Indiana Jones Temple of Doom 30th Anniversary Panel Wizard World

[@vernonwilmervideo]

I'm spending my "social distancing" time dusting off my Star Wars & Indy toys stored in the garage for photographing, and watching every Retroblasting video ever. Thanks for the years of entertainment.

[@tomakalinus]

Whoa. I had heard of "Gunga Din" but had no idea that "Temple of Doom" was so heavily based on it. That blows my mind! Thanks for sharing!

[@CaptainArrrgh]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed 1984 as the apex of good movies in that decade.

[@lukestrawwalker]

Agree completely, particularly with your take on the Bond franchise and Dalton's interpretation and performance vis-a-vis Craig's... both are "realistic" and "darker, grittier" Bonds, but Dalton's was just 20 years too early... Dalton wanted to bring a "more realistic" take on the James Bond character to the screen, which with the franchise coming off of the more lighthearted, comedic, suave, larger-than-life spin that Roger Moore's performance had given, and which the megalomaniacal scripts of the time (particularly as you mentioned with Moonraker and The Spy Who Loved Me, which was somewhat toned down in subsequent films like Octopussy, For Your Eyes Only, and View to a Kill) was basically completely opposite to the characterization of Bond that Moore had been portraying for his longest-actor-of-the-franchise run as Bond... Hence when Dalton's take on Bond was about 180 degrees polar opposite of Moore's, it was "a bridge too far" for the audience to accept. Then of course, when Dalton stepped aside, Bond returned with Pierce Brosnan in the role. Brosnan's interpretation of Bond was again nearly polar opposite of Dalton's, returning the "larger than life" suave Bond, much more in keeping with Roger Moore's Bond than Dalton's. Of course what was SO sad was that such a talented actor as Pierce Brosnan is, was only given such crummy scripts which went from meh, to bad, to worse, to WTF?? as his tenure as Bond went on. By the time he was done his films were cringe-worthy because of how ridiculously inept the scripts were, and Brosnan could only do *so much* to polish those turds... Then of course Craig replaced him, and due to the falling audience interest as the Brosnan films got more and more ridiculous, they "rebooted" the series with a much more "realistic" take on the character, again "darker and grittier"... It's a shame that Brosnan wasn't available to take over the role from Roger Moore, since his interpretation of Bond was more like Roger Moore's, only "toned down for the times" from the larger-than-life type approach common in the Moore era. Brosnan still elicited the same suave coolness "gentleman spy" persona that Moore imbued his Bond with, but in a more "realistic" way, with a little more vulnerability and range than Moore had projected. Then when Brosnan was ready to depart the role, with the move in general in movies toward that "darker, grittier" take on things, I think Dalton would have been the perfect man to portray Bond and bring that darker, grittier edgy characterization of Bond to the screen... and it would have been not only accepted but widely praised. I think you hit the nail on the head with the Indiana Jones films, too-- had "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "Temple of Doom" swapped places in the lineup (and the times they were produced and hit theaters) I think both would have been more widely praised. Later! OL J R :)

[@christianmetcalf9603]

I first saw this when it was released on VHS in 86 when I was 6. It was the first Indiana Jones film I saw and it was always my favorite.

[@1dbanner]

I have seen Gunga Din but ages ago....and I never made the connection. I still watch the laserdiscs for all three Indy films (there are ONLY 3), and this is an amazing supplement

[@BubblegumCrash332]

My favorite Indy film. It belongs to a time when kids films could scare you.

[@susanitat]

I just love the way RetroBlasting analyze any subject!!! So smart and objective!! Keep it up!! I truly enjoyed this presentation!!! I'm not an Indiana Jones fan but I'm going to watch the movies just because of you guys!!!

[@vladnos]

"Temple of Doom" was the film that made me an Indiana Jones fan. I love Short Round, too!

[@artanisknarf]

This is outstanding, how does it not have a ton more views? And your comments about the rope bridge scene, it doesn’t get more iconic than that. To this day taking my kids to the playground, all I could think of is that scene when there is any kind of playground rope bridge.

[@scottballard5575]

Fantastic...thanks again for your fervor...thank you both for speaking my mind...

[@nwr1gh7]

Exceptional panel! Thank you Michael and Melinda.

[@Guernicaman]

Great discussion/presentation, guys! You need to do more of these. I agreed with so much of what you said too. Temple of Doom holds up very well even to this day.

