Mola Ram is a better villain than Belloq.

[Quintus 5,391]

Sure Belloq has brains, looks and charm, but he ain't exactly scary is he? I seem to remember Kate Capshaw on the dvd extra features, banging on about how ToD didn't have a good villain. Get out of here! Shame on you

Kali Maaaaaaa!

[JoeinAR 1,759]

He was a real challange to Indy,

it was 3 and 4 that had weak villians

did 3 even have one?

[crocodile 6,294]

I liked Blanchett, but the script didn't use her nearly to the extent it should. She was more of a sidekick actually, since she and Indy didn't really have any conflict in the picture.

Karol

[Quintus 5,391]

it was 3 and 4 that had weak villians

did 3 even have one?

It had three. Two of which were good. One was brilliant.

[Red 73]

Mola Ram is certainly the most memorable villain in the series, but a lot of that comes from him being so different than the others (sort of like TOD as a whole). Belloq was great though, he had a real understandable reason for wanting to open the Ark.

[Quintus 5,391]

But would he rip your heart out with his bare fingers, just to see it opened? Nope.

[crocodile 6,294]

Belloq wasn't plain evil and that's why he was more interesting. His scene with Marion in the tent is my favourite scene in the picture.

Karol

[Quintus 5,391]

Ah, one of the best anti-romance scenes ever. I'll concede that the scene probably wouldn't have worked as well, with a baldy Indian, in full ceremonial regalia.

[John Crichton 4]

Mola Ram's hat is better than Belloq's.

[Quintus 5,391]

Even Darth Vader's hat doesn't match up to Mola's.

[crocodile 6,294]

Best villainous hat eveerrr!

Karol

[Quintus 5,391]

Nah, surely that award goes to this fine piece of sinister hat design:

[JoeinAR 1,759]

it was 3 and 4 that had weak villians

did 3 even have one?

It had three. Two of which were good. One was brilliant.

there was no brilliant villian in the least crusade,

[Quintus 5,391]

I've never heard of that movie.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

it was 3 and 4 that had weak villians

did 3 even have one?

It had three. Two of which were good. One was brilliant.

there was no brilliant villian in the least crusade,

Agreed (mostly). The Allison Doody character is kinda interesting, but Julian Glover is as bland as stale cereal.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I've never heard of that movie.

its the 3rd movie in the Indiana Jones series and its tied for the least with KOTCS

[Ollie 859]

Good lord could you imagine General Veers having more screen time in TESB???

Mola Ram is definately more evil than Belloq, but not as interesting.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I think he is more interesting, but Belloq has a back story, we don't know where Mola Ram comes from.

I think Allison Doody's character isn't a villian, she's the duplicitous love interest, but she's misguided.

She's no more a villian than Indy's CIA sidekick was and far better looking

[Quintus 5,391]

I've never heard of that movie.

its the 3rd movie in the Indiana Jones series and its tied for the least with KOTCS

Skull, whilst not being a complete disaster; isn't fit to sniff Crusade's sh*t.

Mola Ram is definately more evil than Belloq, but not as interesting.

I agree, but when it comes to FUN, Mola Ram is peerless, in the world of Indy.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

there is a reason I still refer to it as Least Crusade even counting KotCS.

[Quintus 5,391]

Sean Connery never returned your calls?

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I'll take the rapist for $200.

[Quintus 5,391]

I always knew you were cheap, but Goddamn! That figure just threw me.

[indy4 152]

I'll admit that LC has the worst villains, but it's still a brilliant film.

Mola Ram is fantastic, the shot of him walking towards the man in the cage, where you at first just see his hat moving forward is terrifying. Belloq is great also, I think I prefer him to Mola Ram, but it's a very close call. Of course, Irina beats all of them.

I've never heard of that movie.

its the 3rd movie in the Indiana Jones series and its tied for the least with KOTCS

I thought you disliked LC and thought KotCS was good.

[Quintus 5,391]

I'll admit that LC has the worst villains, but it's still a brilliant film.

I'd personally bequeath KotCS with the worst villain. Cate Blanchett was good and is good, but give me Vogel over her anytime.

Whatever happens, Mola rules.

[indy4 152]

I'll admit that LC has the worst villains, but it's still a brilliant film.

I'd personally bequeath KotCS with the worst villain.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

vogul who is vogul that stupid inept nazi that died in the tank, he was weak.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

In terms of the screenplay, I think it's clear that KotCS does have the worst villain; Irina's just not an interesting character at all. I think Cate Blanchett's performance makes up for that a bit; certainly, she gets none of the blame.

