Import Corner (?) - Das Geheimnis Des Grabmals Am Nil aka The Tomb (1986) (Retromedia) Blu-ray Review + 1080p Screenshots + Packaging Shots

Fans have been begging Fred Olen Ray for a Blu-ray (hell, even a DVD at this point) and he has delivered, giving us this "German Import" with decent enough picture but lossless sound.

Studio: Retromedia
Release Date: October 31st, 1986 (theatrical) / April 14th, 2026 (blu-ray)
Run Time: 1 hour 23 minutes 58 seconds
Region Code: FREE

Disc Count: 1 (BD-R 25)
Picture: 1080p (1.78:1 aspect ratio)
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Subtitles: No
Slipcover: No
Starring: Cameron Mitchell, John Carradine, Sybil Danning, Michelle Bauer, David Pearson, George Hoth

Written by Kenneth Hall, T.L. Lankford

Directed by Fred Olen Ray
Rating:

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Poster

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What's It About?

Abenteuer und Grabruder John Banning plundert gemeinsam mit seinem Gefahrten Alan und einem einheimischen Fuhrer das karge Grab der agyplischen Hohepriesterin Nefratis. Diese hatte zu Lebzeiten magische Krafte erlangt, indem sie das "Blut der Lebenden" trank. Dafür wurde sie pauter bestraft und lebendig eingemauert. Die Gruppe erweckt durch ihre Freveltat die Priesterin zum Leben, die neben dem Führer auch Alan sofort totet, während John die Flucht mit einigen wertvollen Fundstücken gelingt. Die Nerfatis lusst John zunachst entkommen schwart jedoch, ihn bald aufzusuchen und die Storung zu rachen. (Taken from the back of the box)

Adventurer and grave robber John Banning, together with his companion Alan and a local guide, plunders the desolate tomb of the Egyptian High Priestess Nefratis. During her lifetime, she had acquired magical powers by drinking the "Blood of the Living." For this transgression, she was later punished by being walled up alive. Through their sacrilegious act, the group reawakens the priestess; she immediately kills both the guide and Alan, while John manages to escape with several valuable artifacts. Endowed with superhuman powers, Nefratis initially allows John to flee, yet vows to track him down soon and exact vengeance for the intrusion. (Taken from Makeflix.com)

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Video/Audio

THE TOMB is the most requested film from Fred Olen Ray (not officially but it has to be given this release is an "import") and he has finally answered the call (hopefully, this means ARMED RESPONSE is coming soon) with this "German import". This means that the quality of the release could be up in the air. We all wondered if the picture and sound would be good or if it be just a VHS transfer.

Ok. So here’s the deal: this is a problematic presentation. First, the aspect ratio is weird. The film was shot in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and it looks like Retromedia was trying to present the film in that way, but somewhere along the way, the top black bar was deleted. I mean, I don’t have any info on this but that’s what it looks like. The bottom has a black bar at the bottom like any film presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, but the top looks like a film with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I will say that it wasn’t immediately noticeable. It took a minute or two before I noticed it. It’s a weird thing I have never seen before.

Second, this is not the greatest transfer in the world. It looks like a DVD. A dated DVD. There are times when it looks like we are getting something in the HD realm and then other times where the picture quality drops. You can tell this many times throughout the film. Look at the third screenshot with three characters entering a cave. There is a bush to the right of the cave that looks straight out of a budget DVD.

Now, look at the screenshot with the close-up of Cameron Mitchell. Looks like HD to me. This is how the whole film is. It was a bit distracting at first but I got used to it because this is probably the only release we will ever see of THE TOMB. I can look past a lot of stuff because sometimes things can't be perfect. This is one release I don't think will ever happen again. I really hope I am wrong.

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Extras/Packaging

Trailer (Vorschau) (54s, SD, 1.33:1)

The film is divided into 13 chapters

Packaging is your basic Retromedia packaging. You get some really nice art on the front cover, although I wish they had gone with the original poster art but I know why they didn't.

Inside you will find a postcard with a photo of Michelle Bauer in black lingerie. The disc art is the same as the front cover.

The disc is REGION FREE

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Overall

It’s Fred Olen Ray’s take on Indiana Jones. It’s clear that Ray only had enough budget to only have the opening scenes resemble an Indiana Jones film while the rest of the film takes place in L.A. The opening scenes are very well shot and are exciting. The film loses a bit of steam when the films come to L.A. because that wasn’t the film we were promised. I’ll tell you this though: I don’t care all that much. I am still watching a Fred Olen Ray film. All of his 80s and 90s stuff has a feel to it that other films released during this time don’t have. He shoots very fast (apparently, the film was shot in 13 days) but the quality is still there. There are plenty of other directors who can’t work with smaller budgets but Ray takes every opportunity to give the film a "bigger than it cost” look. He knows how to use his budgets to their fullest. Here, he gives us as much adventure stuff he could and it works. The L.A. stuff is still good. We get to see some of the seedier spots of L.A. and that is always welcome. This is also a film that features a many cameos by names kids like me would come to recognise: John Carradine, Cameron Mitchell, and Sybil Danning. Every one of these actors get one of two scenes (Mitchell actually has the bigger part). Many of these actors would appear in future Fred Olen Ray films. Once you see these actors in this film, you will see them in a ton more films. THE TOMB is an entertaining piece of 80s cheese and needs to be seen.

I have to hand it to Retromedia. They have exceeded by very, very low expectations. We get the film with a decent, incredibly dated transfer with lossless sound. The only extra is the film's theatrical trailer. I love that this film finally has a disc release and I hope, given the massive success (it sold out within the first 24 hours with more coming back into stock soon (as of 4/16/2026)), we get a bigger release with special features and a pressed disc. I highly doubt it will happen but you never know. This is must own for Fred Olen Ray fans, 80s schlock fans, and Indiana Jones rip-off fans.

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Extras/Menus