BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB

UK, 1971, 94 minutes, Colour.
Andrew Keir, Valerie Leon, James Villiers, Hugh Burden, George Colouris, Mark Edwards, Rosalie Crutchley, Aubrey Morris.
Directed by Seth Holt.

Blood From The Mummy's Tomb is one of the best of Hammer's horror films. It was directed by Seth Holt who had worked as assistant on many British films in the '50s and moved to direction with Scream of Fear, Station Six Sahara, Danger Route. He died just before the filming was complete for this production - and it was completed by regular director Michael Carreras.

The film is an adaptation of Bram Stoker's mummy story: Jewel of the Seven Stars. (It was remade by Mike Newell as The Awakening with Chariton Heston, Susannah York and Stephanie Zimbalist in 19793

The film benefits by excellent character actors led by Andrew Keir as the Professor. James Villiers, Hugh Burden, George Colouris and Rosalie Crutchley all give over the top performances as the sinister archaeologists. Valerie Leon is the glamorous Queen Tera as well as the Professor’s daughter Margaret. There is exotic Ancient Egyptian atmosphere, hot-house atmosphere of archaeologists in London - with special effects, suspense and the touch of gore.

An interesting version of Stoker's oft-filmed story.

1. The popularity of Bram Stoker's work? The 19th. century horror imagination? Egypt? The past? Evil presences of the past in the contemporary world?

2. The work of Hammer Studios: the skill in making horror films? Colour photography? Atmosphere? Light and darkness? The sinister? The presence of evil? Editing and pace? Special effects? The touch of gore? Atmospheric musical score?

3. The title and its focus on the plot, themes? The awakening of an evil goddess? The evil-influence in the 20th. century world?

4. The opening in Ancient Egypt: the exotic atmosphere, the priests, the solemn ritual, the entombment of Tera, her powers, the relics (the skull, the statuettes of the cobra and the cat)? The cutting off of her hand, the ring? The force destroying the priests? Atmospheric prologue to the plot? The repetition of this in the 20th. century?

5. The archaeological expedition: the breaking into the tomb, the finding of Tera's body. their becoming influenced by her, the taking of the body and the relics to England? Foulks and his leadership? The irony of his wife dying in childbirth at the moment of opening the tomb?

6. Margaret growing up? Her love for her father? His gift of the ring? Her gradually being taken over by Tera? Her relationship with Todd, change in behaviour towards him? Her listening to Corbeck? His clash with her father? The gradual invading of Margaret by Tera? Her spirit visiting the other members of the expedition? Terrorising them, their violent deaths, their relics? The collection of the relics? Todd's death? Margaret and the effect on her father? Corbeck and his beginning the ceremonies? The clash between Foulks and Corbeck? The powers unleashed and destroying the house? The irony of Margaret's surviving - and Tera? For future destruction?

7. Professor Foulks, his archaeological work, decisions about the relics, bringing the body back to England? His wife's death? Love for his daughter? The gift of the ring? His knowledge of the positions of the planets? The possibility of Tera's new reign? The clash with Corbeck? The deaths of his associates? Corbeck and his taking over? The clash of wills? The Professor winning and destroying Corbeck - but not eliminating Tera? The conventional portrait of the Egyptologist?

8. Corbeck and his supercilious style, presence on the expedition, wanting Tera's power, beyond good and evil? The collection of the relics? Power over Margaret? The Scroll of Life? The ceremony to revive Tera? The clash with Foulks and his death?

9. The sketches of the other archaeologists: Berrigan in the asylum, his treatment, madness, his relic, the coming alive of the relic and his death? Dandridge and his work, his being killed? Helen Dickerson and her death?

10. The background of the asylum - and the touch of the Bedlam movies with the male nurses and their persecution of Berrigan? Dr. Putnam?

11. The atmosphere of evil, magic - all dressed up in the horror style of the Hammer Studios for communicating the atmosphere of evil for the 20th. century audience?

12. Audience willing suspension of disbelief in this kind of horror story?