I was streaming the Girl, That’s Scary! podcast the other day, listening to their thoughts on Universal’s The Mummy and all the films in the series, and hosts Jazz and Kat said something I can totally resonate with: no matter what channel it happens to be playing on, any time the 1999 Mummy comes on, they watch it. And it got me thinking: they’re totally right! The Mummy is one of those movies that never fails to impress me, and one that I unfortunately tend to forget about, but definitely stan.
Chances are, when you hear the words “The Mummy,” you’re not going to think about the almost 90-year old Universal Classic starring Boris Karloff. Even Gen Z-ers will think of Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz racing grave robbers and a very angry undead high priest to get to the rumored lost city Hamunaptra to find the Book of the Dead. Heck, nowadays we probably even think of The Rock’s stint of a terrible CGI Scorpion King before the black and white original. But it’s obvious to see why: 1999’s The Mummy is an extraordinary retelling of a tired classic.
Before there were serious talks of a resurgence of Universal’s Dark Universe, there were a series of films that were a precursor to the revival, The Mummy being one such movie. Part Indiana Jones-type action adventure, part tried-and-true Universal spook fest, The Mummy had the makings of a perfect movie. Everything from casting to cinematography to effects and story were executed to a tee. We still followed the main storyline of Imhotep attempting to resurrect his beloved Anck-su-namun via the Book of the Dead, but this time with the added flair of graverobbers, action sequences, and a major up in scare factor. All of the stories we heard about ancient Egyptian curses had come to life on screen. Dark magic, flesh-eating scarab beetles, and a freaking awesome reanimating corpse all graced our widened eyeballs and made our hearts beat all the more faster. We no longer had to use our imaginations.
And when we weren’t scratching at imaginary bugs with every scarab scene, we were endlessly entertained by the witty and charming Rick O’Connell (Fraser), smart, resourceful beauty Evelyn Carnahan (Weisz), menacing Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), and our loyal, mysterious #MCM, Medjai warrior Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr). At no point in the movie are we bored, constantly enamored with what was happening to the explorers. It’s no wonder the movie inspired many sequels and thrill rides at the Universal parks.
The Mummy is, to me, the unofficial start of the Dark Universe, and everything Universal should continue doing if they want this to work. A fantastic blockbuster film for both horror fans and “normies” (read: people who watch stuff other than horror), The Mummy manages to capture the golden age of the Monsters universe without it being bogged down with tired storylines, unrealistic acting, or terrible effects — which is a major accomplishment for a movie about a glorified archaeological expedition. Considering this movie is about a mummy as opposed to the more prevalent werewolves, vampires, or zombies, it captures the scares just as easily, if not better, than the usual horror antagonists. With all that said, of course I stop flipping through channels once I see Fraser and Weisz. A time capsule of horror fun that remains a late-90s favorite while still being timeless, The Mummy is old faithful, a hero of the genre, and one of a kind.
What movies do you stay and watch, every time? Let us know in the comments!
For more The Mummy fun, watch Rachel Maksy’s video where she watches The Mummy with an actual Egyptologist (hilarity ensues).
