★ 8 / 10
_**High adventure in India with Debra Paget as
Wuchak
_**High adventure in India with Debra Paget as Seetha**_ A German architect (Paul Hubschmid) flees Eschnapur with the fiancé (Debra Paget) of the maharajah…
_**High adventure in India with Debra Paget as Seetha**_
A German architect (Paul Hubschmid) flees Eschnapur with the fiancé (Debra Paget) of the maharajah (Walther Reyer) whose reign is secretly threatened by his envious brother (René Deltgen). Into this situation arrives the architect’s sister and brother-in-law (Sabine Bethmann & Claus Holm).
“The Indian Tomb” (1959) is the second of Fritz Lang’s duology referred to as his Indian Epic; the first part being “The Tiger of Eschnapur,” released earlier the same year.
Both films were heavily edited down into a 95-minute movie for American audiences called “Journey to the Lost City” (1960), which heavily trimmed Debra Paget’s iconic dance sequences due to the Hays Office. Obviously you should see the two separate movies rather than the butchered version, but it’s not absolutely necessary to see the first film in order to enjoy this one since it includes a recap at the outset. (I’ve personally never seen Part I, except for the dance sequence).
Anyone who likes adventure flicks such as “Legend of the Lost” (1957), “The Vengeance of She” (1968), “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) and “Octopussy” (1984) should appreciate either installment of the Indian Epic. They feature spectacular palaces, heroes, villains, rivalry, danger, swords, beautiful women, romantic passion, elephants, tigers, snakes, torches, caverns, dungeons, temples, honorable monks and all-around high adventure.
Each include 3-minute dance sequences by Debra Paget as Eurasian Seetha, both equally awe-inspiring, but this one features her in more revealing (non)attire (I prefer the first one since less is more). Debra’s performances are just as good or better than Brigid Bazlen unforgettable dance scene in “King of Kings” (1961) and Salma Hayek’s in “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996).
The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes, and was shot in Udaipur in Northwestern India, areas normally barred from Western film crews up to that point. Interiors were shot at Spandau Studios in Berlin. “Octopussy” used some of the same India locations.
GRADE: A-
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★ 6 / 10
Fritz Lang's Indian Epic **1/2
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…
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!!
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★ 7 / 10
Second part similar to original film with marvelous production design and being colorfully photographed
ma-cortes
Following to ¨Tiger of Eschnapur¨ that has similar ingredients , as the couple formed by an architect : Paul Christian or Paul Hubschmidt , and a gorgeous…
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 .
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please find and share part 1 of this Fritz Lang classic " The Tiger of Eschnapur "