Product description

The Mummy [Blu-ray] [1999] [US Import]

Price: £9.95
Average customer rating: 4.5

Binding : Blu-ray
EAN : 0025195039963
Label : Universal Studios
Manufacturer : Universal Studios
Publisher : Universal Studios
Release date : 2008-07-22
Title : The Mummy [Blu-ray] [1999] [US Import]
Actor : Array
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 1
Original release date : 1999-01-01
Running time : 125
Studio : Universal Studios
Theatrical releaseDate : 1999
MPN : MCABR61104866

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
For his breakthrough into the blockbuster big time, director Stephen Sommers (IDeep Rising/I) was determined to avoid the hackneyed Hollywood Mummy clichés of flailing bandages, somnambulant zombies and wooden acting. If you're happy to settle for two out of three then the finished film could be your cup of Egyptian tea, fully delivering on its visual promise, but occasionally mired in a quicksand of stilted dialogue and plot contrivance.pWhen disgraced high priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) is awoken from his ancient prison, he unleashes his vengeful wrath in a whirl of computer-generated pestilence and plagues, all devised by the effects wizards at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. No gory detail is spared as the mummy sets about rebuilding his decayed body and reviving his forbidden lover, aided by hordes of swarming, flesh-eating scarabs and an army of the dead. Among the more human cast, Brendan Fraser (IBlast from the Past/I, IGeorge of the Jungle/I) brings an infectious Boys' Own enthusiasm to his Indiana-Jones-style adventurer, while such supporting players as Rachel Weisz and John Hannah are mostly eclipsed by the spectacle on offer. Ultimately, IThe Mummy/I is great fun and offers digital thrills ideally suited to the DVD format which will wow even the most CGI-sated viewer.pOn the DVD: commendably, the extras on this DVD are on a par with the Region One offering, including deleted scenes and director's commentary, and both picture and sound quality are excellent. Most interestingly, veteran ILM effects supervisor John Berton presents step-by-step guides to some of the film's most extraordinary CGI shots, from early animatics to 3-D modelling and compositing. There's also the obligatory "making of" programme, in which everyone insists their primary concern was to ensure the effects never superseded the story. Unfortunately, this only makes you more aware of the script's shortcomings. --ISteve Napleton/I

Amazon.co.uk Review
The modestly titled IUltimate Mummy Collection/I is an extravagant four-disc package that contains both IThe Mummy Ultimate Edition/I and IThe Mummy Returns Special Edition/I two-disc sets.p For his breakthrough into the blockbuster big time, director Stephen Sommers was determined to avoid the hackneyed Hollywood Mummy clichés of flailing bandages, somnambulant zombies and wooden acting. If you're happy to settle for two out of three then the finished film could be your cup of Egyptian tea, fully delivering on its visual promise but occasionally mired in a quicksand of stilted dialogue and plot contrivance. Anrold Vosloo is disgraced high priest Imhotep, awoken from his ancient prison to unleash his vengeful wrath in a whirl of computer generated pestilence and plagues; Brendan Fraser brings an infectious boyish enthusiasm to his Indiana Jones-style adventurer, while supporting players Rachel Weisz and John Hannah are mostly eclipsed by the spectacle on offer. The lavish DVD extras include deleted scenes, a director's commentary and, most interestingly, veteran effects supervisor John Berton presenting a step-by-step guide to some of the film's most extraordinary computer generated shots. There's also the obligatory "making of" programme in which everyone insists their primary concern was to ensure the effects never superseded the story. Unfortunately, this only makes you more aware of the script's shortcomings. --ISteve Napleton/I p IThe Mummy Returns/I has an even more relentless pace and hammer headed tone than the first film--more explosions, more action and more mind-numbingly endless computer generated effects, set to a headache inducing surround soundtrack. The original cast are reunited and joined by WWF star The Rock (in a cameo role designed to plug his spin-off vehicle IThe Scorpion King/I) and young actor Freddie Boath who plays an English eight-year-old in the 1930s whose dialogue borrows from Bart Simpson. Still, despite the wearying relentlessness of its computer generated effects, endless chases and fights, this is undeniably fun popcorn fodder and provides some memorable scenes along the way, notably Rachel Weisz and Patricia Velasquez battling it out for the affections of nasty old Imhotep. Extras in this generous two-disc set include a decent commentary from the director and producer, DVD-ROM features, a 20-minute "making-of" documentary and a five-minute interview with the Rock. Best of all are the detailed special effects breakdowns of key sequences. --IMark Walker/I

