Remembering “Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom”

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Remembering “Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom” A 25th Anniversary Tribute	Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
Compiled by: Michael Coate, Hollywood, USA	Date: 19.07.2010
Twenty-five years ago, Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd. released “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. The exciting follow-up to the hugely successful “Raiders of the Lost Ark” turned out to be the year’s third most popular movie (behind “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Ghostbusters”), grossing over $175 million in North America and another $150 million internationally. The summer of 1984 was a memorable one not just for movies in general but for fans of the 70mm presentation format. Between “Indiana Jones” and five other titles (“Ghostbusters”, “Gremlins”, “The Last Starfighter”, “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” and “Streets of Fire”), the studios that season circulated a record number of large-format prints. So, without further ado, enjoy this quick-reference anniversary tribute to “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. CAST: Indiana Jones – Harrison Ford Willie Scott – Kate Capshaw Short Round – Ke Huy Quan Mola Ram – Amrish Puri Chattar Lal – Roshan Seth Captain Blumburtt – Philip Stone DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg SCREENPLAY: Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz (Screenplay), George Lucas (Story) RELEASE DATE: Wednesday, 23 May 1984 PROMOTIONAL SLOGAN: “If adventure has a name…it must be Indiana Jones” PRODUCTION BUDGET: $28 million OPENING-WEEK BOOKINGS: 1,687 OPENING-DAY BOXOFFICE GROSS: $4.7 million OPENING-WEEKEND BOXOFFICE GROSS: $25.3 million OPENING-WEEK BOXOFFICE GROSS: $42.3 million CUMULATIVE DOMESTIC BOXOFFICE GROSS: $179.9 million RANK AMONG TOP-GROSSING FILMS OF 1984: 3	*More in 70mm* reading: Apocalypse Now: The Original 70mm Engagements Blade Runner: The Original 70mm Engagements Remembering “Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade” Remembering “Raiders of the Lost Ark” Internet link:**
Memorable Dialogue
“Hey, Dr. Jones, no time for love. We got company.” — Short Round “A boat? We’re not sinking. We’re crashing!” — Willie Scott “There are some scenes that are violent and depict the evil of the Temple of Doom. This picture is not called ‘The Temple of Roses’; it is called ‘The Temple of Doom.’ The warning is clearly marked on the box.” — Steven Spielberg
What the Critics Said
“This movie is one of the most relentlessly nonstop action pictures ever made, with a virtuoso series of climactic sequences that must last an hour and never stop for a second. It’s a roller-coaster ride, a visual extravaganza, a technical triumph, and a whole lot of fun.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times “Yech! I don’t care if this film makes $100 million. Since when does big box office equate with intelligence, quality, culture or even a smidgen of social conscience?” — Gary Franklin, KCBS-TV, Los Angeles “This time the 1930s archaeologist/adventurer has a weaker story and wimpier heroine.” — Leonard Maltin, “Entertainment Tonight” “Though it looks as if it had cost a fortune, ‘Indiana Jones’ doesn’t go anywhere, possibly because it is composed entirely of a succession of climaxes. It could end at any point with nothing essential being lost. Watching it is like spending a day at an amusement park, which is probably what Mr. Spielberg and his associates intended. It moves tirelessly from one ride or attraction to the next, only occasionally taking a minute out for a hot dog, and then going right on to the next unspeakable experience.” — Vincent Canby, The New York Times “If at all possible, see ‘Doom’ in a movie house showing it in 70mm and Dolby Stereo. Why settle for half the effect?” — Rick Lyman, Philadelphia Inquirer “‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ has to be the greatest action movie ever filmed. No other movie ever has offered such a generous feast of breathtaking thrills, rough-and-tumble spills, colorful-and-funny frills and heart-grabbing chills. Yes, Spielberg and Lucas have done it again.” — Jack Garner, (Rochester) Democrat and Chronicle “One of the greatest assets Spielberg and Lucas have had was their ability to go straight to the movie