Customer Reviews

Fritz Lang's The Indian Tomb (aka Journey to the Lost City, Part 2)

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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.

The American video release of director Fritz Lang's two-part Indian epic has finally arrived. Admittedly, "The Indian Tomb" (1959) is not among Lang's finest achievements, but it remains a visually stunning, imaginative work - far superior to the slow-paced first installment, "The Tiger of Eschnapur." Except for Debra Paget's exotic beauty, one wishes Lang had assembled a stronger cast for his atmospheric adventure. In addition, the film suffers from some hokey passages involving our ineffectual hero. Still, the film's vivid color photography, architectural compositions and lavish sets are unique in cinema history. Paget's erotic cobra dance, the cave of lepers, and action-filled climax represent Lang at his best. Despite its flaws, the director's Indian saga ranks with "Metropolis" as his most ambitious production.

This film is so terrible it perhaps marks Lang's lowest point. From the heights of M and Metropolis he descends to perhaps the worst dialogue, most phoney plot and most absurd depiction of India I have ever seen in a movie. I have been to Rajasthan and Lang's depiction of Udiapur (the actual setting) is a nonsense. Not only do we have well-lit interior caves with shiny, level studio floors and plastic rocks; not only do we have ridiculously paintined images of the gods; not only do we have the most abjectly ridicuous fight scenes; not only do we have plastic crocodiles; not only do we have palm trees (there are none in Rajasthan); not only do we have Siva presented as a goddess - as ludicrous as calling the Virgin Mary a man - but we have the priest of Siva wearing a Vishnaivite tika and spouting total nonsense. The semi-nude temple dance with the wooden snake on strings (clearly visible) is such a mish-mash of Hollywood style lasciviousness and westernized misrepresentation of Indian dancing it's pathetic. I love Lang's early work, but this is a laughable travesty of anything Indian. It's backdrops and scenery are b-movie standard and this film is fit only for the trash heap of movie history.