Customer reviews

review by: mattieboyz date: 2009-05-21 rating:

Save the girl; kill the creature!
I have to say that The Mummy became the favourite film of my wife and me after seeing it in 1999. We even named our cat Ankh Su Namun - sad but true. Arnold Vosloo's sinister priest and even more sinister lover are the stars here, and Brendan Fraser's oafish poor man's Indiana Jones and Rachel Weisz's surprisingly resourceful academic Evie are merely window-dressing. The set pieces such as when the rival archaeologists are systematically hunted down and maimed by the eponymous undead creature, are what makes this film, and the tongue-in-cheek feel coupled with Stephen Sommers' whistle-stop direction make this a great feel-good popcorn movie. br / br /The Mummy Returns inevitably suffers from the law of diminishing, well, returns, and the addition of Rik's (Fraser) nauseatingly precocious son Alex doesn't help things. However, Fraser's dumb lug is still good value; there are more memorable set-pieces (Mummified cannibal midgets anyone?) such as the mummified Pharaoh's guards attacking a London bus as Rik and Evie desperately try to escape their clutches. br / br /Anyway, this is a nice box set for fans - the third installment of the franchise is not worth adding believe me - with some great extras such as an informative 'making-of' and entertaining DVD commentary. Good price for a great package.

review by: SRW date: 2007-09-29 rating:

INDIANA JONES OF THE FUTURE
Both films are awash with excellent special effects. br / br /The mix of humour and swashbuckling action keep you firmly in your seat. The mummy is fantastic.

review by: date: 2005-08-16 rating:

best adventure since Indiana Jones
If pure entertainment is your thing then you don't need to look any further than the mummy. It's a film that sets out quite simply to entertain, and succeds. brTheir are several aspects of this film that i enjoyed. The introduction is tremendous, as a narrator sets up the film, telling the viewer the story of Imhotep and how he came to be mummified. Throughout the film there are some spectacular visual images and some of the most memorable occur in this opening section of the film.brAs the characters are introduced the pace and the mood of the film change greatly. We are introduced to three more important characters. Rick 'o Conell, an Indiana Jones style adventurer, evelyn, a clumsy but attractive and keen character desperate to live up to the reputation of her adventurer parents, and her brother johnathon desperate to find some treasure with as little danger and adventure as possible.brTheir is a tremendous chemistry between the members of the cast. They all seem to have a naturally established banter between them and this comes across well on screen as there is a lot of good humour. You get the impression that everyone involved had a great time making the movie. I also really enjoyed the support acting of the jailor "He's going to be hanged. Apparently, he had a very good time".brMany of the CGi scenes are impressive despite one or two times when it is a little over the top as other reviewers mentioned, but those moments are rare. I like my CGI to loook impressive and colourful but realistic, which is achieved here most of the time. The famous face of Imohtep apperaing from the sand and regeneration of the character from decomposistion to a completley human body are both very impressive. brTheir are one or two scary moments in the movie but by no means is it a horror movie. Although i did find the scene where an American adventurer has his eyes and tounge removed by Imhotep to be quite disturbing. brAs other reviewers mentioned their is also a small romantic sub-plot between 'O Connel and Evelyn, but lets not forget that the basic plot of the film is romantic as Imhotep hopes to ressurect his long dead lover, though this backbone of the film does get forgotten as you get into the story, until the exiting ending.brAll in all this a fantastic movie made complete by a great story, good direction, some impressive CGI and most of all some very enthustiatic and enjoyable acting. The best adventure movie Hollywood has produced since thev Indiana Jones trilogy

review by: date: 2004-08-10 rating:

