Thesis: "Temple Of Doom" is over-hated and under-appreciated

[Michael Crawford]

Batman's a hero, Superman is a hero, Zorro is a hero, the Lone Ranger is a hero - that doesn't make them Indy. The things that make him unique were missing in TOD.

Raiders was a great film. Crusade was decent. I recently saw TOD for only the third time, and I have no desire to ever watch it again. The opening sequence is great...but from the James Bond jump out of the airplane to the awful acting of Kate Capshaw to the silliness of Shortround, it was a real disappointment.

Now, it's not Star Wars prequel bad, I suppose. But it's my opinion - just as it's yours that it's good - that it's easily the weakest of the three films, and didn't do much for Indy.

I'm curious, of the folks here praising, how many were under the age of 15 when you first saw it? Tastes vary with age of course, and first impressions are always critical, both for people and for movies.

 

[OSCORP]

I was under 15 when i saw it and i can't stand it to this day.

 

[Brent72]

Personally, I kinda feel the same way about Temple of Doom as I do about Godfather III, Matrix Revolutions and Die Hard 2. It's part of a trilogy I really like, but feel it is by far the weakest of the three films.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

I'm curious, of the folks here praising, how many were under the age of 15 when you first saw it? Tastes vary with age of course, and first impressions are always critical, both for people and for movies.

I was 5 when Temple came out and I saw it in the theater and I liked it but it wasn't until I saw Last Crusade and Raiders as a teenager that I really noticed the flaws of Temple.
It is an okay action film but the worst of the three by far. Capeshaw is really hard to watch and Short Round was cute for the kids but as I grew more mature he lost me as a fan. I am more a fan of Data from the Goonies.
For those who like Temple the best or at least better than Crusade I will not tell you you're wrong, but I will take Sean Connery as a sidekick over Short Round and Willie any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[lerath666]

TOD was my first indy Film. i was under 15 when i saw it, and i loved it then. it was then, and still is my favorite.

BUT I also got to say that I like Raiders and Crusade just as much
All three are a tie for me, and I'm sure KOTCS will be just as good as far as i am concerned.

 

[Seretur]

The fans are all upset. They’re always going to be upset. “Why did he do it like this? And why didn’t he do it like this?” They write their own movie, and then, if you don’t do their movie, they get upset about it.

-- George Lucas, Vanity Fair, January 2008

 

[abstractharmony]

Wow.

I can't believe that some of you folks don't like TOD.

For me it explains perfectly Indy's 'right-mindedness' in ROTLA & LC having been 'on the cosh' as it were in TOD.

I also like the fact that TOD and KOTCS are NOT about Judeo-Christian artefacts. I'd really have loved to see Indy in Egypt or search for Pict-ish remains in the remote Scottish isles.

TOD, for me, is just as good as ROTLA.

 

[Brent72]

Three words can sum up why I like TOD the least of the saga: SHORT ROUND & WILLIE.

 

[Les Walker]

Temple was annoying in many ways for me, but, it had one thing that the other two (remains to be seen in the new one) didn't have, a great singlular villain, MOLA RAM!
Now, don't get me wrong, Toht and all the Germans and Belloq are so cool! No way to beat them in the game. But, as a focal villain leader guy, Mola Ram rules the series supreme. No way any other Indy villain has that. Just his pronunciation of "Dr Jones" is untouched. That is a villian!
If only the rest of the movie were as good.
I love the bridge scene as much as anything in the series. I love "No time for love, Dr Jones!" And "You call him DOCTOR JONES, doll!" and all that silly stuff Shorty said. There was a fun to Indy having a kid at least once, as a sidekick, and Shorty did fine. No Marion though, but how can you compare?
(I hated Willie though. Still do!)

I'll put it this way, I HATED Temple when it came out. I was 23 and worked in a video store, and LOVED Raiders and Star Wars stuff, and was mystified at the time with monkey brains and the other ick factor stuff just added in for effect (Didn't all that create the PG-13 rating. between TOD and Gremlins???) so that left me a bit perplexed, and, let's fall all the way to India....
But, the bats, Pankot Palace, "We are going to die!" and the Bridge, and good old Mola Ram, help make it a fun memory still.
I find I am easier on it these days.

At least, it is still a Serial form, moreso than Last Crusade, which got maudlin to me. It was ok, but too silly overall. Too loose. Neither sequel captured Raider's intense chase and setup for overthetop reward ending. My last hope remains the new one, which looks in some ways to be a direct sequel, thematically, to Raiders, what with Marion back. So, the other two are like any other standard 80's and 90's sequels in sets. Out there as more, but not as good as the original.

