THE MUMMY-Special Edition-Universal Legacy Series(1932).
© Universal Pictures
Mania Grade: A+
DVD: The Mummy (Universal Legacy Series-1932)
Rating: Not Rated
Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan
Written By: John L. Balderston, Richard Schayer, Nina Wilcox Putnam
Directed By: Karl W. Freund
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Original Year of Release: Theatrical (1932), DVD (2008)
Extras: MUMMY DEAREST: A HORROR TRADITION UNEARTHED documentary, Multiple commentary tracks, posters and stills, trailers, HE WHO MADE THE MONSTERS: THE LIFE AND ART OF JACK PIERCE: A tribute to legendary make-up artist Jack Pierce, UNRAVELING THE LEGACY OF THE MUMMY, UNIVERSAL HORROR: documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, one free ticket to see The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Buy it now!
DVD: The Mummy (Universal Legacy Series-1932)
Rating: Not Rated
Starring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan
Written By: John L. Balderston, Richard Schayer, Nina Wilcox Putnam
Directed By: Karl W. Freund
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Original Year of Release: Theatrical (1932), DVD (2008)
Extras: MUMMY DEAREST: A HORROR TRADITION UNEARTHED documentary, Multiple commentary tracks, posters and stills, trailers, HE WHO MADE THE MONSTERS: THE LIFE AND ART OF JACK PIERCE: A tribute to legendary make-up artist Jack Pierce, UNRAVELING THE LEGACY OF THE MUMMY, UNIVERSAL HORROR: documentary, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, one free ticket to see The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Buy it now!
THE MUMMY (Universal Legacy Series-1932)
By: Robert T. TrateReview Date: Wednesday, July 09, 2008
For those of you that are too young to remember or haven’t discovered this classic, The Mummy is a tale about an Egyptian Priest that comes back to life to seek out his true love. Boris Karloff plays Im-ho-tep, a man whose secret desires were discovered 3,700 years ago and cursed to hell in both the world of the living and the dead. Revived by a few archeologists, he walks the Earth as the living dead and discovers that his love has been reincarnated. His pursuit of her and his obsession is the heart of this dark tale.
It is impossible to rate Boris Karloff’s The Mummy. The film is a classic, hands down. Not only will horror directors try to emulate it but make up artists as well. When Universal Studios re-released The Mummy on DVD back in the fall of 1999 it was to coincide with its Mummy remake starring Brendan Frasier. Back then the film was part of their Classic Monster Collection. Universal would release The Mummy again in 2004 only with every single sequel in a box set. Universal didn’t forget their other classics monsters and released them as The Legacy Collection.
With a third Brendan Frasier Mummy movie on the way, Universal has given Im-ho-tep (Karloff’s Mummy) the royal treatment it deserves. The Mummy Special Edition the Universal Legacy Series features only the 1932 classic and none of its sub par sequels. Their trailers are included and as short as they were I found it difficult to sit through even one. Those films are inconsequential and nothing more than a second picture attached to a better picture on a Saturday matinee.
The Mummy Special Edition the Universal Legacy Series DVD is not only Karl Freund’s directorial debut and horrific love story; it is a fountain of knowledge about the film. Universal Studios and those directly responsible for making the film immortal are interviewed, examined and studied in this two disc set. All of the history is revealed in two commentary tracks and four documentaries, many of which are longer than The Mummy itself.
The feature length commentary by Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steven Haberman, Bob Burns and Brent Armstrong gives great insight in to the film. We also get an overall perspective of Universal’s history of movie monsters, Karloff and where the horror genre has faulted since. Their conversation about the film is as good as any one of Jon Favreau’s Dinner for Five film discussions. Besides pointing out the occasional bad wig and pre-code amount of skin on screen they make an effort to mention director Karl Freund’s moving camera, unheard of at the time, along with an early instance of deep focus, something Orson Welles would later use in Citizen Kane. Historically they put into perspective that the economy of the time was the worst ever in the United States but the cinema would produce films that will stand the test of time. It is a testament to the all those involved that The Mummy still exists today and is a celebrated classic in a genre that at the time was looked down upon.
I have already revealed too much about The Mummy Special Edition the Universal Legacy Series DVD. It should be yours to discover. Both “Mummy Dearest”, hosted by Rudy Behlmer, and “He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce” have so many layers of history that as you unwrap them you’ll discover how overlooked and underappreciated both the film and make-up artist Jack Pierce were.
The Mummy is an essential DVD in your collection. Not as flashy as Frankenstein and Dracula, it is a true classic forged when Hollywood looked down on the genre. The Mummy helped shape the horror genre with its camera, style, story and make up. What makes this film a classic is that it will continue to do so for generations to come.
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