The Monster Squad (Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition)

Description

Count Dracula adjourns to Earth, accompanied by Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, and the Gillman. The uglies are in search of a powerful amulet that will grant them power to rule the world. Our heroes - the Monster Squad are the only ones daring to stand in their way.

Customer Reviews:

It is a classic.......2007-09-17

If you remeber this movie then you will know that you had to love it when you were young. It is a classic and a must have for any cult film fanatic.

Not Up To The Goonies.......2007-09-16

If you really like The Goonies, you'll find this only a fair movie. It consists of poor attempts at slapstick, unsuccessful suspense, and unnecessary foul language and humor about virginity, all delivered by some B-grade acting. It is not really appropriate for young children, and anyone else should find it unsatisfying. (I can't account for any rave reviews.)

Welcome back 'Monster Squad'. We've missed you. .......2007-09-15

If there is one thing good thing you can say about the advent of the DVD age, it's that a lot of forgotten -- or downright ignored -- films are getting a second life. While not classics necessarily, these films are nonetheless beloved and - many times - important films. 'The Monster Squad' is one of those films. Released to a general `meh' in 1987, the film has since generated a lot of fan support and love over the years (thanks mainly to its VHS release and Cable showings) and with the support of a strong, ever-growing, core fan group, the film has at last made it to DVD. We couldn't be happier.

The forces of evil (Dracula, the Frankenstein monster, the gill man, the wolf man, and a mean old mummy) have gathered again after 100 years of dormancy. They have returned to take possession of a magical amulet that will shift the scales of the balance of the world to the dark side should they be successful. Famed vampire hunter Van Helsing had been working to put an end to the monsters completely 100 years earlier but had failed and now it falls to five kids to do what he could not. Calling themselves the Monster Squad, (after their love of all things monstrous and scary), this band of misfits, with the aide of a `scary old German guy', and hopefully the help of a suspected virgin, set themselves up as the only defense against these monsters and the possibility of the end of mankind.

An average film with a heart of gold, the magic that makes it all work is the honesty in which it is made. It clear that 'The Monster Squad' was never meant to be a classic - what film starts out with those ambitions? - But it certainly is a fun throwback to a - now sadly - bygone era. The modernized humor works within the confines of its decidedly old fashioned story (it's patterned after the classic Abbott and Costello films with just a pinch of 'The Little Rascals' thrown in). The language - which can be coarse - is never forced, and feels true to the characters and moments. (Sorry Mom and Dad. It is a sad truth that even in the PC world we live in, your young ones may still talk like this when you aren't around.) There are scares of a PG-13 variety, but this isn't just a kiddie film. Thanks to a very dark portrayal of Dracula, and some good acting the film plays very well to all ages. It's a welcome reminder of a bygone era of kinder, gentler filmmaking.

This little gem is blissfully packed with extras: Commentaries, deleted scenes, an extensive documentary, and some odds and ends that will certainly make it a must-own for it's many ardent followers. And the new DVD transfer looks stunning too! If you enjoyed the film as a kid -- you'll be amazed as an adult at the beautiful job director Fred Dekker did with the direction and camera work.

It's fantastic to be able to re-visit this old friend. Welcome back 'Monster Squad'. We've missed you.

A "Universal Classic" not made by Universal Studios..........2007-09-15

"Monster Squad" is a good movie, if solely for the fact that it combines all the Universal Monsters and a bunch of kids who swear. This is not the kind of movie you would see on the Disney Channel (for good reason) and it hearkens back to a decade I can barely remember, but who cares. It has some great one liners and some modest performances. With memorable characters such as "Scary German Guy" (there is a great holocaust reference in the movie with him that I never understood before when I was 11).

The special features for this 20th anniversaet edition are quite enjoyable. They go through most aspects of the movie including sepcial effects, character makeup and design, I would say the most interesting part is the cast interviews from Duncan Regehr (Dracula), Andre Gower (Sean), Ashley Bank (little 5 year old Phoebe all grown up!), Ryan Lambert (Rudy) and Tom Noonan (Frankie) . I was hoping for more cast interviews (because it is always great to see actors 20 years after the fact getting all misty eyed and nostalgic right along with you).

Bottom of the line: This movie is worth the buy for any kid or adult that grew up on this movie or the Universal Classic Monster movies. I would dub this movie part of the nostalgic, feel-good, where-was-I-then movies. You don't buy this one for academy performances. It does what a good movie should do, especially the ones that have a legacy: they engage and entertain.

Great family movie.......2007-09-13

Rented it was a VHS when it first cameout, a classic kids movie,fun scary and moves at a good pace. Now older it has lost none of the charm and enjoyment, they should make more like this,it's good to be a kid again.

Average customer rating:

A Thoroughly Satisfying Adventure Movie
Mummy Comes To Life
Great on HD DVD
Absolutely Phenomenal On HD DVD
The Mummy Comes to life again

The Mummy [HD DVD]
Starring: Erick Avari , Carl Chase , Bernard Fox , Brendan Fraser , and Jonathan Hyde
Director: Stephen Sommers
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000IONJGU
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Amazon.com

If you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by.

