简介：FritzLangreturnedtoGermanyontheeveofthe1960stodirectthisenchantedpenultimatework,aredraftofthediptychformpioneeredinsuchsilentLangclassicsasDieSpinnen;Dr.Mabuse,derSpieler.;andDieNibelungen.Althoughnoencapsulatingtitlewaslentatthetimeofreleasetowhatis,effectively,asingle3-hour-plusfilmsplitintwo,theworkthathascometobereferredtoinmoderntimesas“theIndianepic”(consistingofDerTigervonEschnapurandDasindischeGrabmal)provedtobeoneofthelegendarydirector’smostadventurousachievements.ItwasalsooneofthemostpopularsuccessesLangwastoexperienceinhisnativeland. AGermanarchitect(PaulHubschmid)iscommissionedbyanIndianmaharaja(WalterReyer)toconstructatempleonhispalatialgrounds.Aftersavingthelifeofabewitchingdancer(DebraPaget)onwhomthemaharajahasspousaldesigns,theheroispulledeverdeeperintoahazardousmazeoftraps,perhapsthepurestrealisationofLang’sobsessionwithalabyrinthine‘houseofdeath’–thatis,ManchallengingFate. LikeLang’sfollowingfinalworkDie1000AugendesDr.Mabuse,theIndianepicchartsnewterritoryforthedirector,asitstrikesoutintotheüber-melodramatictenorofhisearlysilentswhileincitingthecoloursoftheemulsionintoadoptingalurid,sometimesgaseouspalette.ArrivinginthewakeofTheRiver(Renoir),Indiamatribhumi(Rossellini),andBlackNarcissus(Powell&Pressburger),Lang’sIndianepicstandsamongtheremarkablemid-centurycontributionsofWesternfilmmakerswhohavecontemplatedIndia.TheMastersofCinemaSeriesisproudtopresentLang’sfilmsonDVDintheUKforthefirsttime.…