myths of their childhoods and, in reworking them, enrich a new generation of moviegoers. This time it feels as though they could never erase these movies from their memories, and now no one else will be able to either.” — Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times “‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ has a lot of laughs, thrills, noise, detail, darkness and sheer entertainment packed into it. It’s a tribute to hokiness through and through. For being exactly what you’d expect, I give it four little men leaping out of their chairs (though two of them aren’t clapping, they’re gagging on monkey brains). — Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle “There’s so much movie in this movie—that’s the basic reason that ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ is so appealing. Its main show, a five-minute chase sequence in mining cars between Indiana and Short Round and Willie in one car and the henchmen of the evil child-abuser Mola Ram in another. This beautifully directed and edited chase is even more exhilarating than one’s childhood memory of the roller-coaster sequence in ‘This is Cinerama’ (1952). And it’s almost as exciting as a real trip on Walt Disney World’s Space Mountain. Credit Spielberg and producer Lucas’ special effects team at Industrial Light & Magic for this entry on anyone’s list of filmdom’s greatest chases.” — Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune
Awards
Visual Effects (Oscar), Special Visual Effects (BAFTA).
Release dates (day.month.year)
23.05.1984 … Canada 23.05.1984 … United States 15.06.1984 … United Kingdom 28.06.1984 … Hong Kong 05.07.1984 … Argentina 07.07.1984 … Japan 12.07.1984 … Netherlands 13.07.1984 … Sweden 19.07.1984 … Australia 19.07.1984 … Brazil 19.07.1984 … Colombia 19.07.1984 … New Zealand 20.07.1984 … Denmark 03.08.1984 … West Germany 17.08.1984 … Finland 17.08.1984 … Norway 12.09.1984 … France 27.09.1984 … Italy 05.10.1984 … Spain 12.10.1984 … Mexico HOME VIDEO RELEASE: September 1986
Trivia, Tidbits & Factoids
“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is set one year prior to the events in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. The names of the film’s three principal characters were inspired by the names of the filmmakers’ pet dogs: Indiana (George Lucas), Willie (Steven Spielberg), Short Round (Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz). Original title: “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Death”. The miniature stop-motion-animation footage for the mine-car chase sequence was filmed using a consumer Nikon SLR 35mm camera. The name of the bar in the opening Shanghai sequence was Club Obi-Wan, an inside joke and reference to one of the classic characters from “Star Wars”. Members of the production crew, including Spielberg and Lucas, played missionaries during the airport scene. Also look for Dan Aykroyd in same scene. Film broke existing single-day boxoffice record on Sunday, 27 May 1984 with $9.3 million in ticket sales. Producer Frank Marshall played the sailor on the rickshaw during the Shanghai chase scene. In conjunction with the release of the movie, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas placed their hand and foot prints in the cement courtyard of Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Reaction to the violence featured in the movie (along with b) prompted the formation of the PG-13 rating. The movie’s 70mm print order (243) was the largest ever for a North American release.
The 70mm Engagements
The following is a list of the 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo presentations during the first-run release in North America. These were the best venues, arguably, in which to experience “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. (Large-format moveover, sub-run and international bookings have not been cited.) ALASKA Anchorage – Wometco Lathrop POLAR TRIPLEX ALBERTA Calgary – Famous Players PALACE Edmonton – Famous Players PARAMOUNT Edmonton – Famous Players WESTMALL 5 ARIZONA Phoenix – Mann CHRIS-TOWN (THX) Phoenix – Plitt CINE CAPRI Tucson – AMC CAMPBELL PLAZA 3 Tucson – Mann BUENA VISTA ARKANSAS Little Rock – UA CINEMA 150 BRITISH COLUMBIA Burnaby – Famous Players LOUGHEED MALL Vancouver – Famous Players STANLEY Victoria – Famous Players CORONET CALIFORNIA Berkeley – BERKELEY Clovis – Festival Enterprises REGENCY CINEMAS Corte Madera – Marin CINEMA Costa