The Indian Tomb

Second part of Fritz Lang's bizarre epic about Indian mysticism shot for television and cut into two features by the studio (the other part being The Tiger of Eschnapur); it's a brilliantly executed pulpy and humorous masterpiece, with breathtaking color cinematography and elaborate set design which rivals the underworld city in Metropolis. Lang really celebrates the artifice of film, and his uncanny sense for mise-en scene proves his mastery of the craft. It's certainly a strange work and perhaps a bit hackneyed, but one should keep an open mind and sink in to the vivid images and spectacular naive tale of power and magic.

Following to ¨Tiger of Eschnapur¨ that has similar ingredients , as the couple formed by an architect : Paul Christian or Paul Hubschmidt , and a gorgeous dancer : Debra Paget , escapes from the claws a wealthy Maharajah : Walter Reyel . They flee through the sunny desert , but are again imprisoned and once at palace happens several dangers , risks and adventures . While , the sister : Sabina Bethmann of the architect along with her husband : Claus Holm , appear to build a huge tomb ,and there occurs a coup of state carried out by the Maharajah's brother but things go wrong.

This adventure movie contains thrills , action , exuberant outdoors , luxurious interiors and a twisted love story. The massive budget was all created in India exteriors and in German studios . The film is essentially a romance story and in the midst of fighting , Cobras , surprising underground caves with Zombies-alike , and tigers . Here outstanding the wonderful Debra Paget who performs spectacular and erotic dances . Including an atmospheric and oriental style musical score by Michel Michelet . And a brilliant and luminous photography by Richard Angst , though being necessary a perfect remastering , that is why the film copy is washed-out . This is the second part formed by ¨Tiger of Schnapur¨ and this one , and there is a poorly edited version titled ¨Journey to the Lost City¨ made for USA marketing and delivered by American International Pictures , it is a heavily mounted hybrid of the two Lang films . There is also a silent adaptation , 1922 , by Lang with Conrad Veidt , Paul Ritter , Mia May .

This enormous budget film , for the time , financed by Arthur Brautner and thrilling script by Thea Von Harbou was compellingly directed by Fritz Lang . In 1920 , he began a relationship with actress and writer Thea Von Harbou (1889-1954), who wrote with him the scripts for his most celebrated films : Doctor Mabuse (1922), Nibelungs (1924), Metropolis (1927) and M , vampire of Düsseldorf (1931) . They married in 1922 and divorced in 1933 when Lang fled to America for Nazi regime . Lang directed various prestigious silent movies as Metrópolis , Woman in the moon , Doctor Mabuse , Spies , Spiders , Nibelungs ; noir films : Beyond a reasonable doubt , While city sleeps , The big heat , Clash night ; Drama : woman in the Window , Human Desire , Scarlet street , Fury and Western : Rancho Notorious , Western Union and Revenge of Frank James .

I was wary of purchasing Fantoma's 2-Disc Set of "Fritz Lang's Indian Epic" after being somewhat let down by the 1921 Silent original (co-scripted by Lang himself) and also its less-than-stellar reputation. For this reason, when the second part of the saga turned up on Italian TV a couple of years ago, I decided to check it out just the same so as to get an inkling of what to expect! I recall thinking it pretty kitschy and unworthy of Lang's enormous talent, but Fantoma's sale (through their website) of their entire DVD catalog a few months back made it an irresistible acquisition! Well, having now watched the entire saga (with dialogue and in color, as opposed to the rather static Silent version directed by Joe May - although hearing the Indian-garbed characters talking in German took some getting used to), I was pleasantly surprised by how genuinely engaging and sheerly enjoyable it all was! Though it was sold as an epic production (to the point of concluding ESCHNAPUR with the promise that Part II would feature greater thrills and even more spectacle) at a time when such films were all the rage, the saga was actually a pretty modest undertaking by eclectic (and prolific) German producer Artur Brauner. Despite the two films' exotic, handsome look (not least in the provocative dances of Debra Paget), the budgetary constraints were painfully obvious in the special effects department, especially the hilarious appearance of a 'ropey' cobra which is intended to 'test' (the scantily-clad) Miss Paget's faithfulness to the Maharajah!! All in all, even if these films hardly constitute Lang's greatest work (though he harbored an evident affection throughout his life for this particular tale, which was originally conceived by his former wife Thea von Harbou), they have great - and enduring - appeal for aficionados of old-fashioned, serial-like adventure stories tinged with romance and mysticism.

Even so, while I don't subscribe to that school of thought myself, there are some film critics (Tom Gunning, Jean Douchet and Pierre Rissient among them) who think very highly of Lang's Indian diptych - the first considering it one of Lang's towering achievements and the last two numbering it among the ten greatest films of all time!!

In the end of Der Tiger von Eschnapur the two lovers were in the middle of a sandstorm.Harald Berger (Paul Hubschmid), the German architect and his Indian lover, dancer Seetha (Debra Paget) were chased through the desert by shikaris (cavalry) of Eschnapur's maharajah Chandra (Walter Reyer).They get into a Shiva temple, where a spider weaves a web so the trackers won't look for them in there.But Seetha is caught inside.He has to try and survive alone, and to safe the one he loves.But it's not going to be easy.His sister Irene (Sabine Bethmann) and her husband, architect Walter Rhode (Claus Holm) are suspicious,after Chandra has asked him to build a tomb for Seetha, who is still alive.She won't believe that her brother has died on a tiger hunt.Meanwhile, prince Ramigani (René Deltgen) wants to seize Chandra's throne.Das Indische Grabmal (1959) was the second last film Fritz Lang directed.His Indian epic is based on work he did forty years earlier on a silent version of Das Indische Grabmal.He wrote the screenplay with his wife of the time, Thea von Harbou, who also starred Die Nibelungen movies.It based on Harbou's novel of the same name.Both of these adventure films offer many thrills.The subterranean scenes are very thrilling.And to see Harald chained, trying to fight his way into freedom.It's a very sexy scene where Seetha dances to charm the cobra in that most revealing costume.The conclusion of this story is well told.

I just watched this on DVD--I wasn't aware of two important factors when I did. One, that this was a remake of a 1938 film, and two that it was actually the last part of a typical Lang epic-length film! I wonder how both films were ever condensed into a mere ninety minutes for domestic release? What an extraordinary feat in itself!

I can see the influence on Speilburg and Luca quite clearly. This does have numerous external similarities to TEMPLE OF DOOM, as well as several motifs common to other Lang films.

There are some amusing blunders. The Priest talks about Allah, then a few scenes later, cautions that THE GODS will be displeased. Islam is monothestic!

There was a line uttered by the Priest: "There will be darkness over Eschanpur." That would have been a most intriguing title, nothing so bland as THE Indian TOMB, and would have also linked TIGERS OF ESCHANAPUR to this film. Both were released in that one 90 minute Americanized version, JOURNEY TO THE LOST CITY. As far as I could tell from this half, the city was far from "lost"! The Maharajah is proclaimed as RAJ of this state and that, master of the realms of Yadda-Yadda, and so on. I got out my map of India and was easily able to locate the areas he mentioned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and recommend it highly, especially to those who love a good rollicking adventure. I intend to secure the rights and bring this to the screen, before all the tigers are extinct.