This is one of the most memorable sequences in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” However, is it realistic? An animal expert has shared his opinion on the bridge scene.
Often criticized by early fans for their inconsistencies or their small script errors, the last two parts of the famous Indiana Jones saga are not the only ones to contain some irrational elements.
Indeed, even Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the second opus of the saga (which is actually the character’s first adventure chronologically speaking), made some small blunders in terms of realism.
This is particularly the case during the ending of the feature film, and more particularly in the sequence where Indy tries to escape the Thugs by crossing a suspension bridge. A few dozen meters below his feet flows a river infested with… crocodiles?
Well no ! According to expert Frank Robb, who was recently invited on Insider’s microphone to decipher several sequences involving formidable saurians, the animals which threaten the adventurer and his adversaries in the scene in question should not be there:
“The scene is supposed to take place in India, and they show American alligators”explains Frank Robb to Insider.
“It should have been either Indian gharials or saltwater crocodiles, which are also found in a few places in India. So they got the wrong species. Either way, they don’t eat together. (…) You will never encounter alligators in the wild sharing a meal.”
Lucasfilm Ltd.
“Alligators and crocodiles can digest just about anything.”
The specialist continues his explanation by specifying that, on the other hand, alligators are entirely capable of eating their clothed victims, but that the images were most likely filmed with animals in captivity:
“Alligators and crocodiles can digest just about anything. They have what are called gastroliths in their stomachs. They eat bones. If they can digest bones, then a piece of clothing is is nothing to them. (…)
If you take into account the way they eat together, you immediately realize that the scene does not take place in the wilderness. It takes place somewhere on a farm or zoo.”
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