The Mummy's Curse

This was the fifth and last of the original series. We find the undead Mummy, Kharis (Lon Chaney Jr.) in the Louisiana swampland, how he got there from Egypt is weakly explained away as American archeologists accidently looking for Princess Ananka, instead finding the Mummy. Since this is horror, it's no big deal.

The problem is the whole thing looks like something Universal wanted to put out fast and cheap and be done with. The acting is wooden, with bad Cajun accents. Nothing really stands out. The only wrinkle is Ananka's anthropomorphism. The poor girl is being stalked by jealous boyfriend Kharis, so she hides out with the mortals, amazing everyone with her knowledge of Egyptology! In fact, Kharis isn't the worst villain; that honor belongs to the High Priest's acolyte, who becomes drunk with power upon learning the history of the Mummy and the elixir that are tana leaves. There is a positive though: the 63 minute running time.

"The Mummy's Curse" was the fifth and final installment of Universal's mummy series and the third to star Lon Chaney as Kharis.

At the close of the previous film, "The Mummy's Ghost" Kharis and the reincarnated Princess Ananka are seen descending into a swamp located in New England. As this film opens we find out that they have magically been transported to the Louisiana bayous. Anyway, it seems that a certain swamp is about to be drained and the locals fear that the ancient mummy will be dredged up. As luck would have it, he is.

Dr. James Halsey (Dennis Moore) along with colleague Dr. Ilzer Zandaab (Peter Coe) have come to the area to recover the two mummies for a museum. Dr. Zandaab turns out to be the latest in along line of Egyptian High Priests charged with returning Kharis and Ananka to Egypt. Zandaab along with assistant Raghab (Martin Kosleck) revives Kharis (Chaney) in an old abandoned church and instructs him to find the Princess Ananka and to kill anyone who gets in his way. This he does.

Meanwhile Ananka (Virginia Christine) climbs out of the bayou and wanders aimlessly through the countryside. She is befriended and taken in by the locals. Eventually Kharis finds her and takes her back to Zantaab and.......

The film features a flashback sequence lifted in tact from "The Mummy's Hand" (1940) which itself was largely made up from footage taken from "The Mummy" (1932). In this sequence we see Tom Tyler as the unbandaged Kharis. The slim and muscular Tyler bore little resemblance to the heavier Chaney.

Watch for two veterans of the silent screen, William Farnum and Charlie Stevens in minor roles.

The Mummy was resurrected briefly for 1955's "Abbott & Costello Meet The Mummy".

There is still life in this curse, barely. The premise has ran its course. Too many familiar scenes and the thrill is just hanging on. This although is still creepy to watch and fun for a rainy night. The living mummy Kharis(Lon Chaney Jr)now seeks his lost love(Virginia Christine) in the bayous of Louisiana. Also notable are Kurt Katch and Jackie Lou Harding. A "mummy" fan's must.

This entry in the "Mummy series" is unlike all the others, but that's what makes it interesting!

One of THE most interesting sequences in this film is when the Princess awakens in the bog (due to the sunlight), and slowly rises to her feet, totally covered with mud, and staggers to town. A very dramatic scene!

This fourth and final movie in the original "The Mummy" franchise picks up from where the last one ended but despite being made the very same year has recast our leading lady which is a damn shame.

It tells the story of our mummy once against being brought back to seek out his reincarnated lost love. This time however after the events of the last film she is suffering from amnesia and every one in her life is in terrible danger.

Oddly the quality of this franchise in regards to cinematography has been inconsistent and this is one of the worst. Combine that with some hammy performances and yet again the movie cannot rise above being distinctly average stuff.

Despite all this the entire franchise has had a certain charm, but I think 4 movies were sufficient especially considering how similiar they all are.

A fitting finale.

The Good:

Carries on the story nicely

The Bad:

Timelines of the series make no sense

Cinematography has dipped

Recasting

Much of the plot is confusing

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Everyone who wears a Fez is evil

Amnesiacs are a great source of free labour

I can't take a character seriously if they're wearing a safari hat!