I think, it will always be thus.
(Excluding James Bond, LOTR, Aliens and to me, Star Wars. I know, I am the nut that likes the prequels Fooey on me! )


Anyway, that is my take on Temple of Doom.

Oh, it does have the coolest original poster! Indy in the doorway of the ruins. Can't beat that image!!!! Love that!

 

[IrishJedi]

Oh, it does have the coolest original poster! Indy in the doorway of the ruins. Can't beat that image!!!! Love that!

Indeed. And I like how the "Crystal Skull" teaser poster harkens back to it as well.

 

[DarthNeil]

After years of having the Indy trilogy on VHS two weeks ago I finally acquired the trilogy on DVD to watch with my Christmas present (surround sound). I watched Raiders first (of course) and enjoyed every moment of it amazed at just how fantastically it held up.

I was 10 when I watched T.O.D. in the theatres. I was living in Europe at the time and I still remembering visiting Paris with my family and buying postcards along the Champs Elysee... But they weren't the touristy kind-- I bought French Indy T.O.D. postcards.

I'm watching T.O.D. now (when I have a free moment from work and chasing the little one) and I'm enjoying it immensely. Yes, I find Shortround kind of annoying now and I agree that Willie as a character just does not work-- but the story, Indy in all of his glory, the main villain of Mola Ram (still a favourite--would want a 1/6 of him before ANY of the Nazis), and the bridge sequence still make it a phenomenal ride.

I enjoy it. If I had to rank the trilogy I'd have to place Raiders first and the other two tied for a close second. I can't wait for the newest Indy release but until then I've been enjoying reliving some of my fond childhood memories-- with the help of Steven, George, and Harrison.

 

[Gruson]

I loved TOD....it is better than Last Crusade for sure IMO.

Raiders
Temple
Last

 

[olvidadero]

TOD was ALWAYS my favourite. I usually found Raiders pretty boring, and I haven't seen Last Crusade as many times as the first two... TOD was the movie that started my Indy love. I loved the wild and gory parts, and also the cheesy stuff. I never understood why Spielberg would bash his own movie. TOD is pure entertainment, and as that, it succeeds completely in my opinion.

 

[Brent72]

I usually found Raiders pretty boring.

Raiders boring? That is BLASPHEMY!!! :emperor

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yeah, I said it. "Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom" is not only not that bad, but I'd say it's a great Action-Adventure flick as is actually the 2nd-best film from the original INDY trilogy.

Absolutely. I never enjoyed Last Crusade much, it lost it's sense of adventure when it became a father-son story instead of focusing on "the further adventures of", like Bond sequels. TOD was just a straight 'further adventure' and it had some great sequences, most notably the bridge fight at the end. None of the films get to RAIDERS level, they're trying too hard, but TOD is second to me.

 

[photoshopmagician]

I'd have to say TOD is my favorite of all the three. It has all the classic Indy moments!!! Plus I believe it represents the ride at Dland the best. Raiders comes in a close 2nd with the LC coming in third.

 

[olvidadero]

Raiders boring? That is BLASPHEMY!!! :emperor

"I found Raiders pretty boring". Emphasis on the past tense. I was very little when I saw it for the first time and it bored the hell out of me. In my childhood I saw TOD all the time, and tried to watch Raiders every now and then, but I fell asleep every time! It was not until recently that I discovered that Raiders was not indeed that boring. Anyway, nostalgia has a huge influence on me, and I will always have a better memory of TOD.

 

[galactiboy]

I first saw Raiders when I was around 5 as well, so for me it does have a very strong childhood nostalgia factor. Growing up I've liked it less, but I still find it to be a really fun movie and I think it has to be viewed in a very different (more forgiving) mindset than Raiders.

Raiders is really one of those perfect movies to me, wouldn't change a thing and enjoy every time I watch it. TOD is completely over the top and more comical, but its kind of fun that they went a different direction and tried something new... even if it has a more 80's sequel feel to it and feels sluggish at times.

But Last Crusade, I'm not that big a fan of. I liked it okay when it came out, but its just not that good of a movie to me. I like the father son stuff, but it really does become too much of a focus, and the Christian faith undertones are a bit much for me to really enjoy the movie.

 

[Shai]

I have never read that thread.

 

[Coheteboy]

Temple of Doom has been my favorite Indiana Jones movie since I could remember. I didn't say it was 'THE BEST'. Just MY favorite. Arguably Harrison Ford's best performance of the character too.