I sincerely recommend that everyone watch a movie from this era every once in a while. It is quite spectacular to see how movies have changed but to also see how much of this era is still visible in the movies of today. The Mummy is, in many ways, a great foray into the movies of the olden days, as well as into the horror genre and its early days.
So far, I have seen Dracula and Frankenstein out of the old Universal Monsters films. Both were better than The Mummy. However, this film still has a lot to offer and has a lot of good things going for it. The best part, by far, is the incredible performance by Boris Karloff. If it weren't for his captivating performance, this movie would be nowhere near as good as it is. The slow and deliberate movements, the carefully chosen words, and that piercing stare he has, make The Mummy a worthwhile watch almost on their own. However, that is not the only good thing. If you happen to be a fan of ancient Egyptian mythology (as I am), this film will be right up your alley. Those themes are heavily covered, as they should be, and really bring an added level of intrigue to the film.
The biggest problem with The Mummy is the lack of tension. Unfortunately the movie never quite manages to create any of it and as such, even the fairly short run time of 73 minutes, does, at times, feel quite long. Another problem I found, is the lack of any scary elements. Although it is an old film, 88 years old to be precise, I would've liked to have seen a bit more horror in it. I think that both Dracula and Frankenstein managed this better. Indeed, the scariest part of this movie is the laughter of Bramwell Fletcher in the very beginning. Also, worth mentioning, is the lack of the actual creature that we would call 'The Mummy'. Apart from one scene in the first minutes of the movie, our linen-wrapped friend is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps, if the actual monster itself had had a bigger part, or the movie had managed to a bit more frightening or tense, The Mummy might very well be one of the best in the Universal Monsters series. As it stands, though, it is still a fine film if you are looking to enter a completely different world and era of film. Or if you are simply looking to see how the horror genre began.
So far, I have seen Dracula and Frankenstein out of the old Universal Monsters films. Both were better than The Mummy. However, this film still has a lot to offer and has a lot of good things going for it. The best part, by far, is the incredible performance by Boris Karloff. If it weren't for his captivating performance, this movie would be nowhere near as good as it is. The slow and deliberate movements, the carefully chosen words, and that piercing stare he has, make The Mummy a worthwhile watch almost on their own. However, that is not the only good thing. If you happen to be a fan of ancient Egyptian mythology (as I am), this film will be right up your alley. Those themes are heavily covered, as they should be, and really bring an added level of intrigue to the film.
The biggest problem with The Mummy is the lack of tension. Unfortunately the movie never quite manages to create any of it and as such, even the fairly short run time of 73 minutes, does, at times, feel quite long. Another problem I found, is the lack of any scary elements. Although it is an old film, 88 years old to be precise, I would've liked to have seen a bit more horror in it. I think that both Dracula and Frankenstein managed this better. Indeed, the scariest part of this movie is the laughter of Bramwell Fletcher in the very beginning. Also, worth mentioning, is the lack of the actual creature that we would call 'The Mummy'. Apart from one scene in the first minutes of the movie, our linen-wrapped friend is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps, if the actual monster itself had had a bigger part, or the movie had managed to a bit more frightening or tense, The Mummy might very well be one of the best in the Universal Monsters series. As it stands, though, it is still a fine film if you are looking to enter a completely different world and era of film. Or if you are simply looking to see how the horror genre began.