The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

A Thoroughly Satisfying Adventure Movie.......2007-09-07

The Mummy is high quality entertainment. It does a great job of entertaining, that's saying something. Some movies can't even do that. But this succeeds on all levels.

It's a great popcorn flick. And it's packed to the brim with action.

The DVD features a commentary from the director Stephen Sommers, deleted scenes, a few making of featurettes, and a bevy of other special features including trailers and a music only track.

If you're a fan of action, definitely recommended.

Mummy Comes To Life.......2007-08-06

I already have the standard Mummy DVD. This HD version sounds and looks better. If you love the movie buy it. If you don't, the standard DVD is fine.

Great on HD DVD.......2007-07-30

This is a excellent movie. This review is about the HD DVD version. I thought the transfer was overall excellent. However, there were a few spots where you can see lines or spots on the film (most other HD DVDs I have seen have not had lines or spots at all, so I was surprised to see some in this one). Other areas look almost 3D like. Sound is great.

Most of the special effects have held up well over time. The acting and direction are great. If you enjoy pure action / adventures with a bit of humor, and a wee bit of scariness, this movie is for you!

HD DVD transfer: 3.5
Movie 4.5
Overall: 4.0

Absolutely Phenomenal On HD DVD.......2007-06-28

Everyone knows the plot of the movie and that it was based on the 1940s film, "The Mummy's Hand," so what I'm going to talk about is the HD DVD transfer.

I got my HD DVD player last year and have been thoroughly stoked about it, given the right movie. "The Mummy" is definitely one of those right movies. From the opening credits to the first views of the Egyptian city, the clarity of the high-def presentation rivals that of your local theater. Once a wall-sized monitor becomes available, film buffs are truly going to be able to have the theater experience right in their own homes.

The action sequences are great. The colors are fantastic. And the special effects are tremendous. The dust cloud confrontation at the end just blew me away all over again.

I owned the movie on DVD and had watched it on television a few times (it's one of those on a list of guilty pleasures) but I hadn't seen anything like this presentation outside of the theater.

Now I gotta get "The Mummy Returns" and "The Scorpion King." And I can't wait for "The Mummy 3" coming in 2008!

The Mummy Comes to life again .......2007-05-29

Not as startling as some of the more recent HD transfers. Don't get me wrong it is very good. Bringing life backing to old family favorite. The colors and sound were the most noticeable, mind you the high quality picture was not to be out done either. It was like watching a new movie. Well not quite. But there were a bunch of little things and scenes that went unnoticed before that are front and center in this edition because of the improved sound and picture.

One thing I never noticed before is right after Imhotep's casket fell through the tomb ceiling there is a line through the center of the picture, it disappeared in less than a minute. I doubt this is fault to do with the HD transfer so it was probably on the original print.

One weird thing was the menu. All of the other HD DVDs have graphics from the movie, this one had generic music and the universal logo.

Great Picture. Great Sound. Worth having on HD. Over all 4/5. Bring on Jurassic Park!

The Mummy Collector's Set (The Mummy (1999)/ The Mummy Returns/ The Scorpion King)

Average customer rating:

The Mummy Collector's Set
It's an OK release!
good collection
The Mummy
Good Package.. 2 of them worth it.

The Mummy Collector's Set (The Mummy (1999)/ The Mummy Returns/ The Scorpion King)
Starring: Brendon Fraser , Arnold Vosloo , and The Rock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ASATYY
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Product Description

The Mummy (1999)
Deep in the Egyptian desert, a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3,000 year old legacy of terror. Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal s legendary 1932 horror classic, The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser, is a true nonstop action epic, filled with dazzling visual effects, top-notch talent and superb storytelling.
Running Time: 125 Min
RATING: PG-13

The Mummy Returns
The year s biggest action-adventure is coming home with a vengeance! Brendan Fraser and an all-star cast reunite with Stephen Sommers for explosive, non-stop thrills in the ultimate rollercoaster movie ride! (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

An ancient legacy of terror is unleashed when the accursed mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), is resurrected along with a force even more powerful: The Scorpion King (The Rock). Now, as the fate of all mankind hangs in the balance, Rick O Connell (Fraser) and his wife Evie (Rachel Weisz) embark on a daring, desperate race to save their son and the world from unspeakable evil. Supercharged with pulse-pounding action and spectacular special effects that ll blow you away, The Mummy Returns is the best adventure movie of the year! (MTV Radio)
Running Time: 130 Min
RATING: PG-13

The Scorpion King
Adventure rules! As the spectacular Mummy series explodes into a new realm of breathtaking, non-stop action in The Scorpion King! Unleashing WWE superstar The Rock as the most feared warrior of the ancient world, The Scorpion King plunges you into a sweeping tale filled with stunning fight sequences, awe-inspiring battles and pulse-pounding thrills. It s the ultimate special effects-powered epic and the must-see-and-see again adventure of the year!
Running Time: 92 Min
RATING: PG-13

System Requirements:

Running Time 347 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The Mummy
If you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by.

The Mummy Returns
Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath).

