Sons of moguls seem to be important kicking off horror cycles – Carl Laemle Jnr was crucial for Universal horrors, and Hammer horrors were partly driven by Tony Hinds and Michael Carreras. This film was written, produced and directed by Carreras, and is not among the most highly-regarded of the Hammer horrors, but it’s not bad.
There is a lack of star power – the closest thing to a marquee name is Fred Clark, the American comic banana, who hear plays a Yank showman sponsoring a mummy expedition (he's a little like Carl Denham in King Kong). Of course this induces a curse. Although there is a girl in the story (the daughter of the leader of the expedition – who has his hands chopped up in a striking opening sequence), she’s not a reincarnation of anyeon. However, there is an Egyptian who has been walking the Earth for 3,000 years so there is a vampire influence.
Decent action, some humour from Clark (the film's a lot less lively once he dies), pretty average mummy make up, a dreadful performance from the female lead. It’s about the standard of a Universal mummy film of the 40s, without that great photography.
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