The Mummy (1932)

The Mummy (1932) is quite a different type of horror movie than the rest of the Universal Classic Monster Movies as the bandaged wrapped shambling mummy has only a few seconds screen time and the rest of the film Boris Karloff is Ardath Bey whose creepy aged visage is more striking and terrifying than any clothed wrapped mummy seen stumbling around in the sequels. And like the best of the Universal Monsters he does have sympathetic side, as Imhotep he was deeply in love with the Princess Ankhesenamón and she him but when she dies he doesn't take it as stoically as rest of the Egyptians and he steals the Scroll of Toth to resurrect her. This is a sacrilege so he is condemned to be buried alive. Now awakened in the modern world he seeks only to bring his love back and is a bit shocked to find out that she's been reincarnated as Helen Grosvenor a British/Egyptian beauty.

Things I Love
• The “heroes” immediately figure out that Ardath Bey is in fact the now alive mummy of Imhotep.
• Helen Grosvenor becomes lustfully alive when she meets Ardeth Bey.
• The heroes fail at rescuing. It is Helen who defeats Ardath Bey by calling on Isis.
• The Mummy’s jaw never distends to scream. He’s actually really laid back in this movie.
• Jack Pierce’s fantastic make-up.