Even geniuses can get it wrong. Several years after the release of the Raiders prequel Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom, its director Steven Spielberg publicly stated that he wasn't happy with the film and the best thing about it was that he met his wife on it. Well, I'm very sorry Mr. S, but Temple Of Doom is not only a classic but ranks up there with your very, very best work.
When Raiders was released the George Lucas ans Spielberg collaboration had produced one of the most popular and most lucrative hits in cinema history. They could have played it safe and done a Jaws 2 or Ghostbusters 2 and replayed the same formula again. But no. Whether it was the ambition of youth or the confidence only a stratosphere grossing blockbuster can give you, Lucas and Spielberg grew balls. Huge, massive balls. Despite what he says, Spielberg knew exactly what sort of film he was making and it's stated, right up front at the beginning of the film. Rather than start his film with a familiar archeology sequence with Indy exploring a tomb, or the intrepid adventurer engaging in fisticuffs with some conniving Nazi...he starts it with a musical number. If that's not enough it's sung, for the most part, in Chinese! It's not an accident that song is "Anything Goes" because it's the mission statement of Temple Of Doom.
Even in the opening nightclub sequence Spielberg is testing his audience with a change of look (it's much more colourful and glossy than Raiders), a change of tone (as seen in the slapstick shoot 'em up as Indy fights and searches for the vile of antidote) and a nod and a wink to the competing Bond franchise as Indy dresses up in a tux. Temple sticks to the structure set up by Raiders, which in turn was inspired by the 30's series on which it was based, by opening with an action sequence which suggest Indy is finishing off one epic adventure before starting another. Like Raiders, it also allows for important new cast members to be inroduced; in this case Willie Scott and Short Round.
Both Short Round and Willie are genius creations. Shorty might be a little child, and Indy frequently refers to him as "Kid", but other than that he's treated as an adult, whether it's gambling, fighting, watching innocents get brutally sacrificed or smutty conversations with Indy about Willie. He's just as much a capable sidekick to Indy in Temple as Sallah was to him in Raiders. Spielberg, and his (now) wife Kate Capshaw who played nightclub singer Willie have both expressed that they think Willie is an unrealistic and unflattering portrayal of a modern woman. They're both completely wrong and their original instinct were right on the money. Willie is shallow, vain, ignorant and greedy and the type of woman she represents seems to grow in numbers, in the western world, more every year. Capshaw's sassy portrayal is also endearing, hilarious and a great change from the headstrong fighter that Marion Ravenwood was. The more she screams the more entertained I am.
Tonally Temple Of Doom is much less realistic feeling, as Raiders was, and much more 'extreme' and comic book...with the title character and Harrison Ford's consistent performance remaining the constant across all the movies, whatever the dramatic style they might be. In one direction the humour is much, much more broader, possibly as an attempt by Spielberg to inject some mirth into a very dark script. From Willie's non-stop screaming in the campfire sequence, the twisted humour of the banquet scene with its chilled monkey brains and bug appetisers to the witty sparring and flirting of Willie and Indy's exchanges...it's all laugh out loud stuff. At the other end of the scale you have quite a disturbing story including the intensity of burning innocents in lava pits and ripping their still beating hearts out, frenzied tribal rituals, black magic, possession, child slavery and voodoo. In many respects Temple ventures firmly on to horror film territory; giant bats, drinking blood from human skulls and torture..it's pretty strong for the young 'uns. Compared with Raiders, this is pretty intense stuff and Lucas and company deserve a huge pat on the back for pursuing that extreme tone so aggressively.
The story structure takes a page from James Cameron's book (in the same year Cameron was inventing his book with The Terminator) by placing a couple of grand action sequences at the front of the film, a couple of minor scuffles in the central act and a full half hour of non-stop, uninterrupted action at the end to make the audience feel exhausted and that they got their money's worth. Like The Empire Strikes Back, this isn't a movie that heads towards a huge, explosive climax...it's about escaping from a superior force alive as Indy frees the slave children and flees the mines. The action sequences are some of Spielberg's career bests from the spike room trap, the rope bridge, the utterly original mine car sequence and the brilliant conveyor belt brawl (which was made up, on set, one shot at a time by the director).
The production itself is magnificent. The Indian and Chinese locals give Temple a exotic, primitive and other worldly vibe that sets it aside from its predecessor. John Williams composes several great new themes to add to the Raiders March which is gleefully blasted by an 80 piece orchestra over ever exhilarating action scene. Elliott Scott's production designs are striking, especially the temple itself and the adjoining underground mine which are vast, detailed, multi-leveled monstrosities and amongst my favorite set to ever appear in a movie.
It's also interesting to see Indy's journey in Temple Of Doom. In Raiders his story arc was one of grave robber to true believer and in Temple it's one of selfish thief (working for diamonds, fortune and glory) to folk hero and rescuer of children. It might be the least liked of the series (well, until Kingdom came along) but it's undoubtedly one of the bravest and boldest family adventure films ever created. It's creativity and originally is astonishing and not even the Indy sequels or Mummy films have since come up with anything as edgy. Balls indeed.
2 comments:
Meh! I'm not a fan of this one, but then not much of a fan of any of the others, well other than the classy Raiders. Which was very dark in tone and much more serious with comedic overtones.
This is just a film of memorable set pieces linked by that goddamn awful screaming woman. I enjoyed it as a kid on release but not as much as the first and each subsequent viewing had just become more tired.
I'm not sure speilberg was breaking new ground or the mold of Spielberg, just rehashing what he had already done on the unappreciated 1941.
The only reason you doubt that he means what he said several years later is because he states that meeting that goddamn awful woman was a blessing.
I agree wholeheartedly with this review. I remember seeing it in the cinema as a kid (several times) and being utterly gobsmacked. Temple of Doom is bloody awesome and anyone who thinks otherwise is just plain wrong...including Spielberg.
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