and Short Round are captured my heart sinks, and I really feel for the character when he is forced to drink the blood of Kali. But isn't that what makes Indy's such a great character in the first place? The fact that he is not a superhero but just a man. He occasionaly gets hurt, and this is very much shown in this part. Poor Indy...

From the moment when Short Round wakes Indy up with the fire, the film really explodes into action! I think it's great when Indy wakes up from the 'Black Sleep' and is followed by a great fight scene. I love it when Indy wakes Willie up and she slaps him across the face... wonderful!
The next scene is easly one of the best in the whole film. Indy puts Short Round's baseball cap on the boy's head, then Shortie hands Indy his Fedora and Indy pulls Shortie into a hug. Awww. I love that part. It's very father/son like! When Indy is stood at the end of the track, he gives the Thuggee's one helluva stare,which almost tells you that he's had enough and that he's going go kick some serious butt! The whole scene which follows is wonderful, when Indy is just about to be crushed in the roller and then he gives the scary Thuggee a look and then the Indy theme starts up, and you know that he's gona win! Well, of course he does. He's Indy!!! The whole mine cart scene is fantasic, especialy the end... "Water! water!" The scene on the bridge goes without saying. It's so Indyesque! Hey, and not forgetting the part before when Indy disarms the guard with the whip! Wow! How does he do it!

Phew, I think that just about covers everything! The end is great. I'm sorry guys, I know its slightly cliqued, but I love it all the same. Of course, I am envious when Willie gets to kiss the adorable Dr. Jones... *sigh*"
 

bungle92

New member
Nice post, Canyon! It feels like a companion piece to my starting post on the "Why Temple is an Awesome movie" thread.

I feel that Temple was in a "Alien 3" situation. It had to followup to a classic film and while a good film didn't quite equal it's predecessor. After all, Raiders was a classic action/adventure flick, (if not THE action/adventure flick) and the type of film that doesn't come out too often, especially in these market driven, mindless Hollywood junk these days. Temple had a lot to live up to and even if it disappointed many, I still feel Spielberg and Lucas did a fine job and should be praised for attempting to bring some variety to the franchise.
 
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schwammy

New member
My favorite part is when the kid who escaped from the palace gives Indy the cloth thing. "Fortune and glory, kid." And then the shooting star. Even if it was just a blue screen.

Musically, I love the opening number and the elephant music, which to me is somehow reminiscent of Ravel's Bolero.
 

Indyz Azn Gurl

New member
Fav scene...

Indy and Shorty playin poker, accusing/arguing each other in Chinese of who's cheating, while Willie is running back and forth screaming her head off!! ^_^
 

Patrick

New member
I have several favourite parts I like the part when they are trapped in the spike room...if you actually listen to what they are saying it is really funny as Canyon said, the bridge scene, the second sacrifice scene, pretty much the entire fighting in the ending... I like the movie. They tried to put Indiana Jones in a "darker" situation but I think that somehow it made it more fun..somehow. I can't explain that really, maybe one of you can figure it out.
 

Aaron H

Moderator Emeritus
The best moment of ToD was the end, because it meant that the worse of the films is finally (painfully) over.
 

Katarn07

New member
Andy Jones said:
Pretty much from when Shortround burns Indy until the end of the rope bridge sequence.

That and the beginning until they arrive at the Indian village. And the spike room. And the dinner scene.
 

Webley

New member
after Short Round has finally broken free from his shackles and is being chased up the ladder, he makes tha running leap for the rope that is suspended from the roof of the cave he climbs the rope and makes his escape. After releases the rope from his hands he gives a look back at the kids in the mine and than a look towards the camera... That look, man that look "Best Moment In The Temple of Doom" If you ask me.

__________________
SHORT ROUND IS COOLER THAN INDY
 
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Indy's_main_man

Guest
Indy and Short round playing cards. It's simple moments like these that really let us relate to the characters as humans and not as heroes who do incredible things.
 

Gobi-1

Well-known member
I love it when the gangster grabs the machine gun and starts firing bullets into the large gong as Indy and Willie escape. The sound of the bullets ripping into the gong is great.
 
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