Das Geheimnis der Lederschlinge

The Thugs were an actual sect of India which in the 1820s were very active in strangling innocent people for the glory of Kali, the goddess of death. The best account of their strange society of stranglers is probably John Masters' novel "The Deceivers" which was made a film in 1988 with a very young and agile Pierce Brosnan, while the story here is total romanticisation. The story was made into a more elaborate production for television in 1991 with Stacy Keach as the captain and father, a successful series of 5 hours, while this early version is quite quick and more basic, which nevertheless includes some fascinating sequences, for instance an actual fight between a mongoose and a cobra and a palpable struggle with a tiger. There are pythons as well and very active, since the action here is staged at an Island of Serpents, which is full of these murderous snakes, and the male protagonists here is a snake hunter. He accidentally comes across the temple of the thuggee, the high priestess of whom is the abducted child of the captain (Peter van Eyck, for once in a more decent role than just ordinary Nazi officers,) who in fifteen years has been raised by the thuggee to become their sacred virgin and high priestess of Kali (Ingeborg Schöner). Naturally Guy Madison (the snake hunter) and Miss Schöner meet, and the marvellous music of Carlo Rustichelli keeps accompanying them throughout the film, which is well made with great settings and wonderful jungle photography. This is a very romantic film of India at its most exotic and thrilling, and no wonder the story was remade into a great TV series 30 years later and doubtlessly also inspired Indiana Jones to explore the Temple of Doom as well.

A tropical adventure film seemingly inspired by Hammer and the likes of THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY. British redcoats battle murderous thugs, with Guy Madison as a turban-wearing Sandokan-style hero on their side. Turns out the pretty girl at the heart of the devious ceremonies is a Brit so they need to get her out. A typical cheap and cheerful Italian adventure with some good sets and a familiar feel.

Based upon a comic strip this Italian-Germany-Monegasque picture brings the American Guy Madison aiming for to sell it easily in America marketplace, more recognized on western genre, he crossing the Atlantic to perform the bleak villain high priest Souyadhana of sect of Goddess Kali that often needs a human sacrifice to appease her wrath, they live on underground of the hidden Island of the Thugs at India, they kidnapped a little child Ada daughter of the British Capt. Macpherson (Peter Van Eyck) in order to prepare her in near future as virgin to be a reincarnation of Goddess Kali to be worshipped by their countless followers, fifteen years later now a mature woman Ada (Ingeborg Schoner) is ready to be crowed and receives the soul of Kali.

Meanwhile a snake hunter Tremal Naik (Giacomo Rossi Stuart) goes ashore on the island where there a plenty of several snakes, randomly he meets Ada that usually step out from the underneath cave to breathe fresh air and waking around, both enchants themselves, nonetheless Ada avoid any contact due his plight there, Tremal Nail promises be back soon, sadly this happenings reach at Souyadhana's hears who settles a trap for him on next trip, worst the time is running out for Ada becomes a newest virgin Goddess, due she has achieved the maturity required for it, also his father Captain Macpherson gathered an army regiment in a hard assignment to find out his missing daughter, the clash is a matter of time.

This enjoyable entertainment I'd watched in 1979 on TV and it never aired again as far I know, I've been looking for this unusual feature for many years without any clue, thus my hope lays out on Youtube where I found it with Italian subtitles whereof I've sparingly understand, although it seems very close of Portuguese language, so among ups and downs somehow I make an effort to grasp the plot altogether, fine movie restored in full color sending me back for 84 minutes to far off late seventies.

Resume:

First watch: 1979 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.25.

Wooden acting....ridiculous turbans....stuffy tigers...Guy Madison. I was 7 years old when they made this "lame'o"... thank God I didn't saw in at the time...my youth would've been over in a sec. What a crazy world the grownups can make...!!! Seen letterboxed on Italian tv-channel RaiUno, running 82.00 mins, pal. Took me about 22 mins fast-forwarding on my vcr.

"Mystery of Thug Island" is basically a good, romantic adventure story and it boasts the presences of both Guy Madison and Giacomo Rossi-Stuart. Both actors are almost unrecognizable playing handsome Indian characters, the former as the villainous high priest of the blood drinking goddess Kali and the latter as a lowly native snake-hunter. This version is far superior to the awkwardly stultifying 1954 Lex Barker version "Mystery of the Black Jungle" or "Black Devils of Kali" with which it is often confused. The most unlikely and unrealistic part of the plot is Ada's 19th century British pater approving of her marriage to the low-caste native Tremal Naik after he's finally found her after her 15 years of captivity. Not bloody likely! The thughi cult is a fascinating subject better treated in film by "Gunga Din" (1939), "Stranglers of Bombay" (1960), and "The Deceivers (1988, all of which contain much better portrayals.