Well the HoH subtitles on the BD say 'cloth tearing' at that point, so I can only assume we're supposed to believe he mistakenly cut his jacket/trousers. It is a bit odd though.
I almost as if a later reference to the tearing was cut out for time but the actual instance of the cut tear has been left in by mistake. It's odd because someone had to have recorded the 'tear' and they shot reactions to it and included them in the final edit.
Maybe it was an in joke for Lucas. And we all know what a subtle sense of humour the man has.
"He....he ripped his pants" (catching his breathe laughing) "He was trying to cut the ropes on his hands but he....(more uncontrolable fits of giggling and jiggling neck wattle) he rips his pants. Oh... this could be as funny as a completely CG character (deadly straight face) stepping in some CG s**t".
Maybe it was an in joke for Lucas. And we all know what a subtle sense of humour the man has.
"He....he ripped his pants" (catching his breathe laughing) "He was trying to cut the ropes on his hands but he....(more uncontrolable fits of giggling and jiggling neck wattle) he rips his pants. Oh... this could be as funny as a completely CG character (deadly straight face) stepping in some CG s**t".



Maybe I'm being ultra slow but what was supposed to have happened with the ripping sound. Did Indy cut himself. Did he rip his trousers? Specific attention is made of the ripping sound but we never see what was ripped. The inclusion of the whole 'rip/oh s**t' element has always been a mystery to me.
Can anyone shed any light on what it is suppose so signify?