Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) - The ultimate thrill ride for a child (and many adults too!)

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Vivid characters and dramatic situations in wild colors adorn this spectacular poster for Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Years prior to the events in Raiders of the lost Ark (1981), archeologist/explorer Indiana Jones is escaping a volatile situation in Shanghai, as he finds himself, along with two companions, recruited to help an impoverished Indian village whose children have been stolen ...

 

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is written by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz (American Graffiti (1973), both), with George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)) contributing story elements, - and directed by Ohioan master filmmaker Steven Spielberg (The Sugarland Express (1974)), whose 7th feature it is. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and a prequel to the first film.

My personal favorite in the beloved series, although widely discarded as "too dark" and "less comedic", I say that Temple of Doom is the ultimate adventure movie: A maddeningly paced spectacle that feels like one long delicious chase. It is stuffed with evil Chinese and Indians, mystical elements, horror, action and wonderful performances: Harrison Ford (The Fugitive (1993)) is tremendous as the exemplary man hero; Kate Capshaw (Love Affair (1994)) is terrific as the nightclub singer tag-along who is not well equipped for India; but it is Ke Huy Quan (Encino Man (1992)) who takes the cake and enriches the film most profoundly throughout as the fresh-faced mirth-maker 'Short Round'. 

Spiced with unforgettable set pieces such as the mine scene, the dinner scene, - but perhaps most unforgettable, the bug scene, which stands tall as among the grossest scenes in cinema history. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom also has a hugely fulfilling ending. It is a complete masterpiece.

 

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Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 28.17 mil. $

Box office: 333.1 mil. $

= Blockbuster (returned 11.82 times its cost)

[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom premiered 8 May (California) and runs 118 minutes. Ford was reportedly paid 4.5 mil. $ for his performance, mysteriously less than the 5.9 mil. $ he reportedly commanded for the first film. Shooting took place from April - September 1983, with reshoots in January 1984, in England, California, Arizona, Washington, Florida, Sri Lanka and China. The film opened #1 to a 25.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 5 weeks in the top 5 (#2-#3-#3-#3-#5), grossing 179.8 mil. $ (54 % of the total gross). It was the highest-grossing film of the year globally and the 3rd highest-grossing in North America, behind Beverly Hills Cop and Ghostbusters, where it sold 53.5 mil. tickets. Due to critique of the film's PG-rating and at the insistence of Spielberg, also influenced by the release two weeks later of the Spielberg executive-produced Gremlins (1984), the MPAA created the PG-13 rating for similarly intense, violent fare appropriate for older children. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars, winning for Best Visual Effects. It lost Best Score (John Williams) to Maurice Jarre for A Passage to India. It also won 1/4 BAFTA nominations, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Spielberg later distanced himself from the film, whereas Lucas and Ford have spoken lovingly about it. Indiana Jones returned in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) with returning star and filmmakers. Spielberg first returned with Strokes of Genius (1984, miniseries, segments), Amazing Stories (1985, TV-series) and theatrically with The Color Purple (1985). Ford returned in Witness (1985). Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is certified fresh at 77 % with a 7.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? 

The Goonies (1985) - Sweet child performances drive Donner's beloved, uneven adventure

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Hanging from a crumbling dripstone, a beautifully drawn and painted poster for Richard Donner's The Goonies, which spells high adventure

A small town is getting demolished to make space for a golf court, but the town's mischievous, inventive children take the chance, when they happen upon an old pirate's map in an attic. Pursued by some bumbling criminals their adventure begins.

 

The Goonies is written by Chris Columbus (Heartbreak Hotel (1988)), based on a story by Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan (1998)), and co-produced and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker Richard Donner (Salt and Pepper (1968)).

Several good and very charming child performances save this film from being tedious: Sean Astin (Unleashed (2016)) is sweet as the leader; Ke Huy Quan (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)) is sweet and funny as 'Data'; Corey Feldman (No Witness (2004)) has comedic talent, and Jeff Cohen (Webster (1983, TV-series)) as 'Chunk' acts terrifically, although it hurts some that his overweight character gets treated so poorly. The girl characters are hysterical, dopey and unfortunately simply not very good. SPOILER And the parents turn up out of the blue in the end as if called upon by an invisible 'movie-is-ending' whistle.

Columbus' somewhat obvious script often seems to be the hindrance for this film completely succeeding, and the sound mix is also leaving something to be wished for. Still, The Goonies is mostly an enjoyable film and a fine production.

 

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Richard Donner: 16 Blocks (2006) or, Heavy Traffic!

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 19 mil. $

Box office: 126.4 mil. $

= Huge hit (returned 6.52 times its cost)

[The Goonies opened 7 June (North America) and runs 114 minutes. Shooting took place in Oregon and California from October 1984 - March 1985. Astin has later claimed in his autobiography that Spielberg acted as a co-director during the shoot. The film opened #2, behind holdover hit Rambo: First Blood Part II to a 9.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#3-#5) and grossed 61.3 mil. $ (49.4 % of the total gross). It was the 9th highest-grossing film of the year in North America. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch higher than this one. It has been re-released in latter years, adding about 2.4 mil. $ to its original gross. Talks and plans for a sequel have been persistent over the years but seem dubious at best. Donner returned with Cyndi Lauper: The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985, music video) and theatrically with Lethal Weapon (1987). Astin returned in Cyndi Lauper: The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985, music video), The Magical World of Disney (1986, TV-series) and theatrically in White Water Summer (1987); Quan in Cyndi Lauper: The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985, music video) and theatrically in Passenger: Sugisarishi hibi (1987); and Feldman in Cyndi Lauper: The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985, music video), Family Ties (1986, TV-series) and theatrically in Stand By Me (1986). The Goonies is certified fresh at 76 % with a 6.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Goonies?