Review of The Mummy (1959) by Scott S — 03 Sep 2009
The Mummy (1959) -- [6.5] -- Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are paired up again for Hammer's third reinvention of a classic Universal monster. Christopher Lee's take on the rag man is a pretty good one.
He gives the character menace while also inviting empathy, and he does so without saying a word. The Mummy's backstory sequence is long and uninteresting, just as it is in the Boris Karloff version, but at least you actually get to see the title character in Hammer's version (which you barely get in Universal's).
As always with Hammer, the sets and photography are terrific, especially during the climax where Christopher Lee carries Yvonne Furneaux into the murky waters of a large, fantastic swamp -- one of the most beautiful scenes in any Hammer movie.
Like most Hammer flicks, it's not ambitious storytelling, but I love seeing the Brits throw everything they've got into a horror movie, especially at a time when Hollywood wouldn't dream of giving the genre this kind of production value.
This review of The Mummy (1959) was written by Scott S on 03 Sep 2009.
The Mummy has generally received positive reviews.
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