The Mummy

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This movie is excellent! It's not really scary but Boris Karloff's face is enough to creep anybody out. The story is very simple. Karloff plays the mummy Imhotep, who reawakens after a man reads a scroll in his tomb. He then sets his sights on Helen, who is the reincarnation of his former lover. He kills anyone who gets in the way of him seeing her. Rent this along with Dracula and Frankenstein for a night of black and white!

Rating:
Summary: KARLOFF AT HIS BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This is the classic chiller! Before the amazing visual effects of the 90's, Jack Pierce created the suttle but chilling make-up for Boris Karloff, way beyond his performance in FRANKENSTEIN, and THE BLACK CAT. Universal's most chilling character! The sequel's could have used Karloff.

Rating:
Summary: Re-mastered Version Better Than Ever
Review: This is a newly re-mastered video, with the original movie poster artwork on the sleeve (timed to the release of the 1999 "The Mummy.").

Rating:
Summary: Dream-like triumph!
Review: This ravishing, black and white, work of art from Hollywood of the early 30s grows more powerful with the passage of time. The whole impact is like watching a strange dream, helped by glorious photography, lighting, minamilist musical score and the knock-out performances by Lugosi and Zita Johann. Zita remembered hating director Karl Freund so passionately that she blacked out in one scene. Bramwell Fletcher knocks you out with the greatest mental breakdown ever filmed (with the exception of Ida Lupino going crazy on the witness stand in l941's They Drive By Night). This movie will haunt you forever. Dig the timeless fashions worn by Zita, especially in the black and white outfit she wears when dragging her big, white dog with her to visit the terrifying Ardeth Bey (Lugosi, who is actually the living corpse of her former lover thousands of years before in ancient Eygpt.)Great work by all. I don't know what Karl Freund did to Zita but he sure did get results.

Rating:
Summary: A Terrific Classic!
Review: Stylish, classic horror film with Karloff as resurrected high priest of ancient Egypt who seeks to reincarnate the mummy of his beloved princess from the body of young Zita Johann. Moody direction by cinematographer Karl Freund, brilliant performance from Karloff, plenty of creepy scenes that would give you the chills, and excellent makeup by the legendary Jack Pierce. A film that should be viewed over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Creepy classic
Review: A favorite of author Gore Vidal (see his book, "Screening History" for details), "The Mummy" remains one of the most imaginatively creepy classics from the golden age of horror. Karloff is superb in what is perhaps his best role, and Zita Johann is more than beautiful enough to justify Im-Ho-Tep's centuries long obsession with her. The makeup by the great Jack Pierce has never been equalled, and the atmosphere is simply chilling. Far superior to any sequels or remakes.

Rating:
Summary: Watch it!
Review: The greatest horror film of its era, hands down, and it puts today's slasher films to shame with its intelligence and atmosphere. Karloff is as wonderful as he was in "Frankenstein," but in a radically different role. Don't miss it!

Rating:
Summary: Best Boris Karloff movie...period.
Review: As with all the 1930's horror films this one is very atmospheric and even without the special effects of today Karloff in the dual role of Imhotep/Ardeth Bey is masterful. Zita Johann is also quite good as his many times reincarnated love interest Helen Grosvenor. With reference to the classic horror films of the 1930's in my books this one is tied for the #1 spot with the 1931 Dracula. This movie far better showcases the talents of Karloff than Frankenstein.

Rating:
Summary: I think Karloff makes a pretty good performance as Imhotep.
Review: This was not one of the best Universal monster flims I have seen. Boris Karloff's mummy is unlike the mummy that we know. The Mummy was one of the earliest Universal classic monster films ever made. It is an interesting film, but you have to watch this film a few times so you could totally understand it. However, Karloff is my favorite actor. I always like to see him star as the Frankenstein monster.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most unusual films ever made!
Review: In all of the history of cinema there has never been a movie quite like this one. Followed by four other Universal "mummy" movies (not counting ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY) that bear little resemblance to the original, this film stands out as an excellent example of early sound horror. But it is much more than that.

The story of a 3,200 year old Egyptian who is looking for the reincarnation of the true love of his life, it combines an incredible love story with enough goose bumps to frighten a ghost. It's power to scare is extremely subtle. But this is a character that is brought back to life against his will. He is forced to exist in a time other than his own. As the story unfolds the audience understands that the character's only choice while he is there is to search for his long lost mate. Because of that, the tale is both scary and sad.

The hypnotic appeal of the title character and story is due almost entirely to it's star. Anyone thinking that Boris Karloff could not have played Dracula need only watch this movie. The way the versatile actor uses his eyes and voice to seduce the beautiful Zita Johann (as his romantic interest) is not unlike the technique employed by many of the actors who have played the Count. Even the documentary on the DVD makes many comparisons between the two characters. And, as usual, Boris manages to inject many other dimensions into his characterization. There are not many images in cinema that are as powerful as that last glimpse of Karloff as he is about to be completely wrapped in the bandages that will seal his doom. The reawakening of Im-Ho-Tep at the beginning of the film is created without one note of music in the backround. You are riveted to the screen as you watch the character's eyes slowly open. A nail biting sequence if ever there was one. But nowhere is Mr. Karloff's performance more effective than in the flashback sequence. With his expressive eyes and face he makes you feel sympathy for his character as his beloved passes away. You get the feeling that Im-Ho-Tep will never be the same again.

Backed by a solid supporting cast headed by the beautiful Zita Johann as Helen Grovesnor, Karloff is in good company. Miss Johann and Boris' scenes are beautifully handled. And with Karloff's powerful but subdued acting, it's easy to see how she could be so completely and totally charmed. Edward Van Sloan does yeoman service in yet another older and wiser character who always seems to be giving out advise to the younger hero, in this film played by David Manners. Manners cuts a very appealing figure (as he did in DRACULA) as the hopeful but confused romantic lead. But the best supporting performance in the film belongs to Bramwell Fletcher. After having defied the curse by opening the casket containing the dreaded Scroll of Thoth, Boris reawakens after a long sleep to drive Fletcher's character completely insane. The disturbed laughter followed by the camera's pan to the exit as the trail of Karloff's bandages disappear through the door will be etched in your memory for a long time.

Cinematographer Karl Freund does well in his first credited job of director. Obviously his work in Germany with famous directors such as Fritz Lang (METROPOLIS, M), helped him to create an atmosphere that is most unusual indeed. There are frightening moments in this film to be sure, but they are no more effective than the moments of romance and adoration conveyed by Karloff and Zohann. Miss Zohann's performance is all the more astounding considering the fact that she didn't get along with Freund. The documentary and commentary paint a colorful picture of the nearly sadistic treatment Freund gave to his leading lady. It makes one understand a little better why Zohann didn't do many other films.

MCA has done a great job restoring yet another Universal classic for Digital Video Disc distribution. The film looks brand new. The images practically jump out of the screen at the viewer. The usual documentary, commentary and photo collection are welcome additions. The commentary is particularly interesting, but the typical (for these films) dry delivery once again mar the proceedings.

But, as in the other four classic Universal "monster" movies, it's the film itself that is the meat of the package. And THE MUMMY is one of the best of it's kind, regardless of how uncommon that kind may be. Thanks largely to Boris Karloff's performance and this DVD restoration of it the film will hopefully live on another 3,200 years! Or at least one can hope!