La momia

Far superior to the Brendan Fraser version, which relies too heavily on sterile computerized special FX. Comparing it to the classic 1932 Boris Karloff version, as so many people are doing, I feel is unfair. Karloff is not seen much in bandaged form choking people, but instead, in the Ardeth Bay persona. The Hammer Mummy has a lot more in common with the four Mummy movies Universal made in the 40's, (bandaged mummy chokes people out, the high priest out for revenge, etc.), and while those movies are fun, they don't compare to this one. Simply put, Tom Tyler and Lon Chaney, Jr. are not given the chance to pantomime with as much emotion as Christopher Lee, (kind of ironic when you consider the latter's father was the king of pantomime). Through all of the muddy bandages, there are still glimpses of human expression in Lee's eyes.

Beautiful color and well paced, I highly recommend this movie..............

England's Hammer Studios existed primarily as a distributor--until the low budget 1955 THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT suddenly put the studio on the map. Sensing an untapped market, Hammer began to develop similar titles and by the early 1960s developed a style that mixed Victorian sets and costumes with bouffant hairstyles, bared breasts, and lots of blood. The films were largely responsible for jolting the horror genre back to life on both sides of the Atlantic, as popular in the United States as they were in England.

Released in 1959, THE MUMMY was among Hammer's earliest color films and helped lay out the visual style that come to dominate "Hammer Horror" for more than a decade. Drawing from Universal's 1932 THE MUMMY and 1940 THE MUMMY'S HAND, it opens with a band of Victorian-era archaeologists in Egypt, where they discover the lost tomb of Princess Ananka--and in the process unleash a mummy cursed to guard her throughout eternity. It is a curse that follows the men back to England, where they are stalked to their deaths one by one.

Director Terence Fisher and cinematographer Jack Asher worked a number of Hammer films, including the earlier HORROR OF Dracula and REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Although some of the lighting may give you pause--judging from all the backlighting and colored filters it would seem the ancient Egyptians had mood lighting installed in their tombs--their efforts result in a series of truly arresting visuals; in their hands, bright color is no obstacle to moodiness. The cast plays it out extremely well, with the lovely Yvonne Furneaux a classic Hammer beauty, Peter Cushing as her archaeologist husband, and (yes, the posture and bearing really is unmistakable) Christopher Lee under wraps for the title role.

The DVD contains no extras beyond the original trailer, and although the transfer is not pristine it is nonetheless very good indeed. Hammer Horror may not save the world, but it is often a lot of fun--and THE MUMMY is easily among the studio's best. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

The Mummy is the Rodney Dangerfield of classic monsters -- he gets no respect. But Hammer's sumptuous, beautifully filmed and acted treatment is as good as your going to find. It is also the most detailed mummy film around, with the recreation of its Egyptian tomb gorgeous and authentic. Christopher Lee is little short of brilliant in the thankless title role, actually managing to giving a compelling and at times touching performance through only his eyes and body language. Peter Cushing is superb as always (and was it a deliberate decision to make his character's lameness a wry twist on the fact that Kharis the mummy was always lame in the old Universal movies?), as is Hammer semi-regular George Pastell in the stereotypical mummy-controller-in-the-fez part. The supporting cast is also classier than usual for Hammer: Sir Felix Aylmer as Cushing's father is wonderful, aging amazingly convincingly and establishing himself as one of the great gibberers of the cinema; while Raymond Huntley is solid as Cushing's sensible uncle (and as London's first stage Dracula, one wonders what conversations he must have had on the set with Lee). Hammer regular Michael Ripper also has one of his best parts as a sodden eyewitness to the mummy's activities. Director Terrence Fisher (another Rodney Dangerfield) contributes many memorable touches, though probably none so effective as the agonizing sloooooooowwwwness with which the stone door of the secret chamber concealing the cursed Kharis closes, which emphasizes the horrific agony of living burial. Everything in this film works, and some elements, such as the photography and the excellent music score, exceed even Hammer's usually high standards. "The Mummy" might be the British studio's best film. It is certainly one of their best.

The Mummy capped off an impressive initial run of horror movies from Hammer Studios. Believe it or not, it was mostly downhill from here; the company's subsequent efforts tended to be tackier and cheesier. But the "big three" (Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy) are all solid horror flicks with, oddly enough, some of the most crisp and colorful photography I've ever seen.

There are some weaknesses here, though. The Egypt flashback waffles on for quite a while, and then we get ANOTHER flashback when Banning Sr. resurrects the mummy. However, the beginning and ending are well-paced and exciting, so most sins are forgiven. Lee's Mummy is spectacular; he's goddamn huge, and it's very impressive to watch him crashing through doors and French windows, absorbing shotgun blasts as if they were pinpricks (I hear Lee actually got injured several times making this movie; I can't say I'm surprised!)

My favorite scene is the ideological debate between the Egyptian badguy (a very cool performance by George Pastell) and Peter Cushing's snooty archaeologist character. Their heated exchange adds a bit of texture to the story and even makes me sympathetic to the villain's POV. However, subtext goes out the window again for the violent final confrontation.

On a side note, the exceedingly brilliant BBC show Doctor Who practically remade this movie twice. The episode "Tomb of the Cybermen" features Pastell as a guest star in a story involving an ill-fated archaeological dig, and "Pyramids of Mars" once again pits a hapless poacher against killer mummies. Just thought I'd mention it.

Archeologists seeking lost tomb of Egyptian princess when a mummy is revived after thousand of years . An ancient Egyptian mummy is awakened from his centuries-old sleep when a royal tomb is desecrated . The very deadly mummy (Christopher Lee) takes avenge on some archaeologist (Felix Aylmer and his son played by Peter Cushing) who desecrated the tomb of his beloved princess (Ivonne Furneaux in double role ) . They go back to England and those consequences , to everyone's regret . The mummy slipping into English swamps where soon strangling people , meanwhile a Police Inspector(Eddie Byrnes) is investigating the strange deeds . However , the mummy attacks and suddenly stops when believes Furneaux is reincarnation of ancient sweet heart .

Horror Hammer classic with effective atmosphere , sense of awe and wonder along with fine performances . Entertaining blend of thrills , chills , drama and action . Remarkable makeup and eerie scenes make it chilling and frightening . Peter Cushing is terrifying as obstinate archaeologist who is attacked by the mummy incarnated by Christopher Lee holding a heavy makeup. Colorful and atmospheric cinematography by usual Hammer cameraman Jack Asher . The motion picture is well directed by Terence Fisher . Rating : Better than average , it's high-power entertaining . Superb atmosphere , flavorful music , make this one of the best terror movies from Hammer , using intelligence and interesting dialogue rather than guts and blood to horrify its audience . In spite of its age this all time classic has lost none of its qualities. It's followed by ¨Mummy's shroud¨(1967) also produced by Hammer Films, directed by John Gilling with Andre Morell and Elizabeth Sellars.

Other pictures about Mummy character are the following : the Universal classic (1933)¨The mummy¨ by Karl Freund with Boris Karloff and David Manners , that ahead many follow-ups as sequels as ¨¨Mummy's hand (1940) with Dick Foran and Cecil Kallaway . And modern updating full of computer generator FX as ¨The mummy¨(1999) by Stephen Sommers with Brendan Fraser , Rachel Weisz , John Hanna and ¨Mummy returns¨with similar players.