IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Erik Davis ordered me to come up with a new approach to summer movies, and he demanded that the concept be intelligent, engaging, and jam-packed with vowels and consonants. (One out of three isn't bad.) And since I'm a childish movie nerd who had a deep affection for all things nostalgic, my first idea was "Hey, let's have the writers pick their favorite 'movie summer' and write a piece about it." And since my next eleven ideas stunk, he said "Ugh, fine. Do your Favorite Summers thing. But don't forget the vowels."

Nearly all of the Cinematicaleers will be penning their own pieces, but since I like to lead by example (when I'm not leading by guilt), I figured I'd get the ball rolling first. (Special thanks to Box Office Mojo for displaying OLD release dates in very handy fashion.) Also, for the sake of this series, let's say "summer" counts as "May through August," even though May is technically spring and part of September is definitely summer.

5/4 -- The Bounty // Breakin' // Hardbodies // Sixteen Candles -- So which one of these would be the big "Iron Man" release? We got Gibson and Hopkins in a nautical remake; a whole lot of pop-lockin' looneys; a leering sex comedy that helped to kill the sub-genre of mid-'80s sex comedies; and the directorial debut of one John Hughes.

5/11 -- Firestarter // The Natural -- Robert Redford knocking the cover off a baseball and Drew Barrymore immolating George C. Scott. Now THAT's summer!

5/18 -- Finders Keepers // Making the Grade -- A pair of justifiably forgotten farces, yes, both of which I saw theatrically.

5/23 -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom -- Even back in 1984 Indiana Jones demanded his very own weekend ... one that starts on a Wednesday, no less! I distinctly remember seeing this on the afternoon of opening day, and while I was waiting for Mom to come pick us up, there was a woman BERATING the box office girl. Honest! Something about the heart-tearing scene had upset her small child. And just like that, the PG-13 was born.

I don't know the last time I felt like a kid at the movies, but while watching Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D this past week, I honestly reverted to my 8-year-old self. That isn't to say the movie is necessarily as good as the movies that astonished me as a kid -- because of the subject matter, I'd think about comparing it to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, both of which came out when I was around that age, and neither to which this film holds up in terms of originality or storytelling craft. But as far as holding onto my sense of wonder, Journey is up there.

Of course, it's necessary to point out that Journey would be nothing without the digital 3-D factor. It's actually the first live-action narrative feature to be shot and released in the new format (the non-fiction concert films, U2 3D and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour were technically the first live-action 3-D features), and while it's far from perfect, it is a terrific pioneer. I shall continue favoring the look of animated 3-D films, especially those directed as well as Monster House, and I anticipate that James Cameron's Avatar will blow away all live-action 3-D films released prior to its arrival. For now, though, I'm telling you, with the utmost cinemaphilic urgency: you need to see this ASAP.

Indiana Jones is a franchise of moments. Some die-hard fans may recall the precise steps the hero took to locate and procure the Ark of the Covenant (i.e. the plot), but damn near everyone remembers "Snakes... Why did it have to be snakes?" The series is defined and embodied by individual flourishes, images and icons that stubbornly refuse to leave fans' minds, and sometimes even get stuck in pop culture as a whole. As for which ones, well -- that may be different for different people. This is a list of moments that represent Indiana Jones for me: the moments that always evoke a knowing smile or elevate the pulse; the moments I look forward to every time I watch. Some are obvious, some are not, and some of the obvious ones are missing -- but hey, make your own list.

1. Raiders: "Start the engine!"

Oh sure, most people would probably list Indy and Satipo navigating the booby traps of ancient temple to retrieve the golden idol in Raiders' deservingly legendary opening sequence. And yes, that's cool. But what I love even more is a moment that comes a few minutes later: with Rene Belloq and the Hovitos on his tail, Indy comes barreling across a plain, hollering at his companion to "START THE ENGINE" of a waiting seaplane. It's intense, absurd, exciting, funny: everything everyone loves about the series, in the span of a few seconds.

Sometimes there are props from films. Sometimes there are super-affordable replicas. And sometimes ... well, sometimes there are expensive fan creations. This one, however, is worth at least a mention, even though it is completely and ridiculously expensive.

Virginia505 on eBay created a life-sized Indiana Jones -- coming in at a whopping 6 feet. The fake Indy has the classic apparel -- jacket, belt, and the classic fedora, as well as props like his trusty whip and bits from all three films -- Staff of Ra headpiece, sanskrit cloth, and Grail diary.

This can be yours for the super-affordable price of ... oh, fifty thousand US dollars! And, if you're worried about someone outbidding you, there's a sweet and so-affordable Buy it Now price of $70,000! But have no fear, Indy fans -- shipping will be free. (Somehow, I imagine someone who spends 50+k on something won't be worried about shipping costs.)

Still, it's an interesting bit of fandom, if you happen to have the cash. You've got until May 27 to make your bid, unless someone grabs it through the Buy it Now option.

