The Mummy (1959) Dir: Terence Fisher

Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPwISjhjHpX/?igsh=Yzh6MnNxc21ocHR2

My first positive experience with Hammer horrors, that of 'Dracula', led me to explore more of their filmography, beginning with this 1959 creature feature, which was once more directed by Terence Fisher, who had also helmed the aforementioned vampire film. This version of the story isn't quite as highly rated as some of Fisher's other works, but it still intrigued me greatly. I love classic horror, and Fisher is a renowned name in that world.

Something these Hammer produced horrors seemed to have in abundance was a selection of wonderfully refined costumes, and some really good quality painted backgrounds. I can't fault the general aesthetic of the film, that's for sure. Admittedly, however, some of the costumes have aged quite poorly, mainly surrounding the Egyptian characters. This seemed inevitable, considering the film's age, but was still slightly awkward to see.

Unfortunately, the writing wasn't quite as compelling as I had hoped. The characters didn't compel me all that much, and, worse, the film had what can only be described as pedestrian pacing. This was particularly apparent during the second act exposition dump; a slow and laborious flashback sequence that could have been told through one or two lines of dialogue. The action sequences were by far the best parts of the film, and were very exciting, but it took a little effort to cope with the sagging middle.

Peter Cushing turned in a typically excellent and professional performance in the film's starring role. His ability to compel and lead in just about any role he plays is becoming evermore apparent to me. I enjoyed his performance a great deal, particularly when it came to his action scenes, which, while simple, were very well acted out. The more I see of his work, the more I can understand why Cushing not only appeared, but starred, in so many of these films.

Christopher Lee had very few lines, and, flashback sequence aside, didn't need to do much at all in order to portray the film's titular monster. He did, however, do what was required very well, and even found a way to provide some truly excellent storytelling through just his eyes. The supporting cast had two really solid stand outs in Yvonne Furneaux and Eddie Byrne, as well as two slightly less notable, but still noteworthy cast members in Felix Aylmer and Raymond Huntley.

Overall, although this film did suffer quite substantially from a fairly significant pacing issue in the middle portion of the film, I still enjoyed the two book-ending portions a lot. Even so, the aforementioned second act did hamper my enjoyment of the film as a whole, and made it a little more challenging to work through than I had anticipated. With that said, it's still fairly good, especially for fans of classic horror films, particularly under the esteemed Hammer name.