Its likely the cables are broken or not making contact. I assume your hooking negative to negative? Also, the doner vehicles engine should drop in RPMs once the cables are hooked up right, as it trys to charge the other battery. Cheap, thin jumper cables sometimes seem hopeless on a super dead battery, but a set of premium, heavy gauge cables will do the trick.

1996 SR From the Area 51 Skunk Works. 37"BFG Tires, 5" lift, Rock Track 4:1 Case, Tom Woods Drive Shafts, Oasis Air, Front ARB, lifted gas tank, T-max winch and lots of stuff that cost too much.