7. The Makeshift Lava Pit Bridge - Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
For true Temple of Doom fans, there has always been a nagging issue with regards to Indy, Willie and Shorty's decision to escape the catacombs in the most indirect way imaginable. After they free the slave children, after all, they opt to take a more complicated route out of the temple using the mine cart system, whilst the children just escape through the front. Why didn't Indy and friends take the same route as the children? A deleted scene answers this question in full. In said scene, the trio construct a makeshift bridge out of a piece of wood, which the children use to cross the lava pit and escape through the palace. When it's Shorty's turn to cross the same bridge, though, the heat of the lava below causes it to break, and our heroes are forced to find alternate passage. The scene was eventually cut because - as with all of the scenes that Spielberg cut from the film - he was concerned with pacing. This might have been a good one to keep, though, as it explains what appears to be a particularly ill-judged decision on Indy's part.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
