Sunday, November 23, 2008

The Indian Tomb #1 (From Eric Beheim)


Ayan CU, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ayan

Although actor Conrad Veidt is best remembered for his role as Major Strasser in Casablanca and as the evil magician Jaffar in the 1940 version of Thief of Baghdad, he had a long career in pictures. One of his more interesting, if lesser-known screen roles -- and one which gave him an opportunity to work in close proximity to elephants and tigers -- was that of Ayan, the charismatic/ruthless Maharajah of Bengal in the 1921 German epic The Indian Tomb (Das indische Grabmal).

Posted by Buckles at 11/23/2008 06:17:00 AM

4 comments:

Eric said...

1n 1959, THE INDIAN TOMB was remade on location in India by famous director Fritz Lang (who had co-authored the original 1921 script.) The cast featured Debra Paget, whose “Dance of the Cobra” is about the most erotic thing you’ll ever see in a movie. This 1959 version was released in the U.S. in a 90-minute version under the title JOURNEY TO THE LOST CITY.

23 November, 2008 09:07
Anonymous said...

Its interesting that what I understand was the first motion picture "epic" that was filmed entirely on locatiojn in Africa with natives, animald, etc. Like a Mogambo, Snows of Kilaminjero and it starred a very handsome Duncan Renaldo along with Harry Carey. I have seen it and it was spectacular. Unfortunately I can't recall the title. Later Duncan Renaldo would gain fame as the "Cisco Kid".

24 November, 2008 09:04
Eric said...

The Harry Carey-Duncan Renaldo film is TRADER HORN. The cast also included Olive Carey, Harry's wife, who later appeared as a character actor in some of John Ford's films.

(You can read all about it in THE WAR, THE WEST, AND THE WILDERNESS by Kevin Brownlow.)

The TRADER HORN company came back from Africa with so much animal and native footage that someone at MGM suggested they use it in a TARZAN picture. The rest is history.

24 November, 2008 10:49
24-HOUR-MAN said...

If Hollywood wants to some remakes, they should do the Arabian Nights" films, can you iomagine Ali Baba & The 40 Thieves" with today's effects.

24 November, 2008 17:06

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