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The Mummy

The Mummy

List Price: $19.97
Your Price: $17.97
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "A perfect, old-fashioned mummy in living color, I love it!"
Review: Finally, we have a movie that is worth the name The Mummy (besides Stephen Sommers' 1999 remake of The Mummy)! This version was done very well, but it only got four stars because the legend explaining why Imhotep was mummified was too long and too boring, it didn't take Oded Fehr long to explain Imhotep in the the second newest Mummy film. Back to this movie. Anyway, the legend about Imhotep took about fifteen minutes of the movie away, but I really liked the guy as the Mummy, he was really creepy, and the scene where Imhotep (the Mummy) all of a sudden busted through those double doors and attacked that guy, that was pretty startling.

Another thing I would like to give this movie credit for is its humor. Those two drunk guys arguing about what man's best friend is, that was a hoot, or the part where that guy runs into the bar and says he saw the mummy and everyone says he's seeing little people. That's pretty much all that is funny, oh yeah, forgot something, the way the mummy walks....

The basic overall movie is hard to stay away from, and I was actually able to record this off of TV, so I don't need to buy it. But, I will recommend it, because it's a lot more entertaining than the original Mummy, and Imhotep stays a mummy the whole time, he never turns human or cleans himself up and puts clothes on, he stays a decated bandaged mummy the entire movie, so you don't have to worry about that.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Hmmmm, somethings not right
Review: great film, big hammer fan, but the viewer from france has hit the nail on the head.

I looked forward to this dvd and sure enough all seemed to be well, reviews praising the quality of the transfer but there was something nagging me... my memory for films is pretty good and there was something wrong, the image was 'odd' felt somehow compressed in some form. also, colours weren't as vibrant as i remembered them. Now on alot of films i can think of i couldn't care less but this is a hammer, the visuals in a good hammer are one of the primary attractions, composition and colours. It worried me all the way through the movie until it got to the scene i remember most vividly, when cushing confronts the controller of the mummy. I remember the depth of these shots from this scene, i remember the amazing tone of the colours, so as soon as it finished i got out my old, cheap vhs copy and sure enough, the differences were not all in my mind.

i don't know the technical terms for this, but seems the guy from france has. great movie, i am a hammer devotee, but i can't help thinking one of the best aspects of their films will not come through if warner brothers continues this method of transfer. Hound of the baskervilles is out soon, a film visually similar to the mummy, i hope they do a better job.

hate having to write reviews like this, but someone noticed the poor quality image of the fall of the house of usher as well and as i keep saying, the colours, the tones, the photography are not getting the treatment they deserve

if you have the anchor bay edition of the abominable snowman check out the peter cushing extras, there are amazing images from the hound of the baskervilles, cinema quality, be interesting to compare to the forthcoming WB release.

Again, sorry if i have put you off this movie, it really is great fun but i can't help feeling a bit disappointed

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Terrific Hammer turn on the Mummy legend
Review: Hammer Studios reached a new high with this excellent production of "The Mummy" which I feel is one of the best Mummy films made. Hammer had a way of adapting old horror stories and making them their own and that is certainly the case with this production.

Reuniting the famed team of actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee and director Terence Fisher who worked so well together in "Horror of Dracula" was a masterstroke and there were enough updates on the old Mummy saga to make for a most interesting and thrilling film here. The look of this production is top notch and has that typical beautiful look that Hammer always managed to bring to its films. The rich Hammer colour really adds exciting elements to the story and the Victorian flavour really gives the viewer a sense of where and when the story is taking place.

I agree totally with past reviewers about the different approach that is taken with the character of the Mummy in this film. Being used to the famous Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jnr versions this film comes as quite a shock in that Lee's interpretation reveals a far more active and aggressive mummy than has been seen previously. Indeed it is a far more scary character this time around with a total absense of the slow shuffling walk of the earlier mummies. This Mummy is taller and strides along at a fast pace. The scenes whereby the mummy breaks into the sanitorium and then later the Banning house to kill those that violated the tomb of the high Priestess Anaka are the most startling in the film and really add to the terror of the piece.

Full marks must of course got to the terrific Christopher Lee who handles here another quite difficult role where there is an absense of dialogue and where he must convey most of his emotions in body movements and feeling from his eyes. Lee makes for a scary and sinister mummy with just that hint of tragedy about him that makes us as the audience feel for him despite the fact of him being a killer. His dark , slimy appearance is also a major element in his overall impression of menace and is a dramatic contrast to the usual bandaged and dusty mummies of old. His scene where he rises from the eerie swamp after his arrival in England is one of the most memorable sequences in Hammer's horror history and is one of the most constantly revived photos in the horror genre. Peter Cushing, always such a total pleasure to watch, brings his usual excellence to the role of John Banning whos family is cursed by the Egyptian High Priest Mehemet Bey (George Pastell is a superb performance) for opening the tomb of Ananka. Yvonne Furneaux, an actress I know little about, is also excellent in the role of Isobel Banning, John's wife who happens to resemble the Princess Anaka. She is an incredibly beautiful woman and she brings just the right element of feminity and strength to her role. It's always a pleasure to also see Hammer regular Michael Ripper in a small role as a poacher who comes across the Mummy in the woods and is nearly scared to death. Ripper was an excellent character actor and lent his considerable talents to many of the Cushing /Lee collaborations.