Well, the Prince is certainly no pauper, but some expected the latest installment in The Chronicles of Narnia to have a more auspicious debut. Prince Caspian fell about $10 million short of the opening weekend figures for 2005's The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Still, the fantasy adventure was enough to knock Iron Man down a peg after two weeks in the number one spot. Here's the top five:

1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: $55 million
2. Iron Man: $31.8 million
3. What Happens in Vegas: $13.8 million
4. Speed Racer: $8.1 million
5. Made of Honor: $4.7 million

Just one movie coming out this week, people, but it's going to be a doozy.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
What's It All About: Indiana who? I kid, I kid. Nearly twenty years after the last installment in the series, Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas join forces once again to regale the world with an adventure from the character who may damn well be the ass-kickingest action hero to ever grace the silver screen. Karen Allen also returns as Marion Ravenwood, a character we haven't seen since 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Indy's young sidekick is played by Shia LaBeouf.
Why It Might Do Well: The film scored 79% at Rottentomatoes.com, Cinematical's own Scott Weinberg gave the film his seal of approval, and this is Indiana Freakin' Jones, people! I don't know about you, but last weekend's Indiana Jones marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel got me pumped and I am DYING to see this one.
Why It Might Not Do Well: The Connecticut Cadre of Kate Capshaw Kibitzers are threatening to boycott the film because Ms. Capshaw will not be reprising her role from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but aside from them I think everyone's going.
Number of Theaters: 3,900
Prediction: $105 million

Lara Croft learns the trade from a very old Indiana Jones


Most Hollywood blockbusters spawn their share of low-budget ripoffs, but only a few really successful movies are influential enough to be followed by big-budget copycats. Usually these followers get media-infused taglines such as "Die Hard on a ... " or "Aliens in a ... ", with the labels likely originating at the studio pitch stage.

Though Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels were already derivative and referential works, the Indiana Jones franchise also inspired derivatives of its own, some that were exploitive, some that paid homage and some that are only linked through minor elements. So, in celebration of the latest Indy movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, here's a look back at all the "Indiana Jones as a ... " knock-offs that Hollywood has delivered in the last few decades:

1. Indiana Jones as a woman: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

The real source of this and its 2003 sequel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, were the Tomb Raider video games, which were clearly inspired by the Indiana Jones films. In the movie we have an archaeologist who seeks a mystical object, which she must keep out of the hands of an evil society. There's an Asian temple, a reunion with a disappeared estranged father and a finale involving the crumbling self-destruction of an elaborate set piece. It's like all the initial three Indiana Jones films wrapped up in one, with added sex appeal in casting Angelina Jolie in the Harrison Ford role. Yet Jolie as Croft is too serious to be the female counterpart to Ford's Indy. Also, while the Indiana Jones films deal with some level of magically religious fantasy, they're at least grounded by "real" or familiar artifacts such as the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant. And they tend to remain just realistic enough to avoid things like giant six-armed statues that come to life.

Early on in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indy turns to his soon-to-be love interest and his newfound sidekick – a singer in Shanghai's Club Obi Wan (Kate Capshaw) and a scrappy pickpocket (Ke Huy Quan), respectively – and intones, "I think we got a big problem." He's not kidding: the warning comes toward the end of a miraculous 20-minute opening sequence during which Dr. Jones gets poisoned while trying to exchange the remains of a dead emperor for a legendary diamond, plays floor hockey for the diamond and the antidote, impales someone on a kebab, crashes through a window behind a rolling metal gong, and stows away in a plane full of poultry only to have the pilots ditch and take the only parachutes with them. He then proceeds to leap out of the plane on a rubber life raft, which crashes off a cliff and careens down some vicious Indian whitewater. "Big problem" doesn't quite describe it; the torrent of obstacles and challenges that Spielberg and Lucas hurl at their hero in the first reel of this first sequel seems downright cruel. But their unkindness aside, the barreling momentum, brilliant staging, and breezy nonchalance of Temple of Doom's opening evoke something rarely found in Raiders of the Lost Ark and more rarely still in the rest of Steven Spielberg's career: a sense that Spielberg -- the master, the magician -- is at play.

This prop almost makes me wish that I actually liked Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. You can pick up one of the prop monkey heads from the "Chilled Monkey Brains" scene in the film. Better yet -- it's not a replica! This puppy, er monkey, was used in the film, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Property Master Barry Wilkinson, who bought a bunch of the props when production was completed.

Since it's an actual prop, you might want to keep it in a safe place, but think about how cool it would be to use it. There's a plastic bowl inside the head, so you can fill it up with dip and chow down on some chips whilst watching Doom.

Of course, super-awesome memorabilia doesn't come cheap. This head's starting bid is $2,600.00. But really, if you have the money, it seems worth it to me. It's a recognizable and fun prop from the film, and would certainly add to any home theater Doom experience.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, of course, is the only Indiana Jones film without "Indiana Jones" in the official title. It's hard to quibble with the original decision, as Raiders' producers could hardly have been expected to guess that its whip-wielding hero would become a sensation in his own right. But it's still kind of funny to watch this original theatrical trailer for Raiders, which basically ignores Harrison Ford in favor of the fearsome, mysterious Ark of the Covenant, "protected by forces beyond imagination" and "desired above all treasures on earth." Of course, it turned out that, with Raiders as with the rest of the franchise, no one gave a damn about what exactly Indy was chasing so long as he chased it with wisecracking flair. (This alternative trailer is more on target.)

By the time Temple of Doom rolled around, Paramount had gotten the idea, with the voiceover guy intoning: "If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones." Indeed. Check out the original Temple of Doom and Last Crusade trailers after the jump.