History Film / TheMummy

[[redirect:TheMummy]]

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UniversalHorror presents us this 1932 film, which brought us [[TropeMaker the undead mummies]].

We open in Egypt (where else?), at a British excavation site. A mummy of high priest Imhotep (Creator/BorisKarloff) has been found and with it the scroll of Thoth, a key to bring back the dead. After one foolhardy assistant reads the scroll, the mummy comes alive, then proceeds to snatch the scroll and shamble away leaving the assistant [[GoMadFromTheRevelation a mess of mad laughter]].

Cut to ten years later, a mysterious man named Ardeth Bey assists archelogists in uncovering the tomb of Princess Anck-es-en-Amon. However, he doesn't do this out of kindness, as he has plans of his own...

The film was semi-remade in 1940 (''Film/TheMummysHand'', which itself spawned several sequels), 1959 (''The Mummy'', a [[HammerHorror Hammer]] production featuring ChristopherLee as the title creature, based more on the 1940 film than the 1932 original) and 1999 (''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'').

The Mummy, or Imhotep or Ardeth Bey, is one of the 8 Major Universal Monsters.

!!This film has the examples of:

* AncientEgypt: Featured comparatively briefly in Imhotep's vision of the past.
* AncientTomb: Princess Anck-es-en-Amon's tomb, but we never get to see inside it.
* BuriedAlive: Imhotep's punishment for the sacrilege of trying to bring the dead back to life.
* EvilSorcerer: Imhotep.
* EyeAwaken: When Whemple's assistant starts reading the translation of the scroll of Thoth, Imhotep opens his eyes slowly.
* {{Fainting}}: After failing to get inside the museum, Helen faints.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Whemple's assistant doesn't take it well when he sees Imhotep's shambling corpse.
-->"He went for a little walk! You should have seen his face! HAHAHAHA!"
* HatesBeingTouched: Imhotep.
* HaveAGayOldTime: When the archeologists are discussing what Imhotep could have done to be punished like he was, one of them suggests "Maybe he got too gay with the vestal virgins in the temple.''
* HaveWeMet: Imhotep says this to Helen when they meet, as he wants to know if she remembers anything from her past lives.
* KickTheDog: Helen and her German Shepherd go on a walk that ends up at Imhotep's house. The dog doesn't come back.
* LivingStatue: A statue guarding the scroll of Thoth comes alive to show its displeasure of Imhotep stealing it in the past.
* {{Mummy}}: Unlike the Mummies that appeared in the other Mummy films, Imhotep only appears as the archetypal shambling, bandaged corpse for a few minutes, and spends the rest of the film looking perfectly human.
* MurderTheHypotenuse: Imhotep attempts to do this to Frank.
* NoImmortalInertia: Imhotep decays into a pile of bones when Anck-es-en-Amon defeats him.
* ProtectiveCharm: The amulet of Isis, which protects its wearer from Imhotep's powers.
* {{Reincarnation}}: Helen is the reincarnation of Princess Anck-es-en-Amon.
* {{Reincarnation Romance}}: The female lead and title character are {{star crossed lovers}} from {{Ancient Egypt}}.
* SoftGlass: The glass containers of the museum are made of it.

We open in Egypt (where else?), at a British excavation site. A mummy of high priest Imhotep (BorisKarloff) has been found and with it the scroll of Thoth, a key to bring back the dead. After one foolhardy assistant reads the scroll, the mummy comes alive, then proceeds to snatch the scroll and shamble away leaving the assistant [[GoMadFromTheRevelation a mess of mad laughter]].

* {{Reincarnation Romance}}: The female lead and protagonist are {{star crossed lovers}} from {{Ancient Egypt}}.

The film was semi-remade in 1940 (''TheMummysHand'', which itself spawned several sequels), 1959 (''The Mummy'', a [[HammerHorror Hammer]] production featuring ChristopherLee as the title creature) and 1999 (''TheMummy'').

* AncientEgypt: When Helen visits Imhotep, he shows her a glimpse from the past.

* NoImmortalInertia: Imhotep turns into a skeleton when defeated.

* {{Mummy}}

We open in Egypt (where else?), at a British excavation site. A mummy of high priest Imhotep (BorisKarloff) has been found and alongside with it the scroll of Toth, a key to bring back dead. After one foolhardy assistant reads the scroll, the mummy comes alive, then proceeds to snatch the scroll and shamble away leaving the assistant [[GoMadFromTheRevelation a mess of mad laughter]].

* BuriedAlive: Imhotep's punishment for sacrilege of trying to bring dead back to life.
* EyeAwaken: When Whemple's assistant starts reading the translation of the scroll of Toth, Imhotep opens his eyes slowly.

* HaveWeMet: Imhotep says this Helen when they meet, as he wants to know if she remembers anything from her past lives.
* LivingStatue: A statue guarding the scroll of Toth comes alive to show its displeasure of Imhotep stealing it in the past.

The film was semi-remade in 1940 (''The Mummy's Hand'', which itself spawned several sequels), 1959 (''The Mummy'', a [[HammerHorror Hammer]] production featuring ChristopherLee as the title creature) and 1999 (''TheMummy'').