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. . . FROM THE VAULT
Movie Re-Views
By Nelly Bly, Citizen-Dispatch
"THE MUMMY"
Starring Boris Karloff
Universal, 1932
So you think you've seen The Mummy? Well, maybe you
have seen the two action adventure, wide-screen epic
extravaganzas. But moviegoers' love affair with this
story originally began back in 1932 with a film very
loosely based on the sensational discovery of the tomb
of Tutankhamen in 1922.
The leading man (or monster)
was Boris Karloff, one of Universal Studios' hottest
new stars who had been "discovered" after playing the
monster in Frankenstein (1931.) The film owes much
of its mysterious, visual richness to its director, Karl Freund, who had first made a name for himself
as a cinematographer. In fact, he was "praised
as the "Giotto of the screen."
We start out in the Egypt of 1921 on the site of an
archeological expedition. The searchers get more than
they ever bargained for when they find the mummy of
Imhotep, a high priest, and an alabaster box
containing the scroll of Thoth.
Ignoring the warning
of "Death-Eternal punishment for anyone who opens
this casket," one of the lads reads the inscriptions
on the scroll out loud and the mummy of Imhotep comes
back to life!
Fast forward eleven years and the archeologists are
visited by an Egyptian scholar, Ardath Bey, who offers
to lead them to the tomb of Princess Anck-es-en-Amon.
Her mummy and priceless funerary artifacts are found
and taken to the Cairo Museum. Turns out that Ardath
Bey is really the resurrected Imhotep who was buried
alive for the sacrilege of using the scroll of Thoth
to bring his sweetheart (Princess Anck-es-en-Amon)
back from the dead.
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The Mummy's princess has been
reincarnated as Helen Grosvenor, a 20th century woman
with both English and Egyptian blood. Here is where
things get even more interesting as Ardath Bey/Imhotep
naturally would like Helen/Anck-es-en-Amon to join him
in eternity. Unfortunately, the young 20th century
man that Helen has fallen in love with doesn't like
that idea. But we can sympathize. How can any
guy who loves a girl for 3700 years be all bad?
Don't expect a 21st century horror movie here. For
one thing, the acting is more polished than that of
the manufactured Hollywood stars making the millions per
picture these days. Boris Karloff and Zita Johann
deliver beautifully nuanced, soulful performances and
are well supported by Edward van Sloan, David Manners
and Bramwell Fletcher. Karloff's 3700-year-old mummy
took Universal's makeup ace, Jack Pierce, eight hours
to achieve. Compare his meticulous work with similar
effects today which take numerous shortcuts. Try it
and you will not be disappointed. The Mummy has a
dreamy, poetic quality that will haunt you long after
the final reel.
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