MovieChat Forums > The Mummy (1959) Discussion > The Best Mummy?

The Best Mummy?

posted 20 years ago by elionwy18
28 replies | jump to latest

Personally, I think this is the best Mummy, better than Mr. Boris Karloff's and certainly better than the recent ones. If you want scary, the way Christopher Lee's mummy just smashes through glass and cold-bloodedly murders the old archaelogist in the sound-proof room is completely terrifying. And yet, like Frankenstein's monster, Mr. Lee's Mummy is so very sympathetic, especially during the flashback when you see him alive. The way he says those lines, with such deep feeling in them "for she is more beautiful...", and the pain in his eyes every time he looks at the dead princess are truly moving. And, of course, when he sees the wife of the archaelogist Peter Cushing plays, his eyes immediately soften and he gets that longing look back in them. He's brilliant, absolutely brilliant, as is this film, a true gem of horror movies.

[–] rarema 19 years ago

This is my favourite mummy film as well - indeed one of my favourite movies of all time.

Still, when some writer described the film as "fast moving pulp", he wasn't too much off the mark!

[–] Dan_Nad_Harris_sirrah 19 years ago

I am so buying thiS!

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[–] onnanob2 16 years ago

I know you actually asked which one is best, but I thought I'd just mention this version is my favorite.

[–] crankenstyne 18 years ago

I liked this better than the Universal mummy pictures as well. My only complaint is the colors. Although the overly-saturated colors work well for Hammer's Dracula and Frankenstein movies, I don't think the colors in The Mummy worked so well. I didn't get the feeling of desert heat at all.. it seemed more like tropical. To me the Egypt scenes just didn't look 'hot' enough, and the Ananka's tomb scenes just didn't look 4000 years old.

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[–] bushrodII 18 years ago

The speed, size, destructive violence and apparent imperviousness to weaponry of Lee's Mummy are the most impressive and terrifying aspects of this film; he really does seem unstoppable. Yes, that scene of Lee's creature breaking into the asylum and murdering old Felix Aylmer IS positivly terrifying as the previous poster noted. And Michael Ripper's half comic but altogether horrified look while hiding in the bushes as the Mummy walks by was a priceless sort of Everyman reaction. You and I would most probably wear the same expression after viewing such an apperition as that!

[–] hammerfan1 18 years ago

I agree that this is the best Mummy movie. It also boasts the best ending that Hammer ever did. The color and cinematography make this one of the best looking horror films of all time.

[–] Slainmonkey 18 years ago

It definately was the Best Mummy film...the mummy make was brilliant, Christopher Lee was brillent as he portrayed Karis as an unrelenting juggernaut that smashed though door and windows and you also feel sympathy for him as he is merely a pawn and you could see the suffering in his eyes, Cushing was great as always....while some of the sets came off a little fake and while the plot is solid it was simple bust here are very easy to over look because it's such a high water mark of 50's monster films and another key example of the talents of director Terrence Fisher.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] sdavmor 18 years ago

I just got hold of this gem, having last seen it in B&W on TV as a boy in the mid 60s. Truly one of the very best of the Hammer horror films. And, as others have observed, this may indeed be the best of the "mummy" pictures.

[–] marcolm 15 years ago

Agree with all of the above. This is the best Mummy film in spite of the mis-use of "Karnak".

[–] jameshughes-1 18 years ago

I just purchased this movie in a triple hammer horror box set along with the original Dracula from 1958 and also Frankenstein.. this is the most atmospheric Mummy film made without a doubt , the murder scenes must have really sent a chill down the spine back in the late 50s.

[–] YelBard1 18 years ago

oh yes this is the best mummy film ever i also liked "the mummy's shroud"

[–] runforthesun 17 years ago

I know I'm all alone in this, but my favorite Mummy is The Mummy's Hand. The real villain in that one is George Zucco, and he's pretty unbeatable. Like the Cushing-Lee one alot though.

[–] vesa_karppinen-1 16 years ago

This is definetely the best Mummy film of them all. I saw this movie as a kid (back when finnish TV was showing Hammer classics on summer nights) the scene in which Christopher Lee rises from the swamp scared the living daylights out of me.

[–] Xcalat3 16 years ago

I really liked this one and the Karloff one I think they are equally good

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