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The Mummy

Play trailer Poster for The Mummy 1932 1h 12m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
89% Tomatometer 47 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A team of British archaeologists led by Sir Joseph Whemple (Arthur Byron) discover the mummified remains of the ancient Egyptian prince Imhotep (Boris Karloff), along with the legendary scroll of Thoth. When one of the archaeologists recites the scroll aloud, Imhotep returns to life, but escapes. Several years later, Imhotep has taken on the guise of a wealthy man, as he searches Egypt for his lost love, who he believes has been reincarnated as the lovely Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann).
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The Mummy

The Mummy

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Critics Consensus

Relying more on mood and atmosphere than the thrills typical of modern horror fare, Universal's The Mummy sets a masterful template for mummy-themed films to follow.

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Critics Reviews

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SMH Staff Sydney Morning Herald 10/08/2020
One looks forward with vivid expectation to seeing how the centuries-dead creature will react to the sights and sounds of the present day. But the further the story goes, the more thoroughly it lapses into the worn-out hocus-pocus of melodrama. Go to Full Review
David Parkinson Empire Magazine 10/08/2020
4/5
As in Frankenstein, Karloff's ability to communicate through his makeup is vital to establishing his character, even in human form, it's clearly pain and not incarnate evil that dictates his actions. Go to Full Review
Keith Phipps AV Club 10/08/2020
An eerie, weirdly moving film about loneliness and the persistence of history. Go to Full Review
Carson Timar ClapperCast 10/31/2023
The film has worthwhile moments and strong performances but ultimately feels a bit lesser than the other Universal Monster films. It always feels like it is on the verge of being something great but it never reaches that. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/14/2023
3.5/4
It’s a shame that when audiences today hear the word “mummy” in relation to cinema, they think of that middling Brendan Fraser film and its imbecilic sequels (or, worse, that Godawful Dark Universe nonsense with Tom Cruise). This version is the real deal. Go to Full Review
Stephanie Archer Film Inquiry 02/08/2022
The Mummy remains a classic staple of horror and the mummy genre, transforming itself to the immortality of cinematic history. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Matthew Oct 28 It was worth every penny to see one of the classics that started our/my love of monster movies!!! Seeing a classic like this it gives a new appreciation for it. See more Justin T 3d The first 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes are fairly entertaining and engaging but the rest is pretty dull with nothing happening. It looks really beautiful, I just love the look of old films that have been well looked after. It also sounds okay for an older film. Shame that there is literally no story or character progression for half of the film. It’s really not as good as you think it should be but there is certainly some entertainment here. The spear thing is horrible which I wasn’t expecting. It’s not bad or good, all things balanced it’s below average. See more Ennard F Nov 27 This movie, for me, is one of the best movies that have to do with Egypt See more Kevin P Oct 18 The one that started it all with an interesting take on the Mummy genre that it kickstarted. The titular Mummy is only in its iconic bandages for a fraction of the movie. For most of the runtime, we see the Mummy resurrected in the flesh and disguised amongst the mortal living. The Mummy Imhotep is played brilliantly by Boris Karloff, who plays it very differently than his equally famous role as Frankenstein's Monster. Here, Karloff speaks very eloquently and quietly, in an almost hypnotic commanding tone as he uses ancient magic to get what he wants rather than brute force. Like that cool magic pool of his that can control others or bear witness to the past. The film is admittedly a little hokey at times. Particularly with the main two leads and their rushed corny romance. But it's nice that the mostly passive role of the hypnotized woman gets to defeat the monster at the end with the help of the goddess Isis. The set design and costuming great classic Egyptian imagery. The film has great mood with its excellent dark contrasting shadows and light work. It gives the film a creepy edge and makes Imhotep look really imposing whenever he’s onscreen. While this isn’t my personal favorite of the Universal monster movies, it's still very intriguing with its mystery elements and I appreciate it trying to stand out from the rest. See more Richard W Oct 15 One of the movies which saved Universal Studios from the depression! Great film!! See more James B @James_B May 2 I thought it was quite boring if anything and I know it's a classic and had a massive impact on the horror genre but it did have great effects for it's time. See more Read all reviews
The Mummy

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The Mummy

The Mummy: Official Clip - Buried Alive For Love The Mummy: Official Clip - Buried Alive For Love 3:00 The Mummy: Official Clip - Too Weak to Fight It The Mummy: Official Clip - Too Weak to Fight It 2:59 The Mummy: Official Clip - Save Me, Frank The Mummy: Official Clip - Save Me, Frank 2:04 The Mummy: Official Clip - A Mummy Once More The Mummy: Official Clip - A Mummy Once More 2:46 The Mummy: Official Clip - Death to Sir Joseph The Mummy: Official Clip - Death to Sir Joseph 2:49 The Mummy: Official Clip - The Mummy Rises The Mummy: Official Clip - The Mummy Rises 2:23 The Mummy: Official Clip - I Want to Live The Mummy: Official Clip - I Want to Live 2:52 The Mummy: Official Clip - Helen's Trance The Mummy: Official Clip - Helen's Trance 2:27 The Mummy: Official Clip - Caught Doing An Unholy Thing The Mummy: Official Clip - Caught Doing An Unholy Thing 2:46 The Mummy: Official Clip - An Uncanny Recognition The Mummy: Official Clip - An Uncanny Recognition 3:00 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A team of British archaeologists led by Sir Joseph Whemple (Arthur Byron) discover the mummified remains of the ancient Egyptian prince Imhotep (Boris Karloff), along with the legendary scroll of Thoth. When one of the archaeologists recites the scroll aloud, Imhotep returns to life, but escapes. Several years later, Imhotep has taken on the guise of a wealthy man, as he searches Egypt for his lost love, who he believes has been reincarnated as the lovely Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann).
Director
Karl Freund
Producer
Carl Laemmle Jr.
Screenwriter
Nina Wilcox Putnam, Richard Schayer, John L. Balderston
Distributor
MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Screen Gems, Universal Studios Inc., Universal Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Realart Pictures Inc.
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 22, 1932, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Runtime
1h 12m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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