Mesa – Edwards SOUTH COAST PLAZA Fremont – Syufy CINEDOME 7 EAST Fresno – Festival Enterprises FESTIVAL CINEMAS Hayward – Festival Enterprises FESTIVAL CINEMAS La Mesa – Pacific CINEMA GROSSMONT La Mirada – Pacific LA MIRADA Laguna Hills – Edwards/Sanborn LAGUNA HILLS MALL Lakewood – Pacific LAKEWOOD CENTER Long Beach – UA MOVIES Los Angeles (Hollywood) – Mann CHINESE (THX) Los Angeles (Northridge) – Pacific NORTHRIDGE Los Angeles (Sherman Oaks) – Mann LA REINA Los Angeles (Westwood Village) – Mann NATIONAL (THX) Los Angeles (Woodland Hills) – Pacific TOPANGA Modesto – Festival Enterprises FESTIVAL CINEMAS Monrovia – Mann HUNTINGTON OAKS 6 Montclair – SRO MONTCLAIR Newport Beach – Edwards NEWPORT Orange – Syufy CINEDOME 6 Palm Desert – Metropolitan TOWN CENTER 7 Palm Springs – Metropolitan CAMELOT Pleasant Hill – Syufy CENTURY COMPLEX Riverside – Sanborn CANYON CREST Sacramento – Syufy CENTURY COMPLEX San Diego – Mann LOMA San Diego – Pacific LA JOLLA VILLAGE San Francisco – Blumenfeld REGENCY I San Francisco – Blumenfeld REGENCY II San Jose – Syufy CENTURY 22 Santa Barbara – Metropolitan ARLINGTON Stockton – Festival Enterprises FESTIVAL CINEMAS Temple – Edwards TEMPLE Thousand Oaks – UA MOVIES COLORADO Colorado Springs – Commonwealth CINEMA 70 Colorado Springs – Commonwealth MALL OF THE BLUFFS Denver – Mann CENTURY 21 (THX) Littleton – AMC SOUTHBRIDGE PLAZA CONNECTICUT East Hartford – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Orange – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Stamford – Trans-Lux RIDGEWAY DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington – K-B CINEMA FLORIDA North Miami Beach – Loews 167TH STREET TWIN Orlando – Plitt PLAZA GEORGIA Atlanta – GTC LENOX SQUARE Atlanta – NEW COLUMBIA Augusta – GTC NATIONAL HILLS North Atlanta – Storey 12 OAKS TWIN Savannah – Litchfield TARA Tucker – AMC NORTHLAKE FESTIVAL HAWAII Honolulu – Consolidated CINERAMA ILLINOIS Belleville – BAC CINEMA Calumet City – Plitt RIVER OAKS Chicago – Plitt ESQUIRE Chicago – Plitt NORTOWN Chicago – Plitt STATE-LAKE Evergreen Park – M&R EVERGREEN Hillside – M&R HILLSIDE SQUARE Lombard – GCC YORKTOWN (THX) Milan – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Mount Prospect – GCC RANDHURST Norridge – M&R NORRIDGE Orland Park – Plitt ORLAND SQUARE Peoria – Kerasotes BEVERLY Schaumburg – Plitt WOODFIELD Skokie – M&R OLD ORCHARD Springfield – Kerasotes TOWN & COUNTRY INDIANA Fort Wayne – Mallers-Spirou HOLIDAY IOWA Cedar Rapids – Dubinsky PLAZA Des Moines – Dubinsky RIVER HILLS Dubuque – Dubuque CINEMA CENTER KANSAS Overland Park – Dickinson GLENWOOD Wichita – Commonwealth TWIN LAKES Wichita – Dickinson MALL KENTUCKY Erlanger – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Lexington – Midstates SOUTHPARK Louisville – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS LOUISIANA Baton Rouge – GCC CORTANA MALL Marrero – Gulf States BELLE PROMENADE 6 New Orleans – Mann ROBERT E. LEE MANITOBA Winnipeg – Famous Players METROPOLITAN MARYLAND Baltimore – Durkee SENATOR Baltimore – GCC SECURITY MALL MASSACHUSETTS Boston – Sack CINEMA 57 Brookline – Redstone CIRCLE Dedham – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Revere – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Seekonk – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS West Springfield – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Worcester – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS MICHIGAN Ann Arbor – UA FOX VILLAGE Bloomfield Hills – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Dearborn – UA THE MOVIES AT FAIRLANE Flint – Butterfield FLINT Harper Woods – Suburban Detroit EASTLAND Lansing – UA SPARTAN TRIPLEX Southfield – Suburban Detroit NORTHLAND Sterling Heights – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS MINNESOTA Bloomington – GCC SOUTHTOWN Minneapolis – Plitt SKYWAY 5 Minnetonka – Plitt RIDGE SQUARE Roseville – GCC HAR-MAR (THX) West St. Paul – Engler SIGNAL HILLS 4 MISSOURI Chesterfield – Wehrenberg CLARKSON 6 Creve Coeur – Wehrenberg CREVE COEUR Kansas City – Commonwealth BANNISTER SQUARE Kansas City – Mid-America BLUE RIDGE EAST Springfield – Dickinson CENTURY 21 NEBRASKA Omaha – AMC WESTROADS Omaha – Douglas CINEMA CENTER Omaha – Douglas Q CINEMA 6 NEVADA Las Vegas – Syufy CINEDOME 6 Reno – Syufy CENTURY COMPLEX NEW JERSEY Edison – GCC MENLO PARK Paramus – RKO Century ROUTE 4 TENPLEX Pennsauken – Sameric ERIC 5 PENNSAUKEN Sayreville – Redstone