John Hannah (as Weisz's brother) and Oded Fehr (as mystical warrior Ardeth Bay) also return from The Mummy, and trouble begins when Alex dons the Scorpion King's ancient bracelet, coveted by the evil mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who's been revived by... oh, but does any of this matter? With a plot so disposable that it's impossible to care about anything that happens, The Mummy Returns is best enjoyed as an intermittently amusing and physically impressive monument of Hollywood machinery, with gorgeous sets that scream for a better showcase, and digital trickery that tops its predecessor in ambition, if not in payoff. By the time our heroes encounter a hoard of ravenous pygmy mummies, you'll probably enjoy this movie in spite of itself. --Jeff Shannon

The Scorpion King
There's nothing original in The Scorpion King, but this derivative action franchise gets off to a rousing start by cleverly stealing from a lot of better movies. Capitalizing on his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. World Wrestling Federation star the Rock) stars as Mathayus, an Akkadian assassin in the age preceding Egyptian pharaohs, who vows to avenge his brother's murder by an undefeated warlord (Steven Brand) prophesied to become the desert-ruling Scorpion King. Their battle for supremacy comprises most of the film's brisk 95-minute running time, punctuated by comic relief from Mathayus's obligatory sidekick (Grant Heslov), romance with a beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu), and alliance with a massive Nubian (Michael Clarke Duncan) on the eve of their climactic showdown. There's no rhyme or reason to the film's depiction of ancient civilization (the costuming is particularly ludicrous), but the Rock demonstrates adequate action-star potential, and director Chuck Russell (The Mask) wraps it all in a slick, professional package. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The Mummy Collector's Set.......2007-09-03

Oh My God Yes! This Collector's Set has brought me hours of DVD pleasure. It was received in good condition and in a timely manner.

It's an OK release!.......2007-08-31

Basically if you dont want to go overboard with a collactable dvd set, this is the way to go! the package contains the 3 movies in 3 discs!
Barebones too!

good collection.......2007-08-24

I loved the mummy an d the mummys return, when i first got them, and couldent wait until they came out on dvd. that scorpion king is on is just a extra bouns. I allways wanted to see it, but I never got the chanse.
now I own it instead.

The Mummy .......2007-08-01

These movies are pretty good even though they are a bit over the top at times... it is a Mummy though so what should I expect. Nevertheless the first was great, the second was pretty good and the decline continued for the Scorpion King. i still enjoy the trilogy and am glad it was turned in to one finally.

Good Package.. 2 of them worth it........2007-07-14

Well.. there's nothing much to tell... These package is worth for the price... with a little extra. Enjoy

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)

Average customer rating:

GREAT COMEDY TEAM
Hit and miss quality
A&C with fillers...
abbott & costello fan club
The Best of Abbott and Costello

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Jimmy Aubrey , James Audrey , Wilson Benge , and Judith Brian
Manufacturer: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A1INIA
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

America's most beloved comedy team pair up with a cast of monsters and The Keystone Kops in this collector's set filled with 6 classics. The last installment in this hilarious franchise includes revealing documentaries and interviews that give an in-depth look at the genius behind Abbott and Costello and their continued popularity. Also featured is the making of the original classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which spawned an industry of comedy/horror films. Partnered with great legends like Boris Karloff, these masterpieces truly stand the test of time.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT COMEDY TEAM.......2007-06-06

WORTH THE MONEY
WHO DINT LOVE THIS SHOW , THIS SHOW WAS GREAT
I LOVE THIS DVD, BRINGS BACK LAUGHTER AND MEMORYS AND YOU NEVER GET BORED WITH IT,

Hit and miss quality.......2007-05-17

This final installment in this series seems more geared towards completists and serious fans instead of new or casual fans. Of the six films included, only half of them are actually A&C movies, all of them from the very end of their movie career (though at least they're of noticeably better quality than a lot of the turkeys on Volume 3). The other three films are documentaries, none of which are particularly ground-breaking; 'The World of A&C' in particular is awful. And though this was originally released as two flipper discs, the set I got had three one-sided discs, a big step up from the earlier problem-plagued double-sided DVDs all of these volumes were put out on. However, the menu on the first two discs hasn't been changed to reflect that, and still gives the impression that it's double-sided, what with asking the viewer to flip the disc over if s/he wants to watch the other film(s).

'A&C Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' (1953) is pretty good, probably the strongest of the three films on here, though it is slowed down a bit by a boring romantic subplot and an even more superfluous subplot about the suffragist movement in late 19th century England. Boris Karloff's Jekyll and Hyde character is also a bit one-dimensional, lacking the depth and emotional compellingness of other film portrayals of this famous dual character. Still, there are a lot of great moments and scenes in here, such as the scene in the wax museum, the search for the monster in the dressing rooms, and the chaos that ensues in both London and the police station when Lou's character (with the rather cringe-worthy name Tubby) turns into the monster at the same time that the real monster is on the loose.

'A&C Meet the Keystone Kops' (1955) is probably the weakest film on here, though I wouldn't go so far as to say it's one of their all-time worst. It feels more like a series of skits than a coherent whole, with each skit woven smoothly into the overall plot. Still, while not as inspired as their earlier classics, there is a lot of fun stuff here, such as the scene in the aeroplane, the scenes on the train, the early scenes where Bud is mistaken for Lou's abusive father, and the chase at the end. This film is also noteworthy because Bud's character was finally funny instead of being purely the straightman. He does a lot more physical comedy here than he ever did before; at least this development was better late than never.

