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“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984) is the second film in the iconic franchise starring Harrison Ford and directed by Steven Spielberg. Although it is a sequel to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), the story is set chronologically before the first film. Known for its darker tone and intense action scenes, the film stood out both for its box office success and the controversies it generated, influencing the creation of the PG-13 rating in the United States.


Set in exotic India, the movie blends mysticism, adventure, and supernatural dangers, featuring memorable moments such as the dinner with exotic dishes and the trap-filled mine sequence. Additionally, “Temple of Doom” introduces memorable characters like the charismatic Short Round and the irreverent Willie Scott.


This film has become a milestone in adventure cinema, remembered for its iconic scenes and narrative boldness.

1 – THE STORY TAKES PLACE BEFORE THE FIRST FILM


Although “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is the second film in the series, the story unfolds a year before the events of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” This decision was made by writer George Lucas, who wanted to avoid repeating the Nazis as antagonists. Thus, the solution was to set the new adventure in 1935, allowing for new villains and a distinct plot.

2 – CUT SCENE


Originally, the film’s opening was intended to be a chase scene with Indiana Jones on the Great Wall of China, where he would escape from villains on a motorcycle. However, the Chinese government denied permission for the filming, forcing the team to abandon this idea. Instead, they chose to set the opening sequence in a bar in Shanghai. This scene was inspired by a moment originally planned for the first film, which had also been cut.


The discarded scene would have shown Indy and Marion taking cover from gunfire behind a large iron gong. With this in mind, they adapted the bar setting to include the gong in this new opening.

3 – STAR WARS REFERENCES


References to “Star Wars” are quite common in the Indiana Jones franchise, but this one often goes unnoticed by many fans. The bar in the opening sequence is named “Club Obi Wan,” in honor of General Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Skywalker family’s mentor in the movies.

4 – DOG NAME


An interesting trivia about the franchise is that the name Indiana, used by the protagonist, was inspired by George Lucas’s dog, an Alaskan Malamute. This dog not only inspired Indiana Jones’s name but also served as the inspiration for another iconic character created by Lucas: Chewbacca from “Star Wars”.


The influence of dogs extended further in the franchise. Two characters from “Temple of Doom” were also named after the creative team’s pets. The singer Willie was named after Steven Spielberg’s Cocker Spaniel, while the young Short Round was named after the dog of writer Willard Huyck, who had been named after a character from the film “Steel Helmet” (1951).

5 – REAL-LIFE LOVE


Kate Capshaw, who played Willie, didn’t like her character, describing her as a loud and superficial blonde. Similarly, Spielberg has admitted that “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is not his favorite film in the franchise, considering it darker compared to the others. However, the film holds special value for him because it was where he met Kate, whom he married in 1991.


Interestingly, in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008), there was a planned joke where Dr. Jones would mention that Willie married a film director, a reference to Spielberg, but the idea was cut.

6 – A NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING CHARACTER


The shaman of the village where Indy and his friends arrive in India was played by D.R. Nanayakkara, an actor who, despite his expressive performance, did not speak English. To overcome this difficulty, Steven Spielberg stayed behind the camera guiding the actor, repeating lines and gesturing for him to mimic. This is why the character speaks so slowly; the pauses were moments when Nanayakkara waited for Spielberg to indicate what he should say next.

7 – CINEMATIC DEBUT


“Temple of Doom” marked the debut of Ke Huy Quan, who played Short Round and later became Data in “The Goonies.” Interestingly, he did not attend the auditions to audition himself but to accompany his brother, who was competing for the role. During the process, Quan gave his brother so many instructions that he caught Spielberg’s attention.


The director then asked him to improvise the scene where Short Round argues with Indy after catching him cheating at cards. Quan’s performance impressed so much that he was chosen out of six thousand children.

8 – SCREAMING


Willie is widely considered one of the most annoying characters in the franchise, if not the most annoying. She was created to be the typical damsel in distress: naive, beautiful, and loud. This is evident in the number of times she screams throughout the film—a total of 71 screams in about 2 hours. Interestingly, Kate Capshaw did not know how to give a “cinematic” scream, so she had to take specific lessons to learn how to scream convincingly during filming.

9 – THE BRAWNY CHARACTER


German actor Pat Roach plays four roles throughout the Indiana Jones franchise. In “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” he is a bearded soldier who fights Indy in a burning bar. Later, he appears as a burly, bald German soldier who gets into a fight with Indiana Jones at the Nazi airport in Cairo and ends up being sliced by a propeller.


In “Temple of Doom,” Roach portrays the man who strikes the gong at Club Obi Wan and the guard who fights Indy in the Temple of Doom, dying crushed. The idea was for him to appear in every film of the franchise as a brawny character who meets his end at the hands of Indy. However, his participation was cut from the third film, and he passed away before the fourth film was produced.

10 – THE MINE CART SCENE


One of the film’s most memorable scenes is the mine cart chase. Besides being technically impressive, this sequence became a hallmark of the film for perfectly capturing the gritty and dark tone of the adventure. Interestingly, like the gong scene, this chase was originally planned for the first film but was ultimately discarded. With the sequence confirmed, Lucas and Spielberg decided to include it—thankfully, they did!


“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is a production that, despite its controversies and challenges, has solidified itself as a classic in the adventure genre. The story, filled with mystery and action, was marked by unique creative decisions and production challenges, from changing locations due to government restrictions to improvising iconic scenes.


Although Spielberg has expressed reservations about the film’s darker tone, it is memorable for its standout scenes and the introduction of unforgettable elements that continue to captivate fans. Ultimately, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is an essential piece of the Indiana Jones franchise, offering a rich cinematic experience full of thrilling adventures.