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strangenstein	The Mummy	Lead	[-]
Oct 2 09 4:54 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I hadn't seen this one in several years, so I decided the time was right last night. What better way to kick off another October than with a mummy movie! I'll admit up front, that while I love the later Universal Kharis mummy films, this original usually leaves me feeling a little cold. The opening scenes, with Karloff's resurrection, are excellent. (You gotta love his eyes, slowly opening.....brrrrrrrr). But once the bandages are off, the film begins to lose steam, at least for me. I still enjoy it, though, and Karloff is in top form throughout. Any thoughts? Strangenstein
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The Batman of Gotham		#1	[-]
Oct 2 09 5:23 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That just about sums up my feelings about it. 'Seems like THE MUMMY is a movie you either love or feel indifferent toward. We all know that THE MUMMY pretty much follows the blueprint established by DRACULA ( focuses a bit more on the romance angle, though ) but it also seems to duplicate ( even surpasses ) the faults of the earlier film - it has a GREAT opening sequence, then becomes rather pedestrian. - GJS
paleoguy		#2	[-]
Oct 2 09 8:08 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I disagree. I think THE MUMMY is brilliant, and certainly highly superior to DRACULA. It is actually my third favorite Universal horror movie, after BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and FRANKENSTEIN, respectively. I've never understood why so many fans are down on this eerie, mesmerizing, and poetic film. To each his/her own, I suppose. At each viewing THE MUMMY never fails to draw me in, and it contains, so I believe, one of Karloff's grandest performances, and Pierce's second greatest make-up ever. Martin
Wich2		#3	[-]
Oct 2 09 9:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	What paleo said. I guess if you're looking for a more serial-style Monster Movie, ala the Kharis series, this isn't the one. But if you crave mood, drama, and a little more steak than sizzle, it's Imhotep all the way. One of the very greatest Early Talkie horror films. -Craig
pinkfloyd95209		#4	[-]
Oct 2 09 11:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I Actually Enjoy The Original More Now Than When I Was A Kid. My First Mummy Movie That I Ever Saw Was THE MUMMY'S GHOST. Then It Was The Original Mummy Afterwards. After Karloff Came To Life, I Expected His Mummy To Go On A Rampage Like Kharis And Was Very Disappointed When Karloff Reappeared As IM-HO-TEP. Now I Have A Better Appreciation For The Karloff Version.
Python	The Mummy	#5	[-]
Oct 3 09 12:08 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Mummy definitely gets better with repeat viewings. While it's not my favorite of the classic monster titles, I've grown to appreciate the mood and hypnotic tone that it maintains. I can relate to the other monsterkids that saw this early on and felt cheated out of some nifty murders and mayhem. We got that with all of the sequels. As a more "mature" viewer (nice way of saying older), I think my expectations aren't there anymore. I know what I'm getting and what I'm not getting after all these years. I allow myself to sit back and enjoy it for all the right reasons - and not simply because it's a classic and I'm supposed to love it. I say give it another shot if you haven't seen it in a while.
Joe Karlosi		#6	[-]
Oct 3 09 5:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Batman of Gotham wrote: That just about sums up my feelings about it. 'Seems like THE MUMMY is a movie you either love or feel indifferent toward. We all know that THE MUMMY pretty much follows the blueprint established by DRACULA ( focuses a bit more on the romance angle, though ) but it also seems to duplicate ( even surpasses ) the faults of the earlier film - it has a GREAT opening sequence, then becomes rather pedestrian. - GJS That's still how I feel about it myself after re-watching it a couple dozen times in 40 years. And it's not just because the bandages come off; for me it's that it just becomes dull.
The Batman of Gotham		#7	[-]
Oct 3 09 6:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe Karlosi wrote: The Batman of Gotham wrote: That just about sums up my feelings about it. 'Seems like THE MUMMY is a movie you either love or feel indifferent toward. We all know that THE MUMMY pretty much follows the blueprint established by DRACULA ( focuses a bit more on the romance angle, though ) but it also seems to duplicate ( even surpasses ) the faults of the earlier film - it has a GREAT opening sequence, then becomes rather pedestrian. - GJS That's still how I feel about it myself after re-watching it a couple dozen times in 40 years. And it's not just because the bandages come off; for me it's that it just becomes dull. Python wrote: I can relate to the other monsterkids that saw this early on and felt cheated out of some nifty murders and mayhem. We got that with all of the sequels. As a more "mature" viewer (nice way of saying older), I think my expectations aren't there anymore. I know what I'm getting and what I'm not getting after all these years. I allow myself to sit back and enjoy it for all the right reasons Python's comments about "feeling cheated" are certainly apropo. But, even after all these years - from a more mature vantage point and realizing what I'm in for from the get go - I still find the film deadly dull. You know what did seem to help me a little bit, though, was to read the novelization by Carl Dreadstone ( Ramsey Campbell ) first and then watch it again. I appreciated the movie a little more after that... But, the movie on it's own merits just never quite lives up to my expectations. - GJS
GAKENSTEIN		#8	[-]
Oct 3 09 9:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	THE MUMMY is a masterpiece of mood and morbidity. I suppose it comes up short if you're a "Monsterkid" looking for gooey monster makeup throughout. It's probably Karloff's finest performance after FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE. And I think this stuff about it being a remake of Dracula is hogwash. Okay, a monster has the hots for a pretty gal and pursues her and her loverboy and allies thwart the goon's efforts. That's the basic plot of a lotta monster/horror flicks. Dracula travels overseas to get his girl and to spread his curse/disease, whereas the Mummy is brought to life and wreaks love-fueled havoc. Where's THE MUMMY's Renfield?? Carfax Abbey?? Where's DRACULA's reincarnation theme?? And, there ain't no armadillos in Imhotep's crib! MUMMY = DRACULA...pffft! "Supernatural perhaps...baloney, perhaps not!"
