What's up with Indy's buddy not feeling the pain of getting shot at the beginning of Temple of Doom?

You know, at the beginning of ToD, When Indy's friend, Wu Han, tries to back Indy up. Well, the champagne corks pop, and Wu gets shot, but doesn't feel it. After he sees the blood, he begins to feel it.

I know Indy movies aren't exactly realistic, but I always thought that scene was strange. Even as a kid. I mean, jeez, a bullet just tore into him.

What were your initial thoughts about that scene?

 

I've seen that a lot in movies. A character will have blood on their hand and think it's someone elses and then realizes they've been shot. Maybe there's some truth to it. I don't know.

 

Yeah. I've seen it in other flicks. As for its "reality" factor...I can't comment on, I haven't been shot...yet. But, I have, like all of us I'm sure, been cut sometimes badly and not even felt it or knew it until I saw the blood. So, I guess it is possible.

 

I would assume that in reality it would be impossible not to know that you were hit by a bullet. (well unless it killed you instantly) I agree that this scene is a little bit "weak" for this reason, however it is a movie and the whole cork popping masking the gun's discharge bit is well done.

 

Thanks for the replies, guys.

ferelwookie, I know what you mean. I've been slashed pretty bad. And the worst of them, the ones that required mass stitches, I didn't really feel right away. Usually, not until after I saw the blood.

But a bullet? That Wu Han's got some tough skin. I don't think the bullet even made a hole in his shirt.

 

I've heard of people getting shot and not knowing it. Especially when it comes as a surprise. I heard one story where a man got hit in the back by a stray bullet and brushed it off as a rock. He only realized what happened when he went to the doctor about back pains.

 

Yeah, I heard about that guy. I've also heard that it's possible for people to be stabed and walk blocks not knowing it.

 

He was probably in shock

 

When a bullet enters or passes through your body it causes ripples to flow through the water in your cells. This disrupts your nervous system sends the body into shock and can have various effects depending on what part of the body was hit, the size of the bullet and the speed of the bullet. It's very possible to feel no pain when you are shot. Actually it's more likely to feel nothing than to feel pain. The pain comes later.
He wasn't totally oblivious either. He had a weird look on his face, like he knew something was wrong. He was just in shock and didn't know what it was.

 

I just gotta say, wasn't it a great effect though? I mean, it's got that definite Spielbergian touch, which he is so famous for. I thought it was great!

 

I wish George would let Spielberg in on a little piece of Star Wars. Like let him do a TV miniseries or something.

 

yeah, it's got Spielberg's signature written all over it. However, it still comes across as really clunky to me. Wu Han, dumbstruck, inspects the broken glass on his tray for several seconds, still without a clue.

 

I don't think he was really paying much attention until after the fact. He was probably so stunned that he didn't feel the pain.

 

The purpose of the body feeling pain at all is to warn the mind to 'move away' from the source of injury before they suffer more serious harm (ie: Take your hand off the stove burner). However, it is known to shut down nerve endings when it sense that the body is beyond saving, and therefore pain would be needless.

 

It's just done for dramatic purposes. A lot of movies use many little things that might not make much sense but are just done for storytelling. Heck what about the flesh wound syndrome of a lot of films and TV shows. Or how eyes are lighted in specific ways to either enhance an angelic apperance, mopre mystery or an evil character.