Barnes & Noble

Starring Boris Karloff in a legendary performance, the original Mummy is one of the most elegant, atmospheric horror films ever made. In subtle yet utterly convincing mummy makeup, Karloff is less a monster than a lovelorn wraith -- superbly sinister yet tragic. Mistaking an archeologist's fiancée (Zita Johann) for the woman he loved and lost thousands of years earlier, Karloff attempts to take her back to the grave with him -- literally. Karl Freund, the German cinematographer on such silent masterworks as Metropolis, directed The Mummy for Universal, displaying an Expressionist flair for dramatic lighting and striking camera angles. Made on a low budget, The Mummy creates a mood of pervasive, poetic creepiness, rather than out-and-out terror. The DVD version is close-captioned and includes production notes, commentary by film historian Paul M. Jenson, and an original documentary by David J. Skal, Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed. Kryssa Schemmerling

All Movie Guide

The Mummy represented Boris Karloff's second horror starring role after his "overnight" success in Frankenstein. Brought back to life after nearly 3,700 years, Egyptian high priest Imhotep wreaks havoc upon the members of the British field exposition that disturbed his tomb (shades of the King Tut curse). While disguised as a contemporary Egyptologist, he falls in love with Zita Johann, whom he recognizes as the latest incarnation of a priestess who died nearly 40 centures earlier. Spiriting Zita away to the tomb, he relates the story of how he had dared to enter her ancestor's sacred burial crypt, hoping to restore her to life. Caught in the act, he was embalmed alive and his tongue was cut out for his act of sacrilege. Now that he has returned, he intends to slay Zita, so that they will be reunited for all time in the Hereafter. Despite its melodramatic trappings, The Mummy is essentially a love story, poetically related by ace cinematographer and first-time director Karl Freund. Jack Pierce's justly celebrated makeup skills offers us two Karloffs: the wizened Egyptologist and the flaking, rotting mummy, who though only seen for a few seconds remains in the memory long after the film's final image has faded. Best line: "It went for a little walk." The Mummy was followed by four stock footage-laden sequels, none of which approached the power and poignancy of the original. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 025192032721
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: B&W
• Sound: Dolby Digital, monaural
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Français
• Time: 1:14:00
• Sales Rank: 3,509

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• The Mummy - The Legacy Collection

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