The Mummy is Universal horror at its best: lush music, detailed sets, gorgeous costumes, impressive effects, and a tragic story. Imhotep’s makeup as the mummy looks completely desiccated. Once he appears human, the makeup is much more subtle, but his face is etched with deep lines remaining from his previous form. The story centers around Imhotep stalking his reincarnated lover Helen. He was tortured and killed for trying to resurrect his love in ancient Egypt. Vibrant and opinionated Helen fears losing herself to Imhotep especially after she’s found love. While the conflict is clear, Imhotep still has human motivations and proves to be more than a flatly evil villain. This classic film has stood the test of time and provided the template for almost every mummy film that has followed.
