The Mummy's Shroud

OK, it's a corny mummy movie made by Hammer Films in the 1960's. Low budget, over the top acting, cool creepy music and a really scary Mummy monster. Really, what more do you need? If you are a Hammer fan, you will definitely enjoy this one. If not, you may not want to bother. Hammer wasn't trying to fool anyone into thinking of this movie as some kind of masterpiece. Its just a monster movie of the Saturday matinée, or late night channel surfing variety. Nothing to write to Oscar about. In other words, its a Hammer film... get the popcorn and soda, fluff up your sofa cushion, prop your head back, put your feet up and kick back and enjoy!

The Mummy's Shroud is the third of four Hammer Horror "The Mummy" movies and thus far sadly this is the worst.

With no star power, a weak looking mummy and exactly the same plot as before it really is a weak link.

Stop me if you've heard this one. A group go on an excavation, uncover a tomb but find themselves besieged by a mummy and get picked off one by one.

This time however at least there is no reincarnated love interest for how horny bandage wearer!

Dull, lifeless, with few characters worth a damn and a script that feels highly recycled. Maybe I'm burning myself out watching all of these back to back, but this failed to entertain on any level.

The Good:

Interesting finale......kinda of

The Bad:

Worst looking mummy yet

Very dull

No originality

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Wine does not go in the ear

All Egyptians have bad teeth

In 2000 B.C., in Egypt, the pharaoh Men-Ta (Bruno Barnabe) celebrates with his people the birth of his son Kah-To-Bey (Toolsie Persaud) despite the death of his wife (Toni Gilpin). Meanwhile his brother Amen- Ta plots a scheme to overthrow Men-Ta. When the rebel army invades the palace, Men-Ta asks his servant Prem (Dickie Owen) to flee with his son and protect him. But Kah-To-Bey dies in the desert and Prem buries him in a tomb covered with a shroud.

In 1920, the wealthy British Stanley Preston (John Phillips) sponsors the archaeologists Sir Basil Walden (Andre Morell), his son Paul Preston (David Buck), Claire de Sangre (Maggie Kimberley) and Harry (Tim Barrett) to find Kah-To-Bey's tomb after the discovery of Prem's remains. The expedition is considered missing and Stanley and his wife Barbara Preston (Elizabeth Sellars) travel to Egypt to organize the search parties. Meanwhile the group finds the tomb and is warned by the keeper Hasmid (Roger Delgado) to leave the place; otherwise they will be cursed and doomed to die. However Stanley arrives and they take the mummified corpse and the shroud to the Cairo Museum. The arrogant Stanley uses the press to promote himself. Meanwhile the clairvoyant Haiti (Catherine Lacey) meets Hasmid and he summons Prem using the shroud. Soon Sir Basil Walden is found mysteriously murdered and Stanley asks his minion Longbarrow (Michael Ripper) to buy a ticket for him to travel to England. However he is forbidden by Inspector Barrani (Richard Warner) to leave Egypt during his investigation. When Harry is also mysteriously murdered by Prem, Stanley panics. Who will be the next victim of Prem?

"The Mummy's Shroud" is another entertaining Hammer's low budget movie. The unoriginal story is totally predictable, actually a rip-off of other mummies movies, but has a good screenplay that holds the attention of the viewer until the very end. Roger Delgado is a frightening villain and the conclusion is satisfactory. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Mortalha da Múmia" ("The Mummy's Shroud")

This isn't the best of Hammer, despite being directed by John Gilling who, at his best, provided some of the studio's finest. Obviously, the acting presence of Cushing and/or Lee would have improved matters but Hammer stalwarts Andre Morell and Michael Ripper more than do their bit. The Mummy is visually interesting and the emotionless visage coupled with its implacable intent make it pretty chilling at times. Some scenes in this one have clearly inspired later Mummy films. The budget obviously isn't the highest but Hammer always make their films look and sound good. As for the review which notes that the narration sounds nothing like Peter Cushing...get your ears syringed, man! It quite blatantly DOES have similarities and, whilst it clearly isn't Cushing, it's understandable that the error could be made by the inexpert in the matter. That legendary gentleman is my favourite actor so I consider myself to be a reasonable judge.

There are moments in the film that are scary and eerie like the murder of Longbarrow or the mummy's stalking of Stanley Preston. Overall something for strict fans of Hammer films and British horror. Not an enjoyable film from John Gilling like his atmospheric and groundbreaking zombie pic, The Plague of the Zombies(1966). The Mummy's Shroud(1967) gets average performances from the actors except Michael Ripper who provides pathos as the long suffering agent of Stanley Preston, Longbarrow. John Phillips gives a great performance as a greedy and attention obsessed man who does anything to get ahead in life. Far cry from the great and frightful elements of The Mummy(1959).