D23 Spotlights Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, D23 continues to mine the Walt Disney Archives…
No matter how much they love Indiana Jones as a character, fans of the franchise each have their own special film.
Some of us old guys, we swear by Raiders; some call out Crusade, many ignore Crystal Skull, but for most, their first foray into true terror (almost horror) was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
No matter their favorite, they remember Temple, vividly.
Indy’s First Prequel
The franchise’s first prequel (after which would come, Young Indiana Jones as well as the opening sequence in The Last Crusade), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was conceived as a cousin to the darker, character-driven middle stanza of the Star Wars Original Trilogy – The Empire Strikes Back.
A Warning On The Box
D23.com explained:
Image: Lucasfilm/Paramount
Steven Spielberg said it best: “This picture is not called the Temple of Roses, it’s called the Temple of Doom, the warning is clearly marked on the box.” This film was a more serious and dangerous adventure for Dr. Jones… One of the most intense scenes of the film was inside the Temple of Doom, where the fearsome Mola Ram, played by Amrish Puri, sacrifices a victim by pulling out his heart and lowering him into the lava pit.”
Never one for gratuitous gore, Instead of losing the scary scene, Spielberg put special effects flames on the heart to obscure the heart and went to Motion Picture Association of America head Jack Valenti. He took the filmmaker’s suggestion that a PG-13 rating be created for films like Temple.
Image: Lucasfilm, Paramount
The rest is history.
A More Debonair Dr.
Meanwhile, although the swashbuckling, adventuresome side of Dr. Jones had been adopted as his personality through his pursuit of The Ark, George Lucas wanted a bit of a more worldly, dashing, James Bond-aspect to the character, too.
Image: Lucasfilm
Spielberg realized this charming and refined version of Indiana Jones in the opening of the film, as the tuxedo-sporting hero sauntered into “Club Obi Wan”… The beginning of the film is truly the third act climax of an unseen Indiana Jones adventure, which hooks the audience into the spirit of Indiana Jones.”
Notice the similarities. Image: Warner Brothers
The article, and the film, are fascinating and worth a read and a watch as we prepare for the return of the great adventure, next year!
Which is your favorite Indiana Jones film? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature Image: Lucasfilm, Paramount