'A&C Meet the Mummy' (1955) is actually pretty good for being their penultimate film, and their final film at Universal. I think it's rather better than its pretty dismal reputation, even though the boys are looking old and tired by this late point. There are a number of great scenes here, such as the hamburger-switching, the "take your pick" routine, and the three mummies running around in the Tomb of Klaris (though the real mummy doesn't look all that convincingly scary, just like someone wrapped in a bunch of bandages). Interestingly, Bud's character is billed as Peter Patterson and Lou's character is billed as Freddie Franklin in the credits, yet they call one another by their real names all throughout the film.

'A&C Meet the Monsters' is a brief mini-documentary a bit over a half-hour long, narrated by David Skal, and focusing on all of the horror spoofs they did in the late Forties and early Fifties. It's interesting enough, but could have been longer and covered more ground. 'A&C Meet Jerry Seinfeld' is the most interesting of the documentaries; it provides clips from their films, their tv show, and various appearances they made on other tv shows, home movies (a number of them in color), and a fair amount of historical background. Seinfeld's love of and enthusiasm for the team is palpable, but never crosses the line into fawning. It's always nice when a documentary is narrated by someone who actually has enthusiasm for the subject(s) instead of by someone who doesn't have much of an opinion one way or the other. Still, there isn't a lot of information here that most fans don't already know. 'The World of A&C' is a terrible clipshow from 1965, with obnoxious unfunny narration by Jack E. Leonard. The clips (from 19 of their films) are shown without rhyme or reason, with no context provided, and aren't even identified until the end credits. They're also not even shown in chronological order, which doesn't allow the viewer to get a sense of how their craft, screen relationship, and characters grew and evolved over time. Besides that, most of the clips are from their later films such as 'Mexican Hayride,' 'Lost in Alaska,' and 'A&C Go to Mars,' which aren't exactly regarded as the cream of the crop. It's inexplicable why their earlier, more representative, films were ignored or given such short schrift. And with no background information provided, just a nonstop stream of clips, the viewer will have no sense of why they were so popular and great.

Overall, while none of these films are really classics, I do think they're better than their reputations. While this isn't a set that's ideal for the new or casual fan, it does have a lot of great moments for the more established fan. It's just too bad it's padded out with three documentaries instead of the rest of their later films that haven't already been released.

A&C with fillers..........2007-05-15

This is a mix of some funny stuff with a few other materials thrown in but not necessarily for good measure. However, that is what the search button on the remote is for. All in all, A&C is classic slapstick...with my favorites being the Jekyl & Hyde and the Mummy sequences. It is something that will give some good laughs to all generations. I wouldn't say this volume is exceptional, but a few selections will give a nice smack on the funny bone.

abbott & costello fan club.......2007-05-13

I am a big fan of them from many years ago, and since we have the dvds (all of them) my kids really enjoy all their movies too, and think they are hilarious. My kids are 11, 9, and 5 and other then the fact that they dont know why its in black and white, they laugh like crazy, and because they are harmless, our whole family can watch them together, which is a rare thing these days.

The Best of Abbott and Costello .......2007-03-13

The DVD plays great and it,s not to bad of a comedy series so all and all like I said it,s okay but I,ve seen better comedy series.

The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (The Mummy/Mummy's Hand/Mummy's Tomb/Mummy's Ghost/Mummy's Curse)

Average customer rating:

all these legacy dvd's are fabulous.
He went for a little walk....75 years ago. And he's still walking.
The Mummy (1932)
A great collection
Not a bad collection

The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (The Mummy/Mummy's Hand/Mummy's Tomb/Mummy's Ghost/Mummy's Curse)
Starring: Dick Foran , Peggy Moran , Wallace Ford , Eduardo Ciannelli , and George Zucco
Director: Christy Cabanne , Harold Young , and Leslie Goodwins
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002NRRQU
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Description

For the first time ever, the original The Mummy film comes to DVD in this extraordinary Legacy Collection. Included in the collection is the original classic, starring the renowned Boris Karloff, and four timeless sequels, featuring legendary action Lon Chaney, Jr. and others. These are the landmark films that inspired an entire genre of movies and continue to be major influences on motion pictures to this day

Customer Reviews:

all these legacy dvd's are fabulous........2007-09-07

while everyone likes the 1st and original mummy....and it was good .....albeit slow and boring. ive a particular fondness for the mummys hand. it was fun and well made, good locations and what mummy movies are and should be about lots of fun i mean watch it at night its kinda creepy. its got george zuccho, cecil kelloway and the main stars, just a great night at home and to watch at halloween. a classic movie from universal and in my opinion the BEST mummy movie of all. go see its fun.

He went for a little walk....75 years ago. And he's still walking........2007-08-04

By 1932, Universal had established itself as Hollywood's premiere house of horror with films like Dracula and the cinematic masterpiece Frankenstein. So, on December 22nd, The Mummy was released to waiting public. Featuring the studio's biggest name, Boris Karloff, The Mummy also reunited veteran actor Edward Van Sloan and David Manners in Universal's latest monster outing, along with Dracula cinematographer Karl Freund, now in the director's chair.