[@YodaPagoda]

Oh finally, an honest assessment of "Temple of Doom!" The first time I had watched this was with my dad, grandma and grandpa (my grandma traveled to India several times a year, as she followed the Hindu religion.) While we heard Indiana Jones talk about the legends of Shiva and Sankara on screen, my grandma brought out a book, sort of an encyclopedia of various Hindu deities, and there it was! And my grandpa just LOVED the rope bridge scene.

[@CuteFluff8]

Amazing job! I found it entertaining and enjoyed this type of program you guys did. I only wish I could have seen it live.

[@CloneShockTrooper]

Miss those times..

[@JonathanMedd]

This was great, would have loved to have seen it in person.

[@Thor13332]

Another great presentation! I've always loved TODM. I think people were expecting a clone of ROTLA but I'm glad that it was different.

[@Jedi3671]

That was awesome! Very cool panel guys!! I want to go and watch Temple of Doom right now!

[@AshtonArcher]

Enjoyed watching that. Thanks!

[@retroblasting]

You're welcome!

[@akitoy1204]

simply awesome as always! Congrats to the RB team!

[@larissaoneiros2262]

Thanks, man!

[@primusvsunicron1]

I hope RetroBlasting talk about Kenner's Indiana Jones line in the future

[@magnumrex]

Temple of Doom was my favorite Indiana Jones movie for a long time. I've seen it the most of all the films. I don't remember every realizing all the screams. I did see Gunga Din about 20 years ago and thinking how similar it was to TOD. Someone threw up during the heart RIP out scene when I saw it.

[@TheNightBadger]

Yet another good talk! I used to have to defend Temple of Doom to people a lot, as it was my favourite of the Indiana movies. Now I can see that Raiders is a better 'formed' movie, but I still think Temple is the kind of roots-in-serials romp that it should have been as a sequel.

[@Tr0nzoid]

Temple of Doom probably has the most popular signature Indiana Jones elements. The heart, the bugs, the rope bridge, the monkeybrains. I think a lot of kids of my generation remember it better than the first and were more attached to it than the third because of their age and the greater amount of kid-directed hype around it than the other two. It's the movie that made parents a little wary of Spielberg films because of the supposed darkness, but it also was another lighthearted take in a series that seemed to be common 1983 to 1985. Superman III got comedic. Return of the Jedi brought in the Ewoks. Both Never Say Never Again and Octopussy had their silly moments. Indiana Jones and Mad Max saved the children. I have a newfound appreciation for "Temple of Doom" for what it is. The other two are still my favorites though (and the fourth, well, I must be one of the few who has problems with the movie but the refrigerator gag isn't one of them.) The impact of "The Last Crusade" is stronger because of "Temple of Doom". By the way while talking about the titles you didn't mention how Lucasfilm now considers the first film "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark".

[@patlauron]

I watched this on Betamax. :)

[@ReluctantWarrior]

That's hardcore 👍

[@lunacy05]

Really awesome presentation, guys! I really enjoyed watching it, and managed to learn a few things about the movie as well lol

[@mastersoftheeighties53]

Great panel, guys!!

[@Iamnotspecialandneitherareyou]

Very professional way to present this. I liked the Temple of Doom very much but extra for one reason. To shout KALI MAH! Or " You...dare not do that!

[@aaronjordan2770]

Or to shout GO TO MALL SHOP TODAY!

[@Mister80Retro]

I loved the original 3 but like a few other comments, Temple of Doom was my fave, even though Spielberg hated it. Bugs, brains, eyeballs, heart ripping, lava, mine carts, snakes, crocs, voodoo, rescuing slave kids, funny sidekick, annoying damsel, suspense, fun... It had it all for me.

[@Teatime7771]

I liked short round too

[@awesomefanger]

It's worth noting that the Wilhelm scream was originally called "man attacked by crocodile" so it was used for its intended purpose when Mola ram dies.

[@Bat-Twenty-Two]

It also pops up earlier when Indy shoots a gangster in the head during the car chase.

[@ordetschmorthree8614]

Great video! I have a question about 26:39. Where did you learn that the original plan was to call all sequels "Raiders of the ......"? I can't find anything about that online.

