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Steven Spielberg and George Lucas both approached their 1984 follow-up to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" from a dark place while they were simultaneously going through divorces. Perhaps because of this, or perhaps because they were trying to create something different, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" has always been the ugly red-headed stepchild of the series, having a schizophrenic imbalance between goofy campiness and gruesome horror.
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas both approached their 1984 follow-up to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" from a dark place while they were simultaneously going through divorces. Perhaps because of this, or perhaps because they were trying to create something different, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" has always been the ugly red-headed stepchild of the series, having a schizophrenic imbalance between goofy campiness and gruesome horror. That being said, one of us is in the minority and still really likes this movie.
Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Indiana Jones series with this second film. We talk about our memories of the film from our childhood and what still stands out. We walk through the project's history, from writer to writer to writer, and debate if that's from where the problems in the finished film started. We reflect on the comedy bits that work -- the opening scene and the raft is one — and the ones that don't — Willie Scott in particular. We discuss the performances from Harrison Ford, Ke Huy Quan, Kate Capshaw and Amrish Puri as well as what they bring to the table. We delve into the interesting character arc Indiana Jones has and how it really defines his character well and sets us up for "Raiders," even if the filmmakers botched it with the opening of "Crusade." And we chat about the fantastic set pieces that still hold up, regardless of whether other elements of the film don't. Hated by most but loved by Andy, it's part of an important and iconic movie series and we still have a great time talking about it. Listen in!
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The Next Reel team has been dedicated to reviews, news, and commentary on world film for a decade. This podcast is The Next Reel master feed including all the episodes of The Next Reel, Trailer Rewind, The Film Board, The Speakeasy, and the other shorts, interviews, and specials we've produced over the years.