Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The Mummy (1959)


 ☆ ☆ ☆

The Mummy (1959) – T. Fisher

I agree with those who have noted that the 1932 Boris Karloff version of The Mummy is superior to this Hammer remake. The plot has been varied a bit, giving Christopher Lee as Kharis, the guardian of Princess Ananka’s tomb (aka The Mummy), less to do, as he only appears in flashback or in muddy bandages rather than in modern dress as Karloff did. Instead, George Pastell plays the worshipper who organises for the Mummy to attack and kill the three members of the archaeologist team that desecrated the tomb, including Peter Cushing. Yvonne Furneaux plays Cushing’s wife, who resembles Ananka (though there is no suggestion that she her reincarnated form). As per usual, Hammer does a nice job with the sets and costumes but there is no sense that the original film has been advanced upon here. Still, it’s fun for an escape.

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