The movie opens at the end of the British Museum's Egyptian expedition of 1921, where renowned archeologist Sir Joseph Whemple, played by Arthur Byron, and his team have unearthed a 3,700 year old mummy along with a large box buried with it. Upon consulting his friend Dr Muller, played by Edward Van Sloan in a similar manner to his role as Dracula's Van Helsing, an expert in the occult, Sir Joseph learns that the mummy, having been identified as Imhotep, a high priest in the Pharaoh's service, was buried alive, presumably for crimes of sacrilege. The mummy is inadvertently resurrected by Sir Joseph's over-eager assistant, played by Bramwell Fletcher, who instantly goes mad at the sight of a 3,700 year old corpse walking away with the Scroll of Thoth, on which the spell that brought him back to life was written.

We flash forward to the British Museum's Egyptian expedition of 1932, where Sir Joseph's son, Frank Whemple, played by David Manners in the same dorky, love-struck schoolboy performance he gave in Dracula, is just preparing to wrap up the year's tour when a strange, heavily wrinkled and very tall Egyptian man, Ardath Bey, played in a superbly deadpan, yet eerie manner by the master, Boris Karloff, bring him a piece of pottery that he claims to have come from the undisturbed tomb of the princess Anck es en Amon, which has been lost for 3,700 years. Frank jumps at the chance to bring something sensational back, so he puts his crew to work digging where Ardath Bey tells him to, and recovers the princess and all the personal effects buried with her. Due to a contract with the Cairo Museum, the entire find must be turned over to the Egyptians for display there.

Meanwhile, Dr. Muller has returned to Egypt with a patient of his, Helen Grosvenor, played in a very dramatic performance by Hungarian Zita Johann. After the museum closes, Ardath Bey is found mumbling a strange incantation next to the body of the princess, which Helen hears all the way across town, causing her to fall into a trance. She blindly heads for the museum where Sir Joseph and Frank see her trying to get in after the museum is closed. When she collapses at Frank's feet, they take her to their house for medical attention, where they are met by Dr. Muller. Sir Joseph and Dr. Muller retreat to the study where Sir Joseph tells the doctor that Helen has been mumbling the name Imhotep. He is alarmed by this, since no one other than the three men who dug the mummy up have ever heard the name. Two of the men being Sir Joseph and the Dr. Muller, and the third man being dead. While the two colleagues are in the study, Ardath Bey comes to the house on previous invitation from Sir Joseph to find that Helen was at the museum earlier. After Dr. Muller questions Ardath Bey, he determines that Ardath Bey and Imhotep are the same person, and it is the undead priest's intention to kill Helen, whom he believes is Anck es en Amon reincarnated, and revive the long dead princess's soul in Helen's body.

The basic story behind The Mummy was not one of evil, but one of sadness. Anck es en Amon had died, leaving her lover, the high priest Imhotep, heartbroken and grief stricken. His plan to read the forbidden text and resurrect her was not out of evil, but out of love. He only wanted a life with the woman he loved, but was buried alive for his crimes and his coffin desecrated so he would be condemned in the after-life as well. In his own words, "No man has ever suffered as I have for you." And it was true.

Eight years later, in 1940, the Mummy was dug up again. This time there were no Scrolls or powerful undead priests. The entire story was begun anew, with Imhotep being replaced by the mummy Kharis, kept alive for 3,000 years by the Priests of Karnak with tana leaf fluid. The Priests of Karnak were led by the high priest Professor Andoheb, played, in a strong creepy performance, by George Zucco, who was also director of Egyptology at the Cairo Museum. The sole purpose of the Priests of Karnak was to guard the tomb of the princess Ananka, who had died in a similar manner as Anck es en Amon in the 1932 classic. In a flashback at the beginning of the movie, it is explained that Kharis was in love with Ananka, just as Imhotep was with Anck es en Amon and tried to raise her from the dead with tana leaves instead of an ancient scroll. Scenes in the flashback were directly cannibalized from the first film, with close ups of Boris Karloff replaced with shots of stuntman Tom Tyler, who plodded along as Kharis, killing all who dared enter Ananka's tomb.

Americans Steve Banning and Babe Jenson, played by Dick Foran and Wallace Ford respectively, stumbled across the legend and, hoping for a sensational find to bring back to New York, enlisted the financial aid of American magician The Great Solvani, played by Cecil Kelloway, to unearth the princess's tomb. Solvani's daughter Marta, played by Peggy Moran, was none too happy about her father giving all their money to two strangers and insisted on going with them.

After the group found the tomb of Kharis, Prof. Andoheb revived the mummy and from then on, Kharis was little more than a supernatural hit man, killing where ever he found tana fluid, placed by the professor's lackey, known only as the beggar. Kharis kidnaps Marta, whom Andoheb tries to make immortal along with himself, but is foiled by Steve and Babe.

In addition to the star of the feature being little more than a priest's enforcer, none of the other performances were all that great. Foran played the standard 1940's tough guy, Ford played the lovable, if goofy sidekick and Moran played the formulaic damsel in distress. There were scared locals who believed in the curse and in the end, the good guys won. This was probably one of the first examples of a studio throwing money into visual effects instead of good acting. The set used for the tomb was very elaborate and Tom Tyler's eyes were blacked out frame by frame to give Kharis a more horrifying look. But when you have a cookie-cutter script, and half decent acting at best, you can only go so far. The Mummy's Hand didn't have a very far reach.

