Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: The InfoDroid Edit

December 8, 2011

This might be the first FanEdit I’ve rated about 5 stars since Jaws: The Sharksploitation Edit.

I usually start w/positive and go to the negatives, but here I’ll be doing the opposite since the negatives are so few.

1. The opening credits are problem atic. You clearly had issues with the font and placement of the names. Plus you misspelled Capshaw’s name (or did I misread it? It looked like “Catshaw”).
2. Removing the silliness and overacting is great, but Indy films ARE fun. A grimace from Willie during dinner would have helped explain her hunger later. The comment she makes when being lowered and raised in the pit so many times is necessary to add some brevity to a long, dark sequence.
3. I can’t believe you cut Dan Aykroyd. How dare you! =]
4. When Willy’s thrown from the elephant, cutting at Shortround’s “Very funny!” would have worked better, in part b/c of the callback during the film’s denouement.

I honestly think that’s it.

The film is far more fun, believable, has a great deal more tension.

Your opening sequence felt far more Indiana Jones (I never liked the song and dance; well, I liked it, but I never felt it fit) although I think you could have used one of the shots in there for that Paramount logo fade they always do in Indy movies.

The other cuts along the way worked very well. I was dubious at first. If you look at my reviews of FanEdits like Flash Gordon or Quantum of Solace, you’ll see I have no patience for the editors who don’t understand the concepts of story and screenplay structure (and character arcs). You clearly get all of that.

The way you cut the Temple sequence was brilliant, making it solely about “turning” Indy and sacrificing Willy. As stated above, her line — whatever it is, I can’t recall — about how many times she’s raised and lowered should be put back in. While the sequence is shortened, a little brevity IS part of Indiana Jones…and it would go a long way there.

Cutting the Temple scene made everything afterwards that much more enjoyable. Cutting Capshaw’s overacting/screaming & some of of Ke Quan’s cutesieness (which never actually bugged me), made the funny parts funnier and I had more vested in the action and danger.

I noticed no bad cuts or edits. Yes, the sound got a little loud in 2 or 3 spots, but that’s not a major problem to me by any means.

Very, VERY well done.

P.S. I take back my comment about the logo fade–I blinked and missed it the first time. I also see now that it DOES say “Capshaw” but it’s VERY hard to read.

July 11, 2010

Really liked this version of Temple Of Doom.

Not many changes had to be made to improve the movie really, so not much for me to write about. I think the new opening was a great idea and I agree with the removal of a couple of the ‘gross-out’ scenes.

June 14, 2010

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

December 14, 2009

I ABSOLUTELY HATED THIS MOVIE WHEN IT CAME OUT IN THE THEATERS WHEN I WAS A CHILD !!!! I had nevered watched it again since that day in the theater – not on vhs or when I bought the entire series on DVD. I felt the same way about this movie as i felt about “the Phantom Menace” cam out in the theaters in 1999.

Before I watched this edit, I watched the original DVD first. I spent more time fast-forwarding my BD player than I did watching. I then turned to the edit version. a much more watchable and enjoyable experience.

This edit makes a valiant attempt to make a horrible, annoying, terrible movie into a watchable experience. The editor did an outstanding job making the attempt. This movie is still just BAD – this has nothing to with this edit. he does a great job and turns out a quality product.

November 28, 2009

I’d like to give this edit a 10/10 but…. well it’s Temple of Doom and no matter how remarkable and outstanding this edit makes Temple it’s still… Temple of Doom

ID did a tremendous job in rearranging the first scenes: The opening scene with Indy and his comrades passing through the Jungle with no dialog adds an aura of mystery and leaves the viewer eager to uncover what happened and how Indy got there – it is similar to the opening of Raiders with the exception that this time we are told what happened. Not to mention that this gets rid of the most atrocious Indy-openings ever (yes even beating American Graffity chase across the gopher’s hill)
Granted the flasback runs pretty long for a flashback, but i did only notice that because i accidentially moved the mouse and the progress bar of the player came in sight which made me wondering: wow that’s a pretty long sequence – other than that the cuts are well placed and the indy feel keeps on going.

I didn’t even notice the removal of the “ripping-out-the-heart” scene in the beginning as nothing of the story or threat for the characters gets lost by this removal, quite the contrary: we don’t know what they plan for Indy so this uncertainty has a similar effect as knowing what terrible things will happen if they fail

of course shortround is not really an outstanding character and will always be … the jar jar binks of indiana jones but ID has done the best to reduce his campyness

the only thing that bugged me – and this is a fault of the original – was the constant red lighting, it would be nice if someone tried a color corrected version where the oversaturated red is toned down of this fabulous work

9/10