my fave!!!
I just love this film. Mainly because I like Egyptian history so much and there was just something about The Mummy. My mum was the first in the house to see it and her comments were 'I didn't know it was supposed to be a comedy'. pIt's not supposed to be Monty Python in terms of laughs, but what I liked about the characters was their mischeviousness. Especially Jonathan and O'Connell towards the prison guard. Little bits of humour make such a difference to a film. This takes it away from the 'indiana jones' theme it has been compared with. It's not all action/adventure/romance. There are times when I found myself sniggering away.pThe cast have a total chemistry brought on I think by the playfulness of their characters. Every single person excells in their part. The imigary used in the film is breathtaking. The scenes of Ancient Egypt look like everything is bathed in gold and this captures everything I imagine the old kingdom to be like. Prosperous-but still has that mythical side to it. That's where the Mummy come in. The Mummy is the high priest Ihmotep who had a love affair with the Phaoroh's mistress. Ihmotep kills the pharoh but is eventually caught and mummified alove. He has a curse placed upin him that if he should ever be awoken her will bring the 10 plagues of egypt upon the earth.pWell, this is what happens and it's up to Rick O'Connell, a rougish army office and Evie and Jonathan, (brother and sister but also librarian and missionary)to save the day. They elist the help of the cheif Medji (decendents of pharoh's body guards) to help send Ihmotep to the underworld.pThe film is well known for it's incedible effects and I was amazed. The face appearing out of the sand was fantastic and in my opinion quite spooky.pThis film is worth the money. It's got everything: action, adventure, romance (but thankfully it's not laden with it), humour and is good for some basic egyptian history (at least you'll know what Anubis looks like by the end of the film!) Get the film....it's great!pSpecial mention to Benny from the film. He's a firm favourite with me and my pals. "You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn't you Benny?"

review by: date: 2004-05-31 rating:

Gripping!
The ultimate point of 'The Mummy' is simply to entertain the audience and keep them gripped and on the edge of their seat right up until the grisley end, and after watching it i can say that it certainly did just that, and very well i might add. pThis type of film is just my sort of thing. A really 'out there' storyline, a tough-ish hero (and also in the case heroess), loads and loads of really super special effects, and hundreds of nasty bad guys (in the case mummies) getting their hollow, rotting heads blown clean off.pWhen Egyptian librarian, Evelyn finds an old map hidden in an ancient arifact, along with her drunken brother Jonathon, she goes in search of its owner and comes across the big and tough Rick O'Connell, who agrees to take them to the 'lost city' on the map if they will resue him from prison and stop him being hanged. pThey do so and soon find themselves deep in the sand dunes of Egypt; more specifically, the 'ost city'. Here they find vast caverns of gold and riches, along with an 'undead' mummy and an ancient curse which threatens the whole of man-kind. Evelyn manages to unleash this curse upon the world when she acidentially read from 'the book of the dead', and brings back to life Imhotep, who suffered the worst punishment; having his tongue cut out, wrapped in bandages, put into a sarcophagus, and then covered with scarabs. All of this because he had an affair with the pharos wife and killed the pharo himself.pAnyway, now he is freed, Imhotep has muge power and kills people and sucks the life out of them in order for him to re-generate, and thus be able to bring back to life the Pharos wife, so that they can be together again. Thankfully though, Evelyn knows how to kill him. They must find the golden book, somwhere in the lost city, and read the passage from it, thus making Imhotep mortal again, and therefore able to be killed. pI know that some people say that the special effects in this film are not that good, and ok, in the odd places there not one hundred percent, but come on, apart from a few places, they are pretty amazing really. For example when Imhoteps face is sort of half mummy half human, i found that incredible, and i still am amazed at how they did it.pHowever don't be fooled. This film is not about re-creating ancient Egypt accurately, Its about making an entertaining film, so don't worry if its not like it is in the text books, just accept it for what it is and enjoy it. pWith a good supporting cast, some great directing, loads of special effects, and of course a beautiful woman, this film for me is definately five star, and i highly recommend it to everyone. You might not want to keep watching it, but for the few times that you do watch it you will be gripped from start to finish.

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