During a 1921 archaeological dig, the expedition members discover a sarcophagus in an unmarked grave. It in fact contains the mommy of priest Im-Ho-Tep (Boris Karloff), who was buried alive 3,700 years ago as a punishment for attempting to bring a vestal virgin he loved back to life. Returned to life, Tep adopts the garb of a modern Egyptian and goes in search of his former love, echoes of whose physical form he finds in expedition member Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann).
Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan
Directed by: Karl Freund
Runtime: 73 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
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It’s a while ago now but I can still recall a time when I would have refused to watch a black and white film. I wrongly assumed all the films from Hollywood’s earliest decades would be vastly inferior to the modern flicks but I’m please to say time gives one new perspectives. The classic horror films are ones I am eager to experience. Lugosi and Karloff I had had no affiliation with until the opportunity came along to try The Mummy, featuring the legendary Mr Karloff himself.
Those that have seen The Mummy (1999) will find some similarities here, indeed that modern film owes a lot to Karloff’s. The film focuses on Imhotep (Boris Karloff) who is mummified at the outset but is resurrected by a group of foolish archaeologists. They have discovered Imhotep’s tomb and along with the mummified body there is the Scroll of Thoth which one fool reads aloud and revives Imhotep. The mommy walks away with the scroll in tow and leaves one archaeologist behind laughing uncontrollably. The film quickly moves on ten years where archaeologists are approached by the mysterious Ardath Bey who gives them clues about some lucrative places to dig. When the archaeologists unearth the tomb of Princess Ankh-es-en-amon fame and glory await but of Ardath Bey?
It was a pleasure to finally see the great Boris Karloff in action. There isn’t much movement from him at the outset being mummified and all but he soon gets going when one of the archaeologists manages to revive him. The mommy disappears into the night with the Scroll of Thoth and a burning desire to complete a ritual from centuries before. We’re soon moving on ten years where Ardath Bey is eager to share secrets of Egypt with opportunist archaeologists and when they unearth some rare treasures and take them to the Cairo Museum, Ardath Bey is eager for an audience with these ancient relics but what is he up to?
I did enjoy The Mummy I’ll be honest with you. Yes, it looks pretty old but so would you on your eightieth anniversary. For a horror film this isn’t overly scary though Karloff manages to convey the malevolence of Imhotep well and makes for a great lead. I’ll certainly be sampling more of Karloff’s work in future as well as Lugosi.
The Mummy won’t give you nightmares but it’s still worth watching to see how horror was handled at the dawn of Hollywood. Karloff is a movie legend today and his performance here offers an insight into his striking presence on screen. The Mummy isn’t Karloff’s most famous work but for an eighty year old horror film I think this is still pretty good.
Verdict: 3/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: The Mummy | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
