Let's get it out of the way: there are no mummies in this movie. The story, based off of Bram Stoker's "Jewel of the Seven Stars," is about the spirit of an ancient Egyptian princess possessing the body of an archaeologist's daughter (Valerie Leon). And what a body it is! The highlights of the movie belong to Valerie Leon. Her bountiful bosom is a sight to behold and the rest of her is nothing to sneeze at, either. Anyway the possessed woman goes around killing the people who opened the tomb of the princess. So no mummy but basically the same motivation that previous mummies had.
Andrew Keir plays the archaeologist. He replaced Peter Cushing shortly after filming began when Cushing left to care for his dying wife. As if that wasn't enough, director Seth Holt died before filming ended and Michael Carreras had to finish the movie. The atmospheric opening gives you the impression that this is going to be a spooky chiller, despite the lack of mummies. Unfortunately the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to the strong start. The movie drags and needs a shot of adrenaline. The beauty of Ms. Leon could only do so much with this dry script and mostly lifeless direction. Another version of this story was made almost a decade later as The Awakening with Charlton Heston and Stephanie Zimbalist, who was a lovely woman but did not compare to Valerie Leon. That movie, like this one, is kind of dull. This is the last mummy movie Hammer made. Although they still had a few good movies to come, Hammer in 1971 was already on its way out. See this if you're a Hammer completist or if you just like beautiful Valerie Leon. Oh and tell me if you don't think that big ring that causes so much trouble resembles a Ring Pop.
Andrew Keir plays the archaeologist. He replaced Peter Cushing shortly after filming began when Cushing left to care for his dying wife. As if that wasn't enough, director Seth Holt died before filming ended and Michael Carreras had to finish the movie. The atmospheric opening gives you the impression that this is going to be a spooky chiller, despite the lack of mummies. Unfortunately the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to the strong start. The movie drags and needs a shot of adrenaline. The beauty of Ms. Leon could only do so much with this dry script and mostly lifeless direction. Another version of this story was made almost a decade later as The Awakening with Charlton Heston and Stephanie Zimbalist, who was a lovely woman but did not compare to Valerie Leon. That movie, like this one, is kind of dull. This is the last mummy movie Hammer made. Although they still had a few good movies to come, Hammer in 1971 was already on its way out. See this if you're a Hammer completist or if you just like beautiful Valerie Leon. Oh and tell me if you don't think that big ring that causes so much trouble resembles a Ring Pop.