The Mummy's Shroud

The Mummy's Shroud
Despite the mediocre reviews, I was actually excited about this second sequel to the Hammer Mummy franchise. Filmed in 1967, The Mummy's Shroud was a reunion of sorts between director John Gilling and star Andre Morell, who the previous year had released the thoroughly enjoyable The Plague of the Zombies.

Maybe I jinxed it. In my review of "The Plague of the Zombies," I talked about how much I liked John Gilling's direction and how the mentor characters in Hammer Films are always awesome. Oh, this movie debunked both of those statements before the first reel had ended.

The movie starts off with a flashback of ancient Egypt - in all of its cardboard set glory. Our Egyptians are all clearly white dudes covered in uneven spray tan. The Pharoah is murdered, but before he dies he asks his slave Prem to rescue the prince Kay-to-Bey. Prem swears to protect the boy for all eternity. That's great and all, but this horribly filmed, horribly acted, horribly narrated prologue goes on for almost ten minutes! The film improves somewhat (but barely) when we skip to the early 20th Century, where archeologists have uncovered the tomb of Kay-to-Bey. Of course, it's time for the Mummified Prim to exact some payback!

Our potential victims this time are the unlikable Stanley Preston (John Phillips), a wealthy businessman who wants to hog all the glory and none of the danger; Preston's long-suffering press secretary Longbarrow (Hammer regular Michael Ripper); Preston's son, Paul (David Buck); the psychic archeologist Claire (Maggie Kimberly); photographer Harry (Tim Barrett); and esteemed archeologist Sir Basil (Andre Morell). I thought at least Morell would be good, but he is entirely wasted. He is barely in the movie, and his character doesn't have anything remotely interesting to do or say. After so many cool mentors in Hammer Films, this role was a complete disappointment.

There is so much stupid stuff in this movie. Our cartoon bad guy Hasmid (Roger Delgado) isn't scary, but overacts and spews out gibberish like a cartoon character. The best thing I can say about him is that his spray tan is at least even. The police are inept, insisting on keeping our heroes in exactly the places where they are most vulnerable. Our heroes themselves are either deadly dull or annoying, or both (with one exception).

Is the movie all bad? No, I suppose not. There are some nice, atmospheric moments throughout that reminded me a bit of Gilling's other work. The one actor I quite liked was Preston's put-upon press secretary Longbarrow. As played by Ripper, he is a nice man, a kind man, but weak. He just doesn't have the strength to resist his jerk of a boss. He is really the only character whose fate I cared about. Also, I thought some of the Mummy fights were pretty decent. I especially enjoyed the Harry vs. Mummy fight in his apartment dark room.

But this is all too little. If you love Mummy movies, check this out just so you can say you've seen it. But for everyone else - stay away from The Mummy's Shroud!!

MVP: Harry vs. The Mummy - I know usually I pick a person for the MVP, but I think I have to go with this one scene, where the expedition photographer Harry is assaulted in his dark room. It's a short struggle, but pretty brutal. And Harry puts up a good fight. It's easily the best scene of the movie.

TRIVIA: It is popularly believed that Peter Cushing was the narrator of the stupid opening flashback. There is no record of who the narrator was, but it is most assuredly not Cushing. It doesn't sound anything like him.

BEST LINE: Stanley Preston: "I plan to leave as soon as suitable passage is available." Police Chief: "In that case, I'm afraid you will become a guest of the police department. And in this instance, I should warn you that our prisons are not exactly what you would choose for a holiday."