NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema Blu-ray (February 2022): Masters of Cinema have transferred both parts of Joe May's 1921's Tomb of India, presented in 1080p HD, across two dual-layered Blu-ray discs. It is cited as being from a "2K restorations undertaken by the Murnau foundation (FWMS)". An opening text screen states: "THE INDIAN TOMB was color-restored in 1994 based on a French rental copy. Missing parts were supplemented with the help of a black-and-white duplicate of a Czech rental copy, which was also colored. The subtitles could be reconstructed using the registration card. In 2016 the master of this restoration was digitized in 2K resolution. The color plan and the reproduction of the colorations have been revised based on the Czech rental copy, which has a more differentiated color scheme than the French copy. Additions made in 1994 based on the duplicate were largely replaced by scans from the Czech rental copy." There are strong tints generally representing indoor/outdoor and other location differentiations. It has moments that looks exceptionally strong but, as you might suspect, there are some predictable inconsistencies due to the film's age of over 100-years. Overall, I was pleased with the HD presentation on two dual-layered discs with max'ed out bitrates.

NOTE: We have added 70 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Masters of Cinema use a linear PCM stereo track (24-bit) with a musical score (2018) by Irena and Vojtěch Havel. It sounds predictably clean and consistent in the uncompressed transfer. The Czech couple's music has eerie and traditional qualities that suit the presentation very well. I started to really appreciate it the longer I got into the film(s.) Masters of Cinema offer optional English subtitles, over the re-done German intertitles, on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray offers a new 46-minute video essay by David Cairns and Fiona Watson. It starts by quoting Siegfried Kracauer from "From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film" and talking about the career of German screenwriter, novelist, film director, and actress Thea von Harbou with input from Laxmi Dhaul (In the Shadow of Freedom: Three Lives in Hitler's Germany and Gandhi's India.) It is excellent and I loved the extensive length. Also included is a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Philip Kemp.

Joe May's Tomb of India was co-written by the great Fritz Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou (based on her novel.) Lang would make his own two-part Indian Epic almost 40-years later! Both are grand adventures in the classic tradition with the mystique of Indian lore; maharajah, tigers, lepers, yogis etc. The exotic nature seems tempered with May's wife Mia, but it is still a fascinating reflection of German values toward India in this time period. It was largely forgotten for decades but with this impressive restoration, and the Havel's 2018 score, we can enjoy it 100-years after its original production. A wonderful choice for the Masters of Cinema to transfer to Blu-ray and the visual essay and booklet are valued supplements. Strongly recommended to Silent-Era fans or those keen on this vintage adventure genre. Fun, if occasionally dark, stuff.

Gary Tooze