Re: Roger Ebert's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Review

Posted by Freind of Indy from proxy.rn.byu.edu on November 07, 1999 at 20:46:42:

In Reply to: Roger Ebert's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Review posted by Brett (Maverick) Lambert on November 07, 1999 at 17:00:40:

: As for as I know, this review isn't available to read on the internet
: (Ebert's site only has movies archived from 1985 onwards), so I
: decided to post the ToD review for those to read. I'm mainly putting
: this up for those who did not like the sequel. Ebert however
: absolutely loved it. Now I doubt this review will change the minds of
: those who didn't care for ToD, but perhaps it could shed some light on
: some of the merits of the movie. Anyways, I 100% agree with Ebert
: here, and he does an excellent job backing himself up. Well, enjoy:

:
: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
: US (1984): Adventure
: Roger Ebert Review: 4.0 stars out of 4

: 118 min, Rated PG, Color, Available on videocassette and laserdisc

: Steven Spielberg's INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM is one of the
: greatest Bruised Forearm Movies ever made. You know what a Bruised
: Forearm Movie is. That's the kind of movie where your date is always
: grabbing your forearm in a viselike grip, as unbearable excitement
: unfolds on the screen. After the movie is over, you've had a great
: time but your arm is black-and-blue for a week. This movie is one of
: the most relentlessly nonstop action pictures ever made, with a
: virtuoso series of climactic sequences that must last an hour and
: never stop for a second. It's a roller-coaster ride, a visual
: extravaganza, a technical triumph, and a whole lot of fun. And it's
: not simply a retread of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, the first Indiana
: Jones movie. It works in a different way, and borrows from different
: traditions.
: RAIDERS was inspired by Saturday afternoon serials. It was a series of
: cliff-hanging predicaments, strung out along the way as Indiana Jones
: traveled from San Francisco to Tibet, Egypt, and other romantic
: locales. It was an exotic road picture. INDIANA JONES mostly takes
: place on one location, and belongs more to the great tradition of the
: Impregnable Fortress Impregnated. You know the kind of fortress I'm
: talking about. You see them all the time in James Bond pictures. They
: involve unbelievably bizarre hideaways, usually buried under the
: earth, beneath the sea, on the moon, or inside a volcano. They are
: ruled over by megalomaniac zealots who dream of conquest, and they're
: fueled by slave labor. Our first glimpse of an Impregnable Fortress is
: always the same: An ominous long shot, with Wagnerian music, as
: identically uniformed functionaries hurry about their appointed tasks.
: The role of the hero in a movie like this is to enter the fortress,
: steal the prize, and get away in one piece. This task always involves
: great difficulty, horrendous surprises, unspeakable dangers, and a
: virtuoso chase sequence. The very last shots at the end of the
: sequence are obligatory: The fortress must be destroyed. Hopefully,
: there will be great walls of flame and water, engulfing the bad guys
: as the heroes race to freedom, inches ahead of certain death.
: But enough of intellectual film criticism. Let's get back to Indiana
: Jones. As TEMPLE OF DOOM opens, Indiana is in a nightclub somewhere in
: Shanghai. Killers are after him. He escapes in the nick of time,
: taking along a beautiful nightclub floozy (Kate Capshaw), and
: accompanied by his trusty young sidekick, Short Round (Ke Huy Quan).
: Their getaway leads them into a series of adventures: A flight over
: the Himalayas, a breathtaking escape from a crashing plane, and a
: meeting with a village leader who begs Indiana to find and return the
: village's precious magic jewel—a stone which disappeared along with
: all of the village's children. Indiana is a plucky chap and agrees.
: Then there's a dinner in the palace of a sinister local lord. The
: dinner scene, by the way, also is lifted from James Bond, where it's
: an obligatory part of every adventure: James is always promised a sure
: death, but treated first to an elegant dinner with his host, who
: boasts of his power and takes inordinate pride in being a
: sophisticated host. After Indiana and Willie retire for the night,
: there's the movie's only slow sequence, in which such matters as love
: are discussed. (Make some popcorn.) Then the movie's second half opens
: with a breathtaking series of adventures involving the mines beneath
: the palace—mines that have been turned into a vision of hell.
: The set design, art direction, special effects, and sound effects
: inside this underground Hades are among the most impressive
: achievements in the whole history of Raiders and Bond-style thrillers.
: As dozens of little kids work on chain gangs, the evil maharajah keeps
: them in slavery by using the sinister powers of the missing jewel and
: its two mates. Indiana and his friends look on in astonishment, and
: then Indiana attempts to steal back the jewel. Some of the film's
: great set pieces now take place: Human victims are lowered into a
: subterranean volcano in a steel cage, weird rituals are celebrated,
: and there is a chase scene involving the mine's miniature railway.
: This chase has to be seen to be believed. Spielberg has obviously
: studied Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL, that silent classic that solved
: the obvious logistic problem of a chase on railway tracks (i.e., what
: to do about the fact that one train seemingly always has to be behind
: the other one). As Indiana and friends hurtle in the little
: out-of-control mine car, the pursuers are behind, ahead, above, below,
: and beside them, and the scene will wring you out and leave you
: breathless. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM makes no apologies
: for being exactly what it is: Exhilarating, manic, wildly imaginative
: escapism.
: No apologies are necessary. This is the most cheerfully exciting,
: bizarre, goofy, romantic adventure movie since RAIDERS, and it is high
: praise to say that it's not so much a sequel as an equal. It's quite
: an experience. You stagger out with a silly grin—and a bruised
: forearm, of course.