After the dismal venture of the Mummy's Hand, two years later in 1942, The Mummy's Tomb was opened. This one picked up where Hand left off with mostly the same characters played by the same people, with the exception of Kharis, now played by Universal's new golden boy Lon Chaney Jr., fresh off the Wolf Man. The Mummy's Tomb even ripped off the Wolf Man's opening music. Good to see they put time and effort into this one.

Tomb starts out with a much older Steve Banning, reprised by Dick Foran, recounting the story of the last movie to his older sister Jane, played by Mary Gordon, his grown son John, Played by John Hubbard, and John's fiancee Isabel, played by Elyse Knox, in their Massachusetts home. Twelve minutes into the hour long movie, we see some new material with George Zucco reprising, however briefly, his role as Andoheb, passing the mantle of high priest on to Mehemet Bey, played by Turhan Bey, and instructing him to take Kharis to America and kill all the surviving members of the group that took Ananka's mummy back to New York in the last film. Kharis is once again a glorified hit man, and the high priest sets his sights on the film's heroine and plans to make her immortal, along with himself, to stop the Banning bloodline. Wallace Ford returns for a time as Babe Hanson, renamed from Babe Jenson from the last film. Glad to see the production crew was concerned with continuity here. The story of Tomb goes pretty much the same as Hand. The only difference in the tow movies, acting wise, is Lon Chaney Jr. He isn't given much in the way of projecting his character since the mummy is pretty much a secondary villain, but his shuffling gait is a little lass animated than Tom Tyler's was, making Kharis more believable as being an undead creature. The production quality here was almost nonexistent, with the film stealing the Wolf Man's music, and scenes from Hand as well as angry mob scenes from Frankenstein. I wonder if anybody besides Chaney put any effort into this picture at all. The main cast was just as dull as the previous movie, mostly because, with few exceptions, they were the same people. One good point was a very well done, spooky cemetery set. The Mummy's Tomb should have stayed buried.

In 1944, continuing the reign of foolishness, The Mummy's Ghost came to haunt us. And not in the good way. This time the priests of Arkhan, not Karnak, send new leader Yousef Bey, played by John Carradine, to America to find Kharis and return to Egypt with him and the body of Ananka. George Zucco simply can't die, because he's back again as the high priest who passes the mantle of leadership on to Yousef Bey. Does ANYBODY care about continuity at all?

Yousef Bey arrives in Mapleton Massachusetts and finds Kharis, or rather Kharis finds him, after the priest boils tana leaves in the woods. His first victim is local university teacher, Professor Norman, played by Frank Reicher, who was the town coroner in the last film. In his class is Tom Hervey, played by Robert Lowery, who is dating an Egyptian girl named Amina, played by a very lovely Ramsay Ames. Everything happens as it did in the first two movies, except this time Ananka's soul is reborn in Amina who, Yousef Bey intends to make immortal along with himself, but this time it is Kharis who stops him, carrying Amina's rapidly aging body into the swamp where it is presumed the both perished.

Same story as before. The acting was terrible, they ripped of the Wolf Man's music again, apparently, no one could be bothered to watch the previous two films for continuity, and it was the same story with different players. I really didn't like the ending, since they couldn't save the girl. The Mummy's Ghost should have stayed dead.

Alas, the very same year, 1944, The Mummy's Curse was unleashed on fright fans. This one really was a curse.
Somehow, Both Kharis and Ananka were relocated from Massachusetts to THE BAYOU! How that happened is anyone's guess. A group of local Cajun workers are working to develop the swamp where the mummies are buried, and the foreman, Pat Walsh, played by Addison Richards, isn't having any nonsense about mummies slow down his work. He is visited by a man named Halsey, played by Dennis Moore, and his assistant Ilzor, played by Peter Coe, from the Scripps Museum to recover and bring back the two mummies if he can. Walsh's secretary, who is also his niece Betty, played by Kay Harding, is quite taken with Halsey and, while on a date, they find a young woman lying by the road and bring her back to camp. The woman is the princess Ananka, having woken from the swamp and wandered the countryside. The girl has a case of amnesia, and can't remember who she is, but she does know a great deal about the legend of Kharis, though even she isn't sure how. In addition to being Halsey's assistant, Ilzor is also this movie's high priest. He has an underling in the form of Ragheb, played by a mildly sinister Martin Kosleck, who becomes enamored with Betty. This time the priests are planning to bring the two mummies back to Egypt to be re-entombed in the Valley of the Seven Jackals. Kharis is sent to find the princess and he does, while Ragheb sets his sights on Betty. All the bad guys die, all the good guys live and that's it for the mummy franchise. Even Chaney didn't care enough about this piece of junk to really get into it. The rest of the acting was as bad as the other three Kharis movies. The Mummy's Curse really was a curse.