Joe Karlosi		#9	[-]
Oct 4 09 5:46 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	GAKENSTEIN wrote: THE MUMMY is a masterpiece of mood and morbidity. I suppose it comes up short if you're a "Monsterkid" looking for gooey monster makeup throughout. It's probably Karloff's finest performance after FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE. And I think this stuff about it being a remake of Dracula is hogwash. I just tried THE MUMMY again last night for the umpteenth time. I still thought Karloff was very good and believable as a frail, centuries-old mummy. And I still thought that opening sequence was excellent and packed a whallop. But unfortunately, I was also still bored and squirmed during the rest of the picture. I don't agree with your charge of it "coming up short if you're a monsterkid because there's no gooey makeup throughout"... I just find it a chore and a bore. There's no gooey makeups throughout films like THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE BLACK CAT, or DRACULA, and I think they're all better than the overrated MUMMY. To give you an idea of how much I feel THE MUMMY is a bore, I even think DRACULA is slightly more tolerable in the pacing department, and that's saying something. And I understand what people mean when they say THE MUMMY is a remake of DRACULA. They're talking about its structure, and it is similar, IMO.
HerbertFlay		#10	[-]
Oct 4 09 1:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Dracula is far superior in every way. I think The Mummy is dull, dull, dull. The very worst of the early Universals.
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The Batman of Gotham		#11	[-]
Oct 4 09 1:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe Karlosi wrote: I don't agree with your charge of it "coming up short if you're a monsterkid because there's no gooey makeup throughout"... I just find it a chore and a bore. There's no gooey makeups throughout films like THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE BLACK CAT, or DRACULA, and I think they're all better than the overrated MUMMY. BIG DITTOS - GJS
zook		#12	[-]
Oct 4 09 3:30 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe Karlosi wrote: GAKENSTEIN wrote: THE MUMMY is a masterpiece of mood and morbidity. I suppose it comes up short if you're a "Monsterkid" looking for gooey monster makeup throughout. It's probably Karloff's finest performance after FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE. And I think this stuff about it being a remake of Dracula is hogwash. I just tried THE MUMMY again last night for the umpteenth time. I still thought Karloff was very good and believable as a frail, centuries-old mummy. And I still thought that opening sequence was excellent and packed a whallop. But unfortunately, I was also still bored and squirmed during the rest of the picture. I don't agree with your charge of it "coming up short if you're a monsterkid because there's no gooey makeup throughout"... I just find it a chore and a bore. There's no gooey makeups throughout films like THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE BLACK CAT, or DRACULA, and I think they're all better than the overrated MUMMY. To give you an idea of how much I feel THE MUMMY is a bore, I even think DRACULA is slightly more tolerable in the pacing department, and that's saying something. And I understand what people mean when they say THE MUMMY is a remake of DRACULA. They're talking about its structure, and it is similar, IMO. Mr. Karlosi, could you explain what it is about the Mummy that bores you, or why you consider it overrated? You liked Karloff so it must have been either the rest of the cast you don't like or the story in general. Can you explain?
Marshall Crist		#13	[-]
Oct 4 09 3:47 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	strangenstein wrote: But once the bandages are off, the film begins to lose steam, at least for me. AGREED, but why do the Kharis movies get so heavily dissed, then? No atmosphere? Chubby mummy is badass!
SteveZodiak		#14	[-]
Oct 4 09 11:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The leading lady kill it for me. Today is only Yesterday's Tomorrow.
DonM435		#15	[-]
Oct 5 09 12:32 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	HerbertFlay wrote: Dracula is far superior in every way. I think The Mummy is dull, dull, dull. The very worst of the early Universals. I'd almost precisely reverse your assessment of those two titles.
Wich2		#16	[-]
Oct 5 09 10:34 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Have to second Don here. Both films have terrific lead performances; but beyond that - pace, cutting, script, music, etc. - MUMMY is more successful as a film. -Craig
GAKENSTEIN		#17	[-]
Oct 5 09 9:32 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Have to second Don here. Both films have terrific lead performances; but beyond that - pace, cutting, script, music, etc. - MUMMY is more successful as a film. Amen to that! DRACULA is slipshod in comparison to THE MUMMY. "Supernatural perhaps...baloney, perhaps not!"
DonM435		#18	[-]
Oct 5 09 10:11 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I always considered Universal's "Big Four" to be Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and Bride of Frankenstein. Just after that, things like The Black Cat, Dracula's Daughter, Werewolf of London and The Wolf Man. Browning's Dracula is somewhere near the top of the lower half, a few steps behind Melford's film. Both Draculas suffer from the same flaws, staginess and missed opportunities, but I think that Melford and Company really tried harder to rise above that. Other than Frye and Lugosi, historical significance is all that the Browning pic has going for it. Strictly my opinion, of course!
Friend Z		#19	[-]
Oct 5 09 10:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	As a kid, I thought it was dull. As an adult, it's more fun to watch, but I'd still prefer to see Kharis tear up the joint!
Ted Newsom		#20	[-]
Oct 6 09 12:10 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	If one has to explain why THE MUMMY is hypnotically boring, fergit it. Yep, that first sequence is neat. Then... as my old pal Tim would say... time for the Fez.
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