: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: ---------

Hey great idea puttng up that review. I always have a hard time convincing others that TOD is just as good as the others
For some reason most of my friends Indy aside of course can't stand it. Now I have some ammo.

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: : As for as I know, this review isn't available to read on the internet 
: : (Ebert's site only has movies archived from 1985 onwards), so I 
: : decided to post the ToD review for those to read.  I'm mainly putting 
: : this up for those who did not like the sequel.  Ebert however 
: : absolutely loved it.  Now I doubt this review will change the minds of 
: : those who didn't care for ToD, but perhaps it could shed some light on 
: : some of the merits of the movie.  Anyways, I 100% agree with Ebert 
: : here, and he does an excellent job backing himself up.  Well, enjoy:

: : 
: : Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
: : US (1984): Adventure
: : Roger Ebert Review: 4.0 stars out of 4

: : 118 min, Rated PG, Color, Available on videocassette and laserdisc

: 
: : Steven Spielberg's INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM is one of the 
: : greatest Bruised Forearm Movies ever made. You know what a Bruised 
: : Forearm Movie is. That's the kind of movie where your date is always 
: : grabbing your forearm in a viselike grip, as unbearable excitement 
: : unfolds on the screen. After the movie is over, you've had a great 
: : time but your arm is black-and-blue for a week. This movie is one of 
: : the most relentlessly nonstop action pictures ever made, with a 
: : virtuoso series of climactic sequences that must last an hour and 
: : never stop for a second. It's a roller-coaster ride, a visual 
: : extravaganza, a technical triumph, and a whole lot of fun. And it's 
: : not simply a retread of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, the first Indiana 
: : Jones movie. It works in a different way, and borrows from different 
: : traditions. 
: : RAIDERS was inspired by Saturday afternoon serials. It was a series of 
: : cliff-hanging predicaments, strung out along the way as Indiana Jones 
: : traveled from San Francisco to Tibet, Egypt, and other romantic 
: : locales. It was an exotic road picture. INDIANA JONES mostly takes 
: : place on one location, and belongs more to the great tradition of the 
: : Impregnable Fortress Impregnated. You know the kind of fortress I'm 
: : talking about. You see them all the time in James Bond pictures. They 
: : involve unbelievably bizarre hideaways, usually buried under the 
: : earth, beneath the sea, on the moon, or inside a volcano. They are 
: : ruled over by megalomaniac zealots who dream of conquest, and they're 
: : fueled by slave labor. Our first glimpse of an Impregnable Fortress is 
: : always the same: An ominous long shot, with Wagnerian music, as 
: : identically uniformed functionaries hurry about their appointed tasks. 
: : The role of the hero in a movie like this is to enter the fortress, 
: : steal the prize, and get away in one piece. This task always involves 
: : great difficulty, horrendous surprises, unspeakable dangers, and a 
: : virtuoso chase sequence. The very last shots at the end of the 
: : sequence are obligatory: The fortress must be destroyed. Hopefully, 
: : there will be great walls of flame and water, engulfing the bad guys 
: : as the heroes race to freedom, inches ahead of certain death. 
