Published 3 months ago on September 25, 2018 By Trace Thurman
bloody-disgusting
Indian horror movies haven't impressed American audiences much over the course of their history, but films like Tumbbad should help in that process. Tumbbad manages to be a fascinating piece of Indian culture while using the universal theme of greed to make it relevant to anyone watching it, regardless of their nationality. It's a beautifully shot and often chilling film that made its mark at this year's magical festival and became one of the festival's strongest entries.
Tumbbad opens with some fairytale theatre, telling the story of Hastar, the first child of the goddess of abundance. At one point, Hastal, his mother's favorite child, ends up trying to steal his mother's gold and food. He got gold coins, but when he went to find food, the other gods attacked him. He nearly died, but his mother rescued him on one condition: he would never be worshipped, he would be forgotten forever. Hastal agreed and went into hibernation in his mother's womb. Eventually, the Rao family awakened him by making a shrine in his name in the village of Tumbbad. Since that day, the wrath of God has been falling on the village in the form of constant storms. Vinayek's ancestors discovered a way to obtain targets from Hastal by entering the goddess' womb, which was in the middle of the temple they built. However, obtaining said gold carries the risk of being cursed forever.
From the British Raj in the early 19th century to the independence of India in 1947, Tumbbad followed Vinayek Rao (Sohum Shah), a self-proclaimed greedy bastard, from childhood to adulthood. The film observes his family's greed for Hastal's golden pass passed down from generation to generation. The film is divided into three parts (a common theme for this year's Fantastic Fest), each of which relays an important event in Vinayek's life. The directing duties are also split into three parts, with Rahi Anil Barve, Anand Gandhi (as creative director) and Adesh Prasad (as co-director) each taking a turn behind the camera (whether they each direct part of the film or work together during filming) work I'm not sure).
While Vinayek's story is compelling, it takes its place in gorgeous cinematography, set design and makeup effects. The technical advantages of Tumbbad are significant across the board. The film was shot by Pankaj Kumar and it was amazing. From heady landscape photos to the extremely creepy make-up job of Vinayek's cursed grandmother (she made a mistake and got it wrong by Hastar during one of her adventures into the womb) and Hastar herself, this movie looks Looks great. The visuals in Sweden by Sean Wheelan and Filmgate Films are excellent (except for some choppy CGI used to animate Hastar's facial features).
Tumbbad Reviews
The uterine chamber itself deserves a paragraph. You see, in order to get the gold coins that Hastar holds, Vinayek has to lower himself into the womb of the goddess, a room deep in the underground temple of Hastar. Lest you think the word "uterus" is a metaphor here, fear not. The womb is a strange cave that surrounds the red flesh and Hastar's house. Hastar's designs are reminiscent of The Descent's creatures, but in recent years, he's standing alone has become one of the most impressive movie monsters.
At 108 minutes, one can't help but feel that the film could benefit from 5 minutes of running time. The film falls victim to bloat in the second act, spending too much time with the drama between Vinayek and his mistress. It's a subplot that could be cut, and the movie would be better for it. It makes sense that the film is trying to figure out that Vinayek is a greedy bastard, whether it's money or sexual assault, but this has been achieved by showing the risks he takes when entering the womb.
On the surface, Tumbbad is a morality tale with some horror elements scattered about, but don't worry, the scary parts of the movie are horrific. Vinayek's Cursed Grandmother is a display of creepy makeup effects and sound design (she's chained to a room with large metal spikes protruding from her face to keep her quiet). Every sequence that happens in the womb is sure to make your heart race. The film builds up tension as it moves, culminating in a final showdown with Hastar, which is terrifying because it's soul-shattering. Most importantly, you care about Vinayek and his family, despite all the bad decisions they've made.
Tumbbad was one of the biggest surprises at this year's Fantastic Fest. With over 30 years of gripping stories of greed, an unforgettable monster and some truly beautiful cinematography, Tumbbad is not to be missed.
Tumbbad holds US premiere at Fantasti
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