[@DOCTORFREEDOM]

Kate Capshaw. AKA Mrs Katherine SPIELBERG. To quote Family Guy: "You only here because you're banging director"

[@Retsler54]

25:10 I have 3 of those items although in Swedish.....what I by the way deeply regret not doing in 1989 was taking photos of our Stockholm public transport buses marketing the Last Crusade.

[@VenusHeadTrap2]

When Michael described how awesome the rope bridge sequence was, I wanted to clap. If i were in the room at that moment, you would have been met with thunderous applause 29:37

[@fdfkjow]

great video

[@Bat-Twenty-Two]

It may be sacrilege but *Temple of Doom* is my second favorite Indy flick after *Last Crusade*.

[@mongrel-starcomics.109]

I always took the fridge in Indy 4 as a movie in joke. Marty McFly was supposed to time travel in a fridge before they changed it to a car. Spielberg produced BTTF so that idea of using a fridge in one of his movies must have been in the back of his mind for 20 years. Consider ourselves lucky, imagine if Indy time travelled in that sequence on top of aliens. That would have really ticked off some of the fans.

[@MarkDemeo]

this movie needs no redeeming,its by far my favorite of the indy films. i would still love to see key quan come back if there is a 5th film. i love the bug scene,mine car chase,the bridge scene and so on.

[@vladnos]

That wasn't a zoom-in shot of Henry Jones Sr.'s picture - it was a push-in!

[@retroblasting]

Are you really going to zap me for that. I went to film school too you know...try public speaking off the cuff and get back to me

[@vladnos]

***** No offense intended! 'Twas only a joking chide! (I actually didn't attend film school.)

[@ordetschmorthree8614]

***** Hi. I have a question about something your say at 26:39. Where did you learn that the original plan was to call all sequels "Raiders of the ......"? I can't find anything about that online. Thanks.

[@Teatime7771]

There is a video game of Last Crusade

[@CharlieNagoo]

Doom's fatal flaw is that when the back story of the Thugees are given, in the monkey brain scene, one is completely distracted from the story by the comedy in the scene. Imagine if the blackboard scene in Raiders was filled with needless distraction. Doom also has action fatigue and don't forget the the excessive screaming.

[@c0l1n_m45]

People don't like Shortround? That's news to me. They must be confusing him with Shia Labeouf's character.

[@djdtrickery]

nice1

[@davymartini64]

The weird thing is, Steven Spielburg and George Lucas had no interest whatsoever to make a forth Indiana Jones film. It was actually HARRISON FORD who was the initial reason why that movie happened. He then convinced Steven Spielburg to want to make the forth film. Then Spielburg convinced George Lucas.

[@stevenhibbert694]

General keal

[@CloneShockTrooper]

PS I would scream if I was coverd in bugs.. no shame there

[@pferreira1983]

Temple of Doom isn't great but it has its moments. The main problem with the movie is how unlikable it tries to be but I think that's more to do with the script than anything else.

[@joeriveracomedy]

License to kill is top 3 for me. Doom is not.

[@mathiasmorqubus]

Because it did not have jedu christianism in it is the reason why people do not like it!

[@TagusMan]

Still the worst Indy movie. Even Crystal Skull is less hateful. The worst thing about the worst Indy is that they created two of the most annoying screechy screamy characters in the history of film and put them both in the same movie. Short Round is a decent sidekick but like Willie, he screams too damn much. When does he not scream? And anybody who claims that he's a racist stereotype is projecting their own racism. Harrison Ford is great as always, but the rest of the movie is rubbish.

[@RetroBlastingFan]

This was actually my favorite "Indy" film. I never knew about the "Gunga Din" connection...SO cool. I am glad you chose to more or less defend this film. I actually never realized that people didn't like it. I thought it was great! I didn't even mind Willie's screaming...it was almost like its own character in a way.

[@mongrel-starcomics.109]

I always took the fridge in Indy 4 as a movie in joke. Marty McFly was supposed to time travel in a fridge before they changed it to a car. Spielberg produced BTTF so that idea of using a fridge in one of his movies must have been in the back of his mind for 20 years. Consider ourselves lucky, imagine if Indy time travelled in that sequence on top of aliens. That would have really ticked off some of the fans.

[@JoJoJoker]

From the future: Indy time traveled and it was not a good idea.

[@mongrel-starcomics.109]

@@JoJoJoker At least it wasn't in a fridge 🙂