: : But enough of intellectual film criticism. Let's get back to Indiana 
: : Jones. As TEMPLE OF DOOM opens, Indiana is in a nightclub somewhere in 
: : Shanghai. Killers are after him. He escapes in the nick of time, 
: : taking along a beautiful nightclub floozy (Kate Capshaw), and 
: : accompanied by his trusty young sidekick, Short Round (Ke Huy Quan). 
: : Their getaway leads them into a series of adventures: A flight over 
: : the Himalayas, a breathtaking escape from a crashing plane, and a 
: : meeting with a village leader who begs Indiana to find and return the 
: : village's precious magic jewel—a stone which disappeared along with 
: : all of the village's children. Indiana is a plucky chap and agrees. 
: : Then there's a dinner in the palace of a sinister local lord. The 
: : dinner scene, by the way, also is lifted from James Bond, where it's 
: : an obligatory part of every adventure: James is always promised a sure 
: : death, but treated first to an elegant dinner with his host, who 
: : boasts of his power and takes inordinate pride in being a 
: : sophisticated host. After Indiana and Willie retire for the night, 
: : there's the movie's only slow sequence, in which such matters as love 
: : are discussed. (Make some popcorn.) Then the movie's second half opens 
: : with a breathtaking series of adventures involving the mines beneath 
: : the palace—mines that have been turned into a vision of hell. 
: : The set design, art direction, special effects, and sound effects 
: : inside this underground Hades are among the most impressive 
: : achievements in the whole history of Raiders and Bond-style thrillers. 
: : As dozens of little kids work on chain gangs, the evil maharajah keeps 
: : them in slavery by using the sinister powers of the missing jewel and 
: : its two mates. Indiana and his friends look on in astonishment, and 
: : then Indiana attempts to steal back the jewel. Some of the film's 
: : great set pieces now take place: Human victims are lowered into a 
: : subterranean volcano in a steel cage, weird rituals are celebrated, 
: : and there is a chase scene involving the mine's miniature railway. 
: : This chase has to be seen to be believed. Spielberg has obviously 
: : studied Buster Keaton's THE GENERAL, that silent classic that solved 
: : the obvious logistic problem of a chase on railway tracks (i.e., what 
: : to do about the fact that one train seemingly always has to be behind 
: : the other one). As Indiana and friends hurtle in the little 
: : out-of-control mine car, the pursuers are behind, ahead, above, below, 
: : and beside them, and the scene will wring you out and leave you 
: : breathless. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM makes no apologies 
: : for being exactly what it is: Exhilarating, manic, wildly imaginative 
: : escapism. 
: : No apologies are necessary. This is the most cheerfully exciting, 
: : bizarre, goofy, romantic adventure movie since RAIDERS, and it is high 
: : praise to say that it's not so much a sequel as an equal. It's quite 
: : an experience. You stagger out with a silly grin—and a bruised 
: : forearm, of course.

: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: : ---------

: 
: Hey great idea puttng up that review.  I always have a hard time convincing others that TOD is just as good as the others
: For some reason most of my friends Indy aside of course can't stand it.  Now I have some ammo.

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