As is often the case, the first film is the best. The rest of them were blatant attempts to cash in on a proven thing, but were all done so badly, it's a wonder they made any money at all. There's an interesting documentary, Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed, on the first disc the tells a lot of interesting facts about the original Karloff movie, and mentions the other four out of politeness. So, with one tale of eternal tragedy and suffering, and four poorly made do-overs, the Mummy set is still worth a buy if you're a fan of old classic Universal horror, or Boris Karloff, who conveyed such suffering as he proved that true love lasts forever. So do living mummies.

The Mummy (1932).......2007-06-21

NOTE: This is only a review of the first original film.

Directed by German cinematographer Freund, who lensed Lang's "Metropolis," this eerie, dread-inducing monster movie was a triumph for all involved in the 1932 production, and remains totally absorbing today. Karloff had become a sensation with "Frankenstein" the year before, and his role as Im-Ho-Tep merely solidified the lisping English actor's fame. Bringing pathos and humanity to his portrayal of the undead cleric, Karloff is mesmerizing throughout--especially in an unforgettably horrifying flashback scene--and striking stage actress Johann holds her own as his slinky object of desire. Made by the same team as "Dracula," this brilliant horror flick has aged as well as its titular character.

A great collection.......2007-04-30

I love these old Universal Classic Horror movies, Frankenstein being my number one pick, followed by The Mummy and Creature from the Black Lagoon, but I love them all. The Mummy is a favorite because he was featured in so many movies, some great B-movie material. The Mummy's Hand was a great sequel and probably the most fun. I dont see how anyone can think it was bad. But again I saw that before I did the original mummy when I was six years old. Great stuff people, you will enjoy it.

Not a bad collection.......2007-03-12

This collection of the Legacy Collection "The Mummy" isn't all that bad, but, not all the great either. However, the classics are all here and truly very well package. If you choose to get this set of the Legacy, get it for the "The Mummy" it self. TV channels such as AMC and TMC rarely play it (even when Halloween is around)..so, just get it for that alone all the other Mummy movies are somewhat very good and im a happy with this great collection of movies.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Movie
HD IS EXCELLENT!
Continuation of The Mummy
HD-DVD shines in The Mummy Returns
HD review

The Mummy Returns [HD DVD]
Starring: Alun Armstrong , Brendan Fraser , Arnold Vosloo , John Hannah , and Patricia Velasquez
Director: Stephen Sommers
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000KN7BIG
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Movie.......2007-06-22

Excellent idea that probably came from the 1950's attempts to put this kind of movie together. However, our era's special effects makes this movie work wonderfully. Story is pretty good. There are some bumps in the telling of the story, but it all evens out. Good action sequences. Some of the characters you wish were smarter, but overall good job. I have watched it several times and will again in the future.

HD IS EXCELLENT!.......2007-05-21

This is a good movie and to add HD makes it even better. The clarity and sound is outstanding. HD is the best thing that has happened to movies in years.

Continuation of The Mummy.......2007-04-28

The sequel to the movie The Mummy. The story is set in 1933, approximately 9 years after the events of the first film. Rick O'Connell is now married to Evelyn and the couple has settled in London, where they are raising their 8-year-old son Alex. The corpse of Imhotep is resurrected in the British Museum, and Imhotep returns to the world again determined to gain immortality. Although, this time another force has also been set loose in the world... a creature of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism, who is even more powerful than Imhotep. When these two forces clash, the fate of the world will hang in the balance, sending the O'Connells on a desperate race to save the world from an unspeakable evil, and rescue their son before it is too late. Overall, I thought that the first movie was better how ever the plot was developed nicely in the second and the continuation of the characters is always a good thing.

HD-DVD shines in The Mummy Returns.......2007-04-03

Like "The Mummy" in HD-DVD, the added depth of color and resolution make this HD-DVD one to own -- and one to show off assuming your HDTV is up to it. The contrasts and colors are spectacular and there is detail everywhere.

Not to mention it's just a fun story -- well told, well acted, well directed and certainly made with more than enough production money. And Brendan Fraser/Rachel Weisz are just so cute.

HD review.......2007-03-08

I liked to see the movie in HighDefinition, good sharp colors.
It was my first HD movie so we will see how the others are.
So far so good.

Average customer rating:

Monster Party stands the test of time
BIG BOOBED PUPPET/ SKELETON ROCK BAND/ I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO....
Some Nostalgia Is Best Left In The Past
Great!
very pleased

Mad Monster Party
Starring: Boris Karloff , Allen Swift , Gale Garnett , Phyllis Diller , and Ethel Ennis
Director: Jules Bass
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A0GPEA
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Amazon.com

Love the classic monsters Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll, the Creature, Dracula, the Werewolf, and the Invisible Man? They're all here in this animated, 90-minute video--and so are the vocal talents of Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller. After discovering the secret of destruction, Baron von Frankenstein is retiring as head of the World Wide Organization of Monsters. He's handpicked his mortal nephew Felix to be his successor, and his fellow monsters are less than pleased. Even though Felix politely declines to carry on this family tradition, the monsters band together and double-cross one another in comic attempts to expel Felix from the group.

