Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

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I know I'm in the minority here, so I'm going to choose my words carefully: Temple of Doom is, by far, my favorite of the series. It isn't the best (that would be "Raiders"), but it definitely has the most action and adventure of the four films.Don't get me wrong, I can understand the hate - it's dark, it's violent, the Thuggee cult isn't well-known, Willie is an obnoxious character; but, I can also appreciate that Spielberg and Lucas set out to make a film that was completely unlike "Raiders". And, boy, did they ever.From the opening scene, this movie is different: First of all, it takes place in 1935, so it's actually a prequel to Raiders. There's a Busby Berkeley - style dance number - "Anything Goes", which is an appropriate theme for this story. Indiana is a shadier character than he was in "Raiders". He's working for Chinese gangsters; Willie Scott is intentionally the antithesis of Marion. Dan Aykroyd has a bizarre cameo. Once they find the entrance to the Temple (of Doom), this is a non-stop roller coaster ride, including black magic, human sacrifice, and child slavery. Despite the heavy subject matter, there's enough humor to keep it from becoming too dark. John Williams really goes the extra mile with the score. He manages to create a theme from the opening dance number ("Anything Goes"), and it makes for the best score in the series. Mola Ram is a great villain. He steals every scene he's in. I've seen this movie enough to know most of the dialogue by heart, but the finale (on the bridge) still keeps me on the edge of my seat.I can also appreciate that this is the most pulp-ish of the films. If you're ever lucky enough to stumble on one of those classic pulp fiction magazines from the 1930's (with the beautifully painted covers), you'll see this is exactly the sort of story they would have printed.If you can go into this movie with the understanding that it was intended to be a completely different experience than "Raiders", you might just enjoy it. There are some intense / scary scenes, so parents should watch it to decide if it's appropriate for their children (but, the same can be said for all of the Indiana Jones films). If I ever had the opportunity to meet Mr. Spielberg, I would ask him (politely) to stop apologizing for it. This movie is a classic popcorn adventure film!

Got these for my nephew now he’s only missing Raiders, but this was hands down the best place to get them. Thank you

This is probably the best Temple of Doom will look for a long time, and whether you agree with some changes or not, I think overall the 4K is going to impress nearly everybody. The original trilogy stands strong, and these steelbooks when not damaged are very nice and traditional.So with a pretty good to great transfer, you can't go wrong here. Get them before they are gone. I think Raiders is probably the most contentious of the transfers, but most people seem to agree that they have done well in advancing the three original films on this format, and they have not looked better in sound or video. Some might pine for original audio, but it is what it is.Overall, these can't beat. It's like The Final Cut versions of Indiana Jones. Superbly done.

I purchased this dvd along with the original Raiders Of The Lost Ark film and my collection is complete. Wonderful action sequences, a great opening dance number with showgirls led by Kate Capshaw, singing Anything Goes in Chinese. Takes you back to those days when Pan American Clipper Ships traversed the world and romance was very much alive. Harrison Ford is again our hero and all is well with the world. Grab a copy today. Buy the whole collection and be the envy of all your neighbors on the block.

[This review is of 2013 Blu-ray edition with only a Teaser and a Theatrical Trailer as Bonus Material.] I hadn't watched this movie since I bought it on LaserDisc, which I subsequently "burned" to a DVD-R. Felt it was time to upgrade to Blu-ray. In my opinion, this marked the end of the franchise in terms of items worthy of a place in my personal movie library. While pondering this BD purchase I scanned other Customer Reviews. It looks like I need to mount my steed and ride to the rescue of Dr. Jones's reputation (you're welcome, Mr. Spielberg!!).To those who say this is "a horrible movie": Did you fail to notice that Dr. Jones puts aside (temporarily, at least) his quest for personal "Fortune and Glory" because...because why? Because he sees that hundreds of children...CHILDREN, for crying out loud!...have been kidnapped and used as SLAVE LABORERS in a mining operation. He sees they are starving, he sees them being whipped before his very eyes. This makes Indy very, very angry. Just as he despises Nazis, Indy despises those who would treat children in this manner. (Indy also hates snakes, but there I disagree with him philosophically/aesthetically. I think snakes are beautiful and magnificent! Sorry about this little digression!) Being Indiana Jones, he will not be content to start a petition demanding the release of the children. He will swing into personal action! Yay, Dr. Jones!! There is still some decency in the world after all, you see. Well, this was 1935, of course. You grasp my point, though, yes?I understand that a just-published book by a well-known film critic posits that Mr. Spielberg has "issues with women." That this is manifested in his treatment of Kate Capshaw's character ('Willie') in this movie in particular. Yes, she is made the butt of a running series of sight gags wherein she is menaced by real dangers, with Indy dismissing her screams of terror as hysterical overreactions to being in an unfamiliar environment. You know, "typical woman stuff." But is this movie not, among other things, a wicked satire of the "Saturday morning adventure serials" of the 1930s/1940s in which, if a woman character is running from danger, we may bet she will trip and twist an ankle? So our manly hero will be forced to pluck her from her undignified situation and carry her to safety? Hmmm? Are the "set pieces"/stunt work way over the top, quite preposterous indeed? Of course they are!! Precisely because THIS IS a satire! Great Caesar's Ghost, does no one retain a sense of humor nowadays? A final note: I am not an expert on the real history of the Thugees sect, but if their leader in this story isn't one of the most effectively scary villains of 1980s filmmaking I don't know who the heck we'd substitute for him. I doff my own fedora to Dr. Jones and Steven Spielberg...Oh, right, this is a Blu-ray. The image is mostly very sharp, even in dimly-lighted scenes, and the audio will rattle your floorboards if you give it a chance. Unless you're watching it on your phone or a tablet! But why the devil would you want to do that if you're a real movie lover?!?