Directed by Karl Freund — Starring Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan

An ancient Egyptian priest is brought back to life and sets out to reunite with the princess he loved thousands of years earlier.

Next up in my Halloween series covering the classic Universal monster movies is The Mummy.

This is another one I’d never actually watched. I love the Brendan Fraser Mummy movies, so it was fun to finally see the original and discover how much the 1999 version borrowed from it. We still have Imhotep, an ancient curse, and the desire to resurrect an Egyptian princess. The basic ingredients are all here.

One thing that immediately struck me was how incredible Karloff looks when we first see him. The makeup is fantastic. His face is gaunt and disturbing, and there’s something genuinely terrifying about the way he slowly comes to life. It’s an incredible introduction to the character.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to spend much time with that version of the Mummy. Imhotep soon takes on a more human appearance and becomes something closer to a low-rent Dracula, using his powers and influence to pursue the woman he believes is the reincarnation of his lost love.

I was hoping for a little more old-school monster horror, but the movie spends much of its time on the romantic and supernatural elements. There are some interesting ideas here, and it’s fun to recognize the pieces that would eventually find their way into future versions of this character, but I found the whole thing a little slow and, honestly, a little boring.

Karloff is great, and that initial appearance is something else. I just wish the movie had given us more of the monster we were introduced to.

Verdict: Cursed