THE MUMMY (1959)

THE MUMMY (1959)

Tagline: Torn from the tomb to terrify the world!

(Horror, Adventure, The Benefits Of Being A Lookalike) [PG]

Note: The MPAA did not give this movie a rating, but it would likely be given a [PG]. Theatrically in the United States, the movie was released as a double feature with either THE BAT (1959) or CURSE OF THE UNDEAD (1959). 

Seems I've spent the better part of my life amongst the dead.

In this one, we are taken back to the 1890s when a team of archaeologists find the tomb of Princess Ananka. Angered by the desecration Mehemet Bey decides to bring Ananka’s high priest and forbidden lover back to life three years later hoping to exact horrifying revenge on the 3 most responsible for the heresy. 

First off, I am starting to realize that rather than having Christopher Lee actually act, Hammer Films is just giving him the Boris Karloff treatment. At least in the Hammer Films, I have seen so far. I am reluctant to say this movie is the best “Mummy” movie ever made. I am not certain of that, but this one you can certainly tell had the blessing of Universal Studios just looking at the character references and some of the plot.

I might be pretty naïve on these things, but the big thing I noticed in this movie was that the doors to get into Ananka’s tomb were wooden and virtually unworn. I would think that if you were going into a tomb like that you wouldn’t find perfected decorated, intact, fairly thin wooden doors. It seems like after thousands of years they would be pretty beat, but what do I know. Outside of the opening scenes though, everything in this actually looks pretty good. I will also say that the actual mummy in this movie is vastly superior to the Frankenstein monster design in THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. 

Acting wise Peter Cushing plays John Banning and does a solid job, but I think the best performance from him so far of the Hammer films I’ve watched was in THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Again, it’s hard to say how Christopher Lee did, because he plays the mummy and doesn’t have a single speaking line. Eddie Byrne does a solid job as Inspector Mulrooney but didn’t get enough lines in my opinion. Like Peter Cushing, Mulrooney was in STAR WARS as General Willard. I might not have mentioned this but even Christopher Lee has a STAR WARS tie playing Count Dooku in STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE. George Pastell plays what is basically a villain but does a fantastic job as Mehemet Bey. His other big claim to fame was the 007 movie FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The movie's lead actress is Yvonne Furneaux and she is pretty solid here. She would make a return to horror for the last movie of her career in the much-maligned FRANKENSTEIN'S GREAT AUNT TILLIE (some regard this movie as one of the worst films ever made). 

Pacing wise this movie is a bit slower than I had hoped. While to an extent I appreciated the flashback storytelling to cover the Ananka, mummy connection, I think this could have been covered in a blip at the beginning of the film and maybe we could have then had time for more action sequences. Having said that, getting some of the cool action sequences we did see was pretty great. I don’t want to give too much away, but the “spear through the mummy” sequence was gold. 

THE MUMMY is a solid 4 out of 7 for me. I would have liked to have seen a few things done differently, but overall this is an effective film with an outstanding score and superb performances.

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF HAMMER FILMS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. 

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