The "Rankin/Bass Animagic process" of using stop-motion photography with three-dimensional figures makes this video a visual feast for animation buffs, but it is outdated compared to modern animation techniques. Humorous details, like the count looking into a mirror to comb his hair and seeing only his comb reflected, permeate the video and will have viewers chuckling out loud and on alert for potential missed laughs. This video is best for children from about 5 to 12 years old or adults who want to reminisce over a movie viewed in their childhood. --Tami Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Monster Party stands the test of time.......2007-05-13

I remember this movie as a favourite from my childhood. Whenever it appeared on tv - I was always ready to watch it. Even though that was a good few years ago, Mad Monster Party stands the test of time. The story is simple -Monsters gather to party, bad verses badder and yet love wins in the end. The humour is quirky, the songs catchy. The characters are the original group of monsters that we all know and were scared of. When you think that this was made in the 60's the animation is brilliant. You can see at times where Tim Burton may have got some of his ideas. The colour seems to have been inhanced - all for the better. I knew this movie was a favourite and having not see it for many years pleased to say it remains one.

BIG BOOBED PUPPET/ SKELETON ROCK BAND/ I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO...........2007-05-11

Corny as hell, but I still like it. I bought this movie used from Amazon a while back, for my kid. I had no idea what I was getting into. This thing has a bizarre plotline, that leads our protagonist (a geeky-Jimmy Stewart-esque kinda guy) onto an island inhabited by his uncle Boris (rightly voiced by Boris Karloff) and an army of monsters that he created.
Uncle Boris wants to hand the island and all of it's secrets over to his nephew, but the monsters are not to thrilled. Mainly Francesca (quite possibly the sexiest puppet I've ever seen). She believes that she should be the rightful heir of the island, so she seduces Dracula into helping her destroy the nephew.
Dracula screws everything up, so Francesca decides to settle things herself (biggest [...] I've ever seen on a puppet by the way).. only her plan is foiled when nephew smacks her in the face, and somehow causes her to instantly fall madly in love with him (they make out like every five minutes from here on..) Once the monsters discover whats going on with the two, they decide to get even with both.
I won't spoil the ending, but this is a cool little movie to watch with the kids on a rainy day. The best is when a rock band of skeletons pop out of nowhere and play a song called Dance The Mummy.. but the campy, sixties take on a slew of classic monsters, portrayed as puppets is all gravy. Rankin/Bass the guys that brought you Rudolph and all of those other X-mas shows from the sixties masterminded this gem.

Some Nostalgia Is Best Left In The Past.......2007-04-02

In theory, MAD MONSTER PARTY has everything required to blast you into your childhood past: the voices of Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller; characters that are riffs on Universal horror classics; and animated by Rankin-Bass, which created such memorable holiday television specials as Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. But at ninety minutes, MAD MONSTER PARTY is much, much too long for the very slight story it has to tell.

The story, as such: Dr. Frankenstein, who earlier discovered the secret of life, has now discovered the secret of destruction. He invites all the monsters under his control to his remote island, there to announce his discovery--and his retirement and plans to pass his secrets onto his klutzy and inept nephew. The monsters are not pleased and decide to off said nephew and use the new discovery to suit themselves.

The premise is okay, but the actual result is remarkably tedious. The script is dull, the occasional song atrocious. The pace is very, very slow. The character designs are uninspired. As for the famed Rankin-Bass animation... let us be generous here and say that in this instance it has not dated very well. This is essentially stop-motion animation, the same process so memorably used by Ray Harryhouser in such memorable films as THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD and Tim Burton in THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS--but without the same budgets.

If you are considering a purchase for "family film purposes," you can do a lot better than this. If you yourself recall the movie fondly from your childhood, do yourself a favor and don't return to it, for you will almost certainly be disappointed; some nostalgia really is better left in the past. The only people likely to find the film of interest are hardcore collectors of stop-motion animation--and even then the interest is more likely to be technical than anything else. Such fans excepted, not recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Great!.......2007-03-10

This movie is a KICK IN THE PANTS! Just watching all the old time actors portrayed in claymation is a laugh a minute! If you love all the old claymation movies, you'll love this one too!

very pleased.......2007-03-08

the movie was sent out quickly. The movie was of great quality. I have only good things to say about the service from this company.

The Mummy (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Thoroughly Satisfying Adventure Movie
Mummy Comes To Life
Great on HD DVD
Absolutely Phenomenal On HD DVD
The Mummy Comes to life again

The Mummy (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Brendan Fraser , Rachel Weisz , John Hannah , Arnold Vosloo , and Kevin J. O'Connor
Director: Stephen Sommers
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Accessories:

The Mummy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B00000JQB5
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

A Thoroughly Satisfying Adventure Movie.......2007-09-07

Mummy Comes To Life.......2007-08-06

I already have the standard Mummy DVD. This HD version sounds and looks better. If you love the movie buy it. If you don't, the standard DVD is fine.

Great on HD DVD.......2007-07-30

Absolutely Phenomenal On HD DVD.......2007-06-28

The Mummy Comes to life again .......2007-05-29

Average customer rating:

Under Wraps
Under Wraps DVD
Not just for kids, but they help.
The Best Disney Channel Movie!
Great Kid movie!

Bill Fagerbakke: Under Wraps
Starring: Adam Wylie , and Mario Yedidia
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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