The Mummy (1959)

THE MUMMY was one of the major A-productions from the burgeoning Hammer Studios. Flush with the huge success of their remakes of the equally classic Universal horror films, FRANKENSTEIN and Dracula, Hammer turned their attention to another famous monster of the 1930s - The Mummy.

In this instance, the colour remake was with the agreement of Universal, so Hammer were able to call their mummy "Kharis", but the resemblance pretty much ended there. Gone was Karloff's suave, persuasive undead mummy impersonating a living being and in was the marauding, destructive beast as portrayed by Christopher Lee.

At this point in his career, Lee was prepared to trust the Hammer bosses and appear in another non-speaking role. And to be honest, Lee wasn't given much to do as Kharis, except maraud and scowl a little. But he did it well.

Compared to later films like PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, which I also saw recently, the production values of THE MUMMY mark it as a lavish, big-budget affair. The Egyptian sets are lush and convincing. The acting is focused and terse, especially from the always delightful Peter Cushing. Lee is great in his Egyptian High Priest role. And there's excellent support from character players like Michael Ripper and Raymond Huntley.

THE MUMMY, along with (HORROR OF) Dracula and CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (and to a lesser extent CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF), is one of the key movies of the Hammer canon. Next time it shows up on cable or satellite, make sure you catch it.. You won't regret it.

Fmovies: Ignoring warnings, a team of British archaeologists open the tomb of Egyptian Princess Ananka and set loose the mummy Kharis (Christopher Lee). Several years later back in England, Kharis is killing off the expedition leaders. When he comes for archaeologist John Banning (Peter Cushing), Kharis sees that Banning's wife Isobel (Yvonne Furneaux) bears a striking resemblance to his lost love Ananka.

Another classic Hammer updating of one of Universal's famous monsters. This is not a remake of the 1932 Mummy film, but rather based on the 1940s series of Mummy films featuring Kharis. As with those films, the emphasis is on a mummy who is controlled into going after these tomb raiders and killing them. The best of Hammer is here with Cushing, Lee, director Terence Fisher, and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster. Just a fun horror movie with no pretensions at being anything other than entertaining.

Director Terence Fisher and crew at Hammer Films revives life in the MUMMY. Horrific color and a much livelier and threatening wrapped menace is the modern slant on the 1930's original.

Boris Karloff was almost mystic in the title role decades ago. Stealing some of his thunder is Christopher Lee. Lee is down right wicked and relentless. And in his own way, just as scary as Karloff.

Peter Cushing brings a double whammy to this movie. More shakes and shivers. Also in the cast are Yvonne Furneaux, George Pastell, Raymond Huntley, David Browning and Michael Ripper.

What a way to spend a rainy night. Curl up with this and the original. Yikes!

The Mummy fmovies. This was the best of all the "Mummy" movies ever made. It was crafted with the finesse so lacking today. Regrettably, it the sort of film most likely to be dismissed, because it wasn't made in the 1930's or recent times.

Lee's Kharis was incredible, and very scary, esp. with his first appearance.

Great movie. All the characters were very well cast and directed. This had the same quality as the previous two Hammer remakes, on Frankenstein, and Dracula.

Unfortunately, what would follow in the years to come would not have the same quality.

The Mummy capped off an impressive initial run of horror movies from Hammer Studios. Believe it or not, it was mostly downhill from here; the company's subsequent efforts tended to be tackier and cheesier. But the "big three" (Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy) are all solid horror flicks with, oddly enough, some of the most crisp and colorful photography I've ever seen.

There are some weaknesses here, though. The Egypt flashback waffles on for quite a while, and then we get ANOTHER flashback when Banning Sr. resurrects the mummy. However, the beginning and ending are well-paced and exciting, so most sins are forgiven. Lee's Mummy is spectacular; he's goddamn huge, and it's very impressive to watch him crashing through doors and French windows, absorbing shotgun blasts as if they were pinpricks (I hear Lee actually got injured several times making this movie; I can't say I'm surprised!)

My favorite scene is the ideological debate between the Egyptian badguy (a very cool performance by George Pastell) and Peter Cushing's snooty archaeologist character. Their heated exchange adds a bit of texture to the story and even makes me sympathetic to the villain's POV. However, subtext goes out the window again for the violent final confrontation.

On a side note, the exceedingly brilliant BBC show Doctor Who practically remade this movie twice. The episode "Tomb of the Cybermen" features Pastell as a guest star in a story involving an ill-fated archaeological dig, and "Pyramids of Mars" once again pits a hapless poacher against killer mummies. Just thought I'd mention it.

In1895, in Egypt, the British archaeologists John Banning (Peter Cushing), his father Stephen Banning (Felix Aylmer) and his uncle Joseph Whemple (Raymond Huntley) discover the tomb of Princess Ananka (Yvonne Furneaux). Stephen finds inside the tomb The Scroll of Life and reads it, awaking The Mummy of Anaka's keeper and former lover Kharis (Christopher Lee). He has a heart attack and goes insane. The Egyptian Mehemet Bey (George Pastell) that worships Ananka steals the scroll and controls The Mummy. Three years later, in England, Stephen is an intern in a mental institution and John has married his fiancée Isobel. However the fanatic Mehemet decides to use The Scroll of Life to revenge those that have desecrated Anaka's tomb. The Mummy attacks Stephen and Joseph; however, when The Mummy attacks John, Isobel that resembles Ananka saves her husband. But will she be saved from The Mummy?

"The Mummy" is another great horror movie by Hammer directed by Terence Fisher. The remake of the 1932 Universal's "The Mummy" is creepier, with the dirty bandages since he has fallen off into the bog. In addition, the beauty of Yvonne Furneaux is impressive as well the lack of chemistry with Peter Cushing. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Múmia" ("The Mummy")

Note: On 24 Nov 2018, I saw this film again.