…has always been my take on this movie even when I first saw it as a child. I was fascinated by the Karloff character in the beginning and then felt sorry for him when I realized that he did it all for love. His hypnotic powers were awesome especially the shots of his eyes glowing in their blackened eye sockets. The power of the scarab ring to bring death and the pool of dry ice created lasting memories that have lingered years after first having seen them. And then there was Zita Johann! She was my first real crush to come from the movies. Her face was so striking and her voice seemed so exotic. As I got older, her pre-code evening dress and Princess costume had their own appeal as well. What a pity she made so few films (check out THE SIN OF NORA MORAN to see her at her best). Along with the 1935 THE WEREWOLF OF LONDON, it is my favorite Universal film from their first great horror cycle.
This Universal Legacy Series release (which missed the 75th anniversary by one year) recycles the earler DVD incarnation of the film which is fine as that was a quality release with a cleaned up print and a remastered soundtrack which sounds better than ever. This time around there is a second DVD of bonus features which is highlighted by Kevin Brownlow’s Photoplay Production of UNIVERSAL HORRORS which traces the development of Universal as THE horror studio starting back in the silent era with THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. There are numerous plugs for the new MUMMY series with Brendan Fraser and while those are good films by the standards of today (today’s audiences would find the original WAY too slow and lacking in action), they lack the atmospheric poetry of the original. For those who are able to respond to it, the 1932 MUMMY remains a unique, dreamlike experience.
The Capsule Critic 