MovieChat Forums > Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Discussion > Ok, stop with the "racist movie" thing

Ok, stop with the "racist movie" thing

posted 8 years ago by thylacine80
47 replies | jump to latest

Many people stupidly claim Temple of Doom is a racist movie, and that it insults Indian people. This conclusion is beyond my understanding.

It is not a movie about “Indian people”, but a fictional story about a thugee cult.
We all know (the film makers included) that Indians don’t “eat snakes or monkey brains". It's just a comedic scene from an adventure movie, depicting the habits of a deranged group of people.

If we think that way, we could say that the 1st and the 3d Indy movies are racists against German because it depict Nazis ?!
That would be stupid, because the Nazis are an isolated group of criminals, and german people of course strongly disapprove nazis.
The same goes with the Thugee, who are not representative of Indian people.

It’s NOT a documentary about religion or a Indian biopic. This is not a movie about "indian people", but about a bunch of fictional characters who are killing people, drinking blood and searching for stones.

Relax.

[–] Stratego (29506) 4 years ago

The Indiana Jones movies are full of xenophobic shit. It's just a tiresome trope to make the American hero look better.

[–] phifty2 (123) 4 years ago

"The Indiana Jones movies are full of xenophobic shit. It's just a tiresome trope to make the American hero look better."

And who would you like the globe trotting, action hero, archeologist to fight? Should we all watch the rough cut of new films and fill out surveys of how much they offended us, or offended others by proxy, so we can make sterile, soulless films where nothing of consequence happens and whatever does happen is focused grouped to make sure no one is even remotely offended, or God forbid, intrigued or excited? Maybe Indiana Jones and The Participation Trophy for Everyone.

How is it you people are so easily offended? Rhetorical question. You're not. You're high on the feeling of being offended for others.

[–] Stratego (29506) 4 years ago

"And who would you like the globe trotting, action hero, archeologist to fight?"

How about other American globe trotting action hero archeologists who also think the world belongs to them? Or at least portray the foreigners in a less stereotypical, cartoonish, demonizing way.

"You're not. You're high on the feeling of being offended for others."

What do you mean "for others"? I am a foreigner myself. I'm not offended and running to mommy while crying my eyes out. I just think it's annoying, stupid and tiresome how "the other" is portrayed in every single Indiana Jones movie. I think The Mummy from 1998 did a much better job in treating Americans and foreigners in a equal manner.

But why are you so easily offended and crying over what I said? If you enjoy xenophobic shit, go right ahead. I'm not stopping you.

[–] phifty2 (123) 4 years ago

"But why are you so easily offended and crying over what I said? If you enjoy xenophobic shit, go right ahead. I'm not stopping you."

C'mon dude. I was with you until this sentence. "Crying"? Does insulting others makes you feel better about yourself?

"I just think it's annoying, stupid and tiresome how "the other" is portrayed in every single Indiana Jones movie."

Including the Germans and Russians in the other films? Did you give a shit about their portrayal? Me neither because it's a fucking movie.

[–] Stratego (29506) 4 years ago

"C'mon dude. I was with you until this sentence. "Crying"? Does insulting others makes you feel better about yourself?"

Lol, how sensitive are you to consider that an insult? Also, hypocrite much? You were making all kinds of dumbass assumptions about me. Clearly you were upset about what I said.

"Including the Germans and Russians in the other films? Did you give a shit about their portrayal?"

Uhm, did you miss the part where I said "The Indiana Jones movies are full of xenophobic shit. It's just a tiresome trope to make the American hero look better."

I do care, because, like I said, it's annoying, stupid and tiresome.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

OP: “This conclusion is beyond my misunderstanding.” The Literacy Police want to have a word with you.” Maybe the Proofreading Police, as well.

[–] ADBruno1985 (3338) 3 years ago

"is beyond my understanding."

I think you said it yourself. It's beyond *your* understanding.

Now, I don't have overly strong feelings about it one way or the other. But plenty of people, including Indians, have said they view it as racist. Their opinion is the one that matters most. When a group of people say "This hurts me," other people don't get to just, magically decide that it doesn't.

That said, it's a hard line to toe. Many times when a villain is not white, there are racist elements, they were more prominent in the past but more commented on today.

[–] TMC-4 (19549) 3 years ago

Racism, ratings and revenge: Revisiting Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-05/revisiting-indiana-jones-and-the-temple-of-doom/13122750

Temple of Doom became notorious for all these reasons, but perhaps its biggest misstep was its racially insensitive scenes and reliance on Indian stereotypes. Writing for Firstpost, Kuzhali Manickavel noted:

"As Indians, we are often overcome with pride when we see the rest of the world take notice of us in some way. But perhaps we need to consider what it means when people only notice us on these terms. Would it have been terribly difficult for the Indiana Jones team to get their India stuff right? Probably not. But obviously they felt there was no need to get that stuff right. And that is something worth thinking about."