Before creating such silent masterworks as Metropolis, Spies, Die Nibelungen, and Woman in the Moon, Fritz Lang and screenwriter Thea von Harbou crafted the screenplay for this four-hour exotic epic for director Joe May (Asphalt). Conrad Veidt (The Hands of Orlac) stars as the vengeance-crazed Maharajah of Bengal, who seeks to build an imposing temple in which to entomb his former wife. But his diabolical plans are thwarted upon the arrival of two adventurers: a British architect (Olaf Fönss) and his fiancée Irene (Mia May). A masterpiece of Orientalist fantasy, The Indian Tomb’s labyrinthine plot is punctuated by thrilling action sequences and ambitious special effects. Late in his career, Lang would return to the story and remake the diptych as The Tiger of Eschnapur and The Indian Tomb (1959).
For thoughts on The Indian Tomb, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
The Indian Tomb makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a terrific new restoration. According to the opening text, the film was restored in 1994 with color timing from the French distribution print that was revised in 2016 with a 2K scan from a photochemical restoration that used the original Czech print which has a more differentiated color scheme than the French version. All that being said, it is hard to ask for better from this material. For a film that is over 100 years of age, this is a truly astounding presentation.
The gorgeous color-tinted photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact. There is a fair amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the setting. The transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some decent depth with no overwhelming occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is mostly well defined, but the transfer experiences a forgivable amount of flicker and specks of damage to the print. There are also stray, faint vertical lines that make a quick appearance without ruining the overall aesthetic of the film. Kino Classics has done as well as could be expected given the age of this feature. Restoration efforts of films from this era continue to knock us sideways.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 track that sounds pretty wonderful. The film is graced with a score from Irena and Vojtëch Havlovi which is quite beautiful and whimsical in a way that always feels matched to the scene quite well. As this is a silent film, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds bright and lovely with no clipping or age related wear and tear. Classic film fans should be beyond pleased with the sound quality of these tracks, as the new pieces seem to complement the visuals perfectly.
Special Features
- Turbans Over Woltersdorf: A 46-minute visual essay written by David Cairns and Fiona Watson which delves into the circumstances around the film, the source material of Thea von Harbou on which the film was based, the career of director Joe May, the work of Fritz Lang, early depictions of foreign cultures, the “state-of-the-art” filmmaking techniques, the performances in the film and more.
Final Thoughts
The Indian Tomb is an epic in every sense of the word, from the intimidating four-hour runtime to the adventurous story which pushed the boundaries of what was possible at this time. Even the most ardent classic film fans may find this to be a bit much to tackle in one sitting, but those who do carve out time will be treated to something quite exciting. The technical achievement alone is so advanced that you cannot help but sit back and marvel at the techniques on display. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray featuring a pretty wonderful A/V presentation and a lovely supplemental feature. It is not often that you get to discover such a unique piece of film history, so those who are even the slightest bit interested should make time for this one. Recommended
The Indian Tomb is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