In Last Crusade, I think it's somewhat the opposite: the character isn't bad, but Glover's performance is just deadly dull. And he's a good actor, so I'm not sure how that happened.

I'm not sure I agree with the thesis of this thread, but I do think Mola Ram is a terrific villain. He's well-acted, and well-used by Spielberg (who doesn't overuse him, just brings him in at all the right moments). I'd say much the same of Belloq, but would also give him points for being complex, more of an actual character than Mola Ram. However, since the two movies have somewhat different aims in terms of their villains, I don't count that as a point agaist Mola Ram; it's just a point for Belloq.

Ultimately, I'll give Belloq the edge, if only because I prefer the movie he's in.

[Quintus 5,391]

I'm not sure I agree with the thesis of this thread

I'm not sure I agree with your use of that word, in this thread!

[Henry B 49]

Of course, Irina beats all of them.

I don't... understand...

[Quintus 5,391]

Don't try to understand it either. I did try, until my brain bled into my eye balls. Then my survival instinct kicked in.

Lucky for me.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

I'm not sure I agree with the thesis of this thread

I'm not sure I agree with your use if that word, in this thread!

The thread's title is "Mola Ram is a better villain than Belloq." If that's not a thesis, I don't know what is.

But thesis is a pretty douchebaggy word, isn't it? Maybe I won't use that anymore.

[Red 73]

Explain yourself Indy4, before you're given an extended stay in a padded cell.

Spalko could have been a much better villain than she was, but unfortunately the writing got in the way.....

[John Crichton 4]

Mola Ram is definately more evil than Belloq, but not as interesting.

I agree with that. Belloq was Indy's mirror image.

[Quintus 5,391]

But thesis is a pretty douchebaggy word, isn't it? Maybe I won't use that anymore.

Hey in a thread like this there are no wrong words. Say what you like and say it as you see fit.

Pretty much the norm, as you gathered.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

Mola Ram is definately more evil than Belloq, but not as interesting.

I agree with that. Belloq was Indy's mirror image.

no he wasn't, he was a shadowy reflection of Indy, but Indy had MORALS, Belloq didn't

[Quintus 5,391]

I suppose one could argue Belloq had a different set of morals though.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

no you couldn't, Belloq was amoral.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

True amorallity, or rather inmorality does not excist.

[Quintus 5,391]

no you couldn't, Belloq was amoral.

From a certain pov, certainly. But I suspect he had a limit, and a low limit at that - compared to cold blooded murderers and such. But then thats what makes him so interesting I guess. I still prefer Ram's harshness though.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

they both challanged Indy is interesting ways, actually Indy was the bane to Belloq

[Quintus 5,391]

Absolutely.

[Jeshopk 8]

I loved all the villains in Raiders, loved the the Thuggees/Mola Ram, liked Spalko/Russians, didn't like Donavan, Elsa and the goofball Nazis of Indy 3.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Elsa, was not really a villain, just...misunderstood.

[Jeshopk 8]

they both challanged Indy is interesting ways, actually Indy was the bane to Belloq

Or his foil. Isn't your "bane" someone who actually defeats you, while a foil is your shadowy reflection who defines you through their differences?

Elsa, was not really a villain, just...misunderstood.

The only difference between her and Donavan was that she was sexy and wanted to pair up with the protagonist. Donavan wanted to double cross the Nazis too, but without taking a f**k friend along. If Donavan had tits, he would have tried to side with Indy at the end too.

BTW, in Indy 4, Mac is Indy's foil - not that he needed one - AGAIN.

[indy4 152]

Of course, Irina beats all of them.

I don't... understand...

You vant to know?

Elsa, was not really a villain, just...misunderstood.

I actually agree, I've never considered her the villain of LC. That goes to Donavan.

[Henry B 49]

Of course, Irina beats all of them.

I don't... understand...

You vant to know?

Hmm, do you believe she's the best villain because of her campy Russian accent? Because that's all there was to her.

[indy4 152]

No, but that is certainly a part of it.

[Henry B 49]

Yes, Blanchett's Russian accent is really noteworthy... unlike Paul Freeman's French accent, Arnold Lacey's German accent, Julian Glover's American accent and Alison Doody's German accent.

[John Crichton 4]

...and Alison Doody's German accent.

Austrian.