The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb -
This entry in Hammer's Mummy series could use more action and less talk - yes, I know mummies don't talk, but that's beside the point - but I enjoyed it well enough and believe it has same appeals of the rest of the company's output. In this one, depending on your point of view, the villain is either the remains of Pharaoh Ra-Antef's son or American huckster Alexander King (Clark), who wants to exhibit them worldwide. Joining King is a cadre of Egyptologists including John (Howard), his fiancée Annette (Roland) and later, the mysterious Adam (Morgan), who gets a little too close to Annette for John's liking. Their exhibit goes off without a hitch and everyone leaves happy. Just kidding.
Like its predecessor, this entry also has an admirable respect for Egyptian history. Its use of art and reenactments to tell Ra-Antef and his family's story adds the right amount of atmosphere, worldbuilding and is interesting in and of itself. The performances are fine, especially Clark's, who obviously had fun with his caricature of American greed, and Morgan's, who excels at leaving you guessing about his intentions until just the right moment. Unfortunately, the payoff of seeing the titular guy in action isn't all bad, but it doesn't match the buildup and happens a tad late. I was also left cold by the work of Howard and Roland for how neither seem all that affected by the turn of events. Something tragic happens in the beginning involving Annette, for instance, but she takes it way too in stride. While I still had a good enough time to want to continue this series, I hope the next one earns its horror label sooner than later if you know what I mean.
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