AMBOY MULTIPLEX CINEMAS Secaucus – Loews MEADOW SIX Wayne – Loews WAYNE SIX West Orange – GCC ESSEX GREEN (THX) NEW MEXICO Albuquerque – Commonwealth CINEMA EAST Albuquerque – GCC LOUISIANA BLVD. NEW YORK Cheektowaga – AMC HOLIDAY 6 Commack – Redstone COMMACK MULTIPLEX CINEMAS Garden City – RKO Century ROOSEVELT FIELD TRIPLEX Greece – AMC STONERIDGE PLAZA Levittown – Loews NASSAU SIX New York (Bronx) – Redstone WHITESTONE MULTIPLEX CINEMAS New York (Manhattan) – Loews 34TH STREET SHOWPLACE New York (Manhattan) – Loews ASTOR PLAZA New York (Manhattan) – Loews ORPHEUM Pittsford – Loews PITTSFORD TRIPLEX Schenectady – CinemaNational MOHAWK MALL Valley Stream – Redstone SUNRISE MULTIPLEX CINEMAS West Webster – Loews WEBSTER NORTH CAROLINA Charlotte – Plitt PARK TERRACE Greensboro – Plitt TERRACE Raleigh – Plitt CARDINAL Winston-Salem – Plitt THRUWAY NOVA SCOTIA Halifax – Famous Players SCOTIA SQUARE OHIO Beavercreek – Midstates BEAVER VALLEY Columbus – Midstates CONTINENT Dayton – Chakeres DAYTON MALL Springdale – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Summerside – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS EASTGATE Toledo – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS Trotwood – Midstates SALEM MALL Whitehall – Chakeres CINEMA EAST OKLAHOMA Tulsa – UA BOMAN TWIN ONTARIO Hamilton – Famous Players TIVOLI London – Famous Players PARK Newmarket – Famous Players GLENWAY Ottawa – Famous Players ELGIN Richmond Hill – Famous Players TOWN & COUNTRYE Toronto – Famous Players CEDARBRAE Toronto – Famous Players CUMBERLAND FOUR Toronto – Famous Players RUNNYMEDE Toronto – Famous Players UNIVERSITY OREGON Beaverton – Luxury WESTGATE Eugene – Luxury WEST 11TH Gresham – Luxury ROSE MOYER PENNSYLVANIA Monroeville – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS EAST Philadelphia – SAMERIC 3 Robinson – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS WEST QUEBEC Laval – United LAVAL Montreal – United IMPERIAL Quebec City – United CANADIEN RHODE ISLAND Warwick – Redstone SHOWCASE CINEMAS SOUTH CAROLINA Greenville – Martin ASTRO TWIN TENNESSEE Goodletsville – Martin RIVERGATE 6 Knoxville – Simpson CAPRI Nashville – Martin BELLE FORGE 6 Nashville – Martin BELLE MEADE TEXAS Addison – UA PRESTONWOOD CREEK 5 (THX) Amarillo – UA CINEMA 6 (THX) Arlington – Loews LINCOLN SQUARE Austin – Mann FOX TRIPLEX Beaumont – UA PHELAN 6 (THX) Carrollton – GCC FURNEAUX CREEK Dallas – GCC CARUTH PLAZA Dallas – UA SKILLMAN 6 (THX) Dallas – UA SOUTH 8 (THX) Dallas – UA WALNUT HILL 6 (THX) Fort Worth – UA HULEN 6 (THX) Highland Park – AMC VILLAGE Houston – AMC WESTCHASE 5 Houston – Loews SOUTHPOINT 5 Houston – Plitt CINEMA 5 Houston – Plitt WEST OAKS 7 Hurst – UA CINEMA 6 (THX) Mesquite – UA TOWN EAST 6 (THX) San Antonio – Santikos GALAXY San Antonio – Santikos NORTHWEST White Settlement – UA LAS VEGAS TRAIL 8 (THX) UTAH Ogden – Plitt WILSHIRE 3 Salt Lake City – Mann VILLA Salt Lake City – Plitt CENTRE VIRGINIA Baileys Crossroads – K-B CINEMA 7 Fairfax – UA THE MOVIES AT FAIR OAKS McLean – NTI TYSONS CORNER 4 Richmond – Litchfield MIDLOTHIAN Richmond – NTI RIDGE Springfield – GCC SPRINGFIELD MALL (THX) WASHINGTON Bellevue – SRO JOHN DANZ Seattle – SRO NORTHGATE Seattle – SRO UPTOWN Spokane – SRO STATE Spokane Valley – Luxury EAST SPRAGUE 6 Tacoma – SRO TACOMA MALL Tukwila – SRO SOUTHCENTER Union Gap – MERCY 6 WISCONSIN Brookfield – Marcus BROOKFIELD SQUARE Fox Point – Capitol BROWN PORT Greenfield – Capitol SPRING MALL Madison – Marcus EASTGATE CINEMAS Milwaukee – Capitol LOOMIS ROAD 4 Milwaukee – Marcus NORTHTOWN
Sources/References
Numerous newspaper articles, reviews and advertisements; and Boxofficemojo; The Hollywood Reporter, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984, Lucasfilm Ltd./Paramount Pictures); Internet Movie Database; “The Making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”; Time Magazine; Variety. Special thanks to Miguel Carrara, Nick DiMaggio, Bill Kretzel, Jim Perry, Tim Schafbuch, and the many librarians who contributed to this project.

Go: back - top - back issues - news index Updated 21-01-24

Remembering “Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom”A 25th Anniversary Tribute

Memorable Dialogue

What the Critics Said

Awards

Release dates (day.month.year)

Trivia, Tidbits & Factoids

The 70mm Engagements

Sources/References

Remembering “Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom”
A 25th Anniversary Tribute