Horror

The Mummy

- Torn from the tomb to terrify the world!

One by one the archaeologists who discover the 4,000-year-old tomb of Princess Ananka are brutally murdered. Kharis, high priest in Egypt 40 centuries ago, has been brought to life by the power of the ancient gods and his sole purpose is to destroy those responsible for the desecration of the sacred tomb. But Isobel, wife of one of the explorers, resembles the beautiful princess, forcing the speechless and tormented monster to defy commands and abduct Isobel to an unknown fate.

Release Date : 1959-08-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Hammer Film Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John Banning

Original Name : Peter Cushing

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kharis, the Mummy

Original Name : Christopher Lee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Isobel Banning / Princess Ananka

Original Name : Yvonne Furneaux

Gender : Female

Character Name : Inspector Mulrooney

Original Name : Eddie Byrne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stephen Banning

Original Name : Felix Aylmer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joseph Whemple

Original Name : Raymond Huntley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mehemet Bey

Original Name : George Pastell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Poacher

Original Name : Michael Ripper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Constable

Original Name : George Woodbridge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pat

Original Name : Harold Goodwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mike

Original Name : Denis Shaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irish Customer

Original Name : Gerald Lawson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Reilly

Original Name : Willoughby Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coroner

Original Name : John Stuart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Sergeant

Original Name : David Browning

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bill

Original Name : Frank Sieman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Attendant

Original Name : Stanley Meadows

Gender : Male

Character Name : Head Porter

Original Name : Frank Singuineau

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Gorgeous & Creepy Hammer Horror Winner. Hammer Film Productions rework some of the classic Universal Studios mummy material to great effect. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is not a remake of the seminal 1932 movie of the same name. Starring Peter Cushing (John Banning), Christopher Lee (Kharis/The Mummy), Raymond Huntley (Joseph Whemple) and Yvonne Furneaux (Isobel Banning/Princess Ananka), the film is written by Jimmy Sangster and was filmed at Bray & Shepperton Studios in England and is photographed in Eastman Color. I mention the latter because Eastman Color has a different hue to it, something that makes this movie all the more affecting as a horror piece. The plot sees three archaeologists (Stephen & John Banning & Joseph Whemple) desecrate the tomb of Egyptian Princess Ananka. This awakens Kharis, Ananka's blasphemous lover who was buried alive for his unlawful deeds. Taken from the tomb to London by Egyptian priest Mehemet Bey (George Pastell), the three archaeologists find they are being hunted down by the vengeful Kharis. The only salvation may come in the form of Isobel Banning who bears a striking resemblance to Princess Ananka. This Mummy is adroitly directed by Fisher, his choreography for the action scenes is stunning. Lee's incarnation as the mouldy bandaged one is swifter than most, thus Fisher has him stalking around Victorian England one minute, then the next he's crashing thru doors or windows with brute strength - with murder his (its) only goal. It's a top performance from Lee as he really throws himself into the role, with his dead eyes ominously peering out from gauze swathed sockets sending those little shivers running down the spine. Technically the film belies the budget restrictions that was a staple of Hammer productions. The sets are very impressive with the Egyptian tomb set original and authentic looking, and the swamp based set-up nicely constructed. The latter of which provides two genuine horror classic moments, as first we see the Mummy for the first time as he rises from a foul bubbling bog, and then for the dramatic swampy finale. It's also atmospherically filmed by Fisher, with Jack Asher's photography utilising the Eastman Color to give off a weird elegiac beauty. This is not about gore, Fisher and the makers wanted to thrive on atmospherics and implication, something they achieve with great rewards. The Mummy would prove to be very successful in Britain and abroad, thus ensuring Hammer would dig up more Mummy's for further screen outings, none of which came close to capturing the look and feel of this first makeover. Crisply put together and with another in the line of great Christopher Lee monster characterisations, this Mummy is essential viewing for the creature feature horror fan. 8/10

Nutshell

@nutshell

2021-06-23

While falling a bit short of the earlier Frankenstein and Dracula "reboots" from Hammer, this one is still quite good, again due to the talents of Fisher, Cushing, and Lee. It's story, while borrowing many elements from the 1940s Universal sequels, is quite good and this is probably the best version of the Kharis character ever filmed. Christopher Lee's interpretation brings an aggressive, monstrous, and emoting mummy, not the slow, lumbering version of the 1940s (apologies to Lon Chaney). A first rate offering from Hammer.