As a previous reviewer did mention the studio look of the scenes at the excavation site and in the flash back sequences are disappointing however once the action moves back to Victorian England with a lot of location photography used the film is excellent and has everything going for it. The scenes in the foggy swamp areas have a real sinister and eerie feel to them and really add to the sense of drama apparent in the story. The flash back scenes to ancient Egyptian times are nevertheless very well researched and the scenes of the preparations for the burial and Lee's punishment for disturbing the tomb by having his tongue cut out are well handled and not for the squeamish.

Hammer's "The Mummy" starring those two talented men Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee is not to be missed and should be in the collection of every horror fan. Not only is it rich in telling a good horror story, it also displays very fine acting, a genuine care for the material at hand, and a precise attention to detail which was one of the hallmarks of Hammer films at their peek. Enjoy the thrills and horror of "The Mummy", you wont be disappointed!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: it was cool
Review: i liked how the mummy came back to lif

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I always get a shiver down my back when I see this movie.
Review: I love the Mummy movies, I just wish the old ones were more available. This Mummy movie is great, It rates up there with the best. Peter Cushing is at his best and Christopher Lee played a very spookey mummy. A must for all who love a classic movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Mummy's Tale...
Review: I saw this movie on TV when I was a child and I loved it! I adored the concept of the Mummy and I still think this is the best version of the movie ever.

Peter Cushing looks great as Professor Banning, he really makes the roll come to life, and as for his beautiful wife Isabell, she couldn't be more beautiful.

I love the scene when they go back in time and show the Princess Ananka being embalmed. It's so cheesy but oh-so-good at the same time.

The end is what really gets you. No matter how many times you see this movie, you will never forget Isabell's red dress and seeing the mummy sink into the swamp...but if it's with Isabell I won't say. :o)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the true classics of the Hammer period
Review: If you have never seen a version of "The Mummy", this one is the one you must choose. Except for the "Horror" part of the movie, the tale transports us briefly and through flashbacks into the magical, wonderful, and at times dreadful world of Ancient Egypt. It tells us of a hopeless love, between Karis, a High Priest and his Princess Ananka. When she dies, he commits the ultimate sacrilege and violates her tomb to bring her back to life. Unfortunately he is discovered and punished to be buried alive. He will be the silent, but deadly guardian to Ananka's tomb. This is just the premise. The way the entire narrative flows, the actors play and the tension rises while the Mummy is unleashed, make this the best version ever made. Karloff's version pales in comparison. Although scary, that version is very slow paced and does not really offer us the glorious insight in a world we know nothing about, except that it was colorful.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ancient Egypt vs 19th Century England!
Review: In 1959 Hammer Studios tackled one more of the Universal classics and this film blends the very best of all the Universal Mummy films and makes this one of the best Mummy films, ever, in my opinion. The talented team of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee once again grace the screen with Hammer's take on this legend and what a film! Moving at a much more accelerated pace than earlier versions of this story, this film barely allows the viewer to catch it's breath before we're whisked away to a new and even more exciting scene. Everthing works in this film, the acting, the directing, the sets and the music all come together to offer the viewer a completely enjoyable film that can be watched over and over, again. No longer a lumbering and slow *creature*, this Mummy is able to move quickly and with deadly accuracy, but the eyes of the Mummy are also able to tell of the pain and loss it has withstood. Christopher Lee gives an outstanding performance as The Mummy/Kharis and the final scene in the swamp is absolutely unforgettable. Peter Cushing is always a pleasure to watch in any film and this is a very good film for his talents. The supporting cast of, Yvonne Furneaux, Eddie Byrne, Felix Aylmer, George Pastell and Hammer stalwart, Michael Ripper make this a film not to be missed by any classic horror fan. If all you've seen are the Universal Mummy films from the *Golden Age* of horror or the new Universal Mummy films, then give this film an opportunity to entertain you, chances are, if you've not seen any Hammer films, you'll be seeking more of their titles out!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ancient Egypt vs 19th Century England!
Review: In 1959 Hammer Studios tackled one more of the Universal classics and this film blends the very best of all the Universal Mummy films and makes this one of the best Mummy films, ever, in my opinion. The talented team of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee once again grace the screen with Hammer's take on this legend and what a film! Moving at a much more accelerated pace than earlier versions of this story, this film barely allows the viewer to catch it's breath before we're whisked away to a new and even more exciting scene. Everthing works in this film, the acting, the directing, the sets and the music all come together to offer the viewer a completely enjoyable film that can be watched over and over, again. No longer a lumbering and slow *creature*, this Mummy is able to move quickly and with deadly accuracy, but the eyes of the Mummy are also able to tell of the pain and loss it has withstood. Christopher Lee gives an outstanding performance as The Mummy/Kharis and the final scene in the swamp is absolutely unforgettable. Peter Cushing is always a pleasure to watch in any film and this is a very good film for his talents. The supporting cast of, Yvonne Furneaux, Eddie Byrne, Felix Aylmer, George Pastell and Hammer stalwart, Michael Ripper make this a film not to be missed by any classic horror fan. If all you've seen are the Universal Mummy films from the *Golden Age* of horror or the new Universal Mummy films, then give this film an opportunity to entertain you, chances are, if you've not seen any Hammer films, you'll be seeking more of their titles out!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Warner totally destroyed the movie
Review: In overmatting Fisher's masterpiece, Warner totally destroyed the magnificent images created by Jack Asher. Furthermore, the colors of the pre-recorded VHS tapes sold in Great-Britain are much more vibrant and flamboyant, but it's the cretinous "wide-screening" of the image that totally ruins this DVD.


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