Stars:
Peter Cushing, Yvonne Furneaux, and Christopher Lee
Writer:
Jimmy Sangster
Director:
Terrence Fisher
Feature
length: 88 minutes
Extras:
Theatrical Trailer
Languages:
English and French Language Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and French, Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Snap Case
Chapter
Stops: 25
Sound:
Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1959/DVD Release: 2001
Theatrical
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Home
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Released
on DVD-Video last year from Warner Brothers, I could not resist accompanying my
DVD reviews of Warner Home Video’s “The Curse Of Frankenstein” and
“Horror Of Dracula” without including a DVD review of the 1959 Hammer
Technicolor theatrical dramatization of “The Mummy.” Once again Christopher
Lee gives considerable presence as the tormented Kharis, an ancient Egyptian
priest given a horrible punishment for acts of passion that went against the
will of the gods and their servants. In Hammer’s version of “The Mummy” we
do not get some guy lumbering around in white bandages, but instead we get a
moldy and decrepit looking creature that is nearly unstoppable when he is
controlled by an acolyte bent on making sure that those who desecrated the tomb
are mortally punished. Lee may seem slow upon first appearances, but this Mummy
can move with ferocious strength. Peter Cushing is the last in the line of
archeologists who are called upon in Victorian England by the bandaged avenger.
In
some ways one can feel sympathy for Lee’s Mummy because he is a victim of
star-crossed love and is called upon service in part by force and in part out of
love for his Princess Ananka, who has Victorian counterpart with an uncanny
resemblance. The film has a rich
look to it especially during the Egyptian flashback scenes that reveal how the
tragedy occurred in the first place. The final scenes in the bog are among the
most memorable and the makeup is excellent. “The Mummy” was the third Hammer
feature following “The Curse Of
Frankenstein,” and “Horror Of Dracula”
to be released by Warner Brothers and was a huge box office success in 1959.
Presented
in a matted anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) aspect ratio, the presentation,
except for a few scratches here and there, is truly beautiful to behold on DVD.
Like the other Hammer DVD releases from Warner Home Video, a very impressive and
clear English Monaural Soundtrack is included along with a French Language
Monaural Soundtrack and English Captions and Closed Captions and French Language
Subtitles encoded on to the DVD as options.
A
cast and crew list and the theatrical trailer are the only other features
included on this DVD release. The menus are standard interactive still frames
that are easy to navigate. “The Mummy” is available now on DVD-Video along
with “The Curse Of Frankenstein” and “Horror Of Dracula” sold separately
from Warner Home Video.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.