The Mummy

"The Mummy" (English: "The Mummy", another name is "The Curse of the Pharaohs") – a 1959 British horror film. The picture is part of the classic series of Hammer studio horror films and is a remake of the American film "The Tomb of the Mummy", released in 1942 (and not at all the painting "The Mummy's Hand", as many mistakenly believe). In fact, the film is a "remake of the sequel."

The picture is the first in a series of films about the mummy studio "Hammer", including "The Curse of the tomb of the mummy" (1964), "The Shroud of the mummy" (1966) and "Blood from the tomb of the mummy" (1971). 

In 1895, a British group of archaeologists excavated the grave of the Egyptian Princess Ananka, who died 4,000 years ago, ignoring the warnings of the religious fanatic Mehmet. He claims that by opening the tomb they will incur a curse. Scientists Steve and Joseph make their way into the tomb and decide to open the sarcophagus of the princess. After that, Joseph goes outside to report the discovery to Steve's son John, who cannot move because of a leg injury. Left alone, Steve inspects the tomb and suddenly becomes a victim of an attack by a revived mummy. His cry is answered by people who see Steve's body lying on the sarcophagus. However, he did not die, but lost his mind and now talks only about the curse and the revived mummy.

Five years later, Steve's son John lives in a large mansion, and visits his insane father very rarely. However, soon his father is found strangled in his room, and John himself witnesses how the revived mummy kills Joseph. John decides to investigate the circumstances of these deaths. Together with an inspector who arrived from London, they come across an Egyptian living nearby, who turned out to be the same Mehmet who warned them in Egypt about the curse of the tomb. It soon turns out that Mehmet revived the mummy of Haris, the former lover of Princess Ananka, and forced her to kill scientists. When it's John Bunning's turn, the mummy turns against his master and kills him. After that, the police and residents armed with guns begin hunting for the mummy. Fleeing from pursuit, the mummy drowns in a swamp.

An ancient mummy comes to life after reading a spell written in the Scroll of Life. The one who has read the spell and holds the Scroll in his hands can control the actions of the mummy (even if he speaks English, which the mummy obviously did not hear during his lifetime). At the same time, the mummy has its own will and in extreme cases can resist an order (for example, if it is an order to kill a woman similar to his beloved). Having received the Scroll at his disposal, the mummy acquires complete freedom of will.

The mummy has very great physical strength and is able to tear metal bars with his bare hands. He walks slowly, but very quickly attacks his victims and strangles them with his hands.

It is not possible to kill the mummy either with the help of shots from firearms (pistols, rifles, etc.), or by piercing it with a spear. At the end of the film, the mummy drowns in a swamp with the Scroll of Life in his hand, but is unlikely to die.