10 Great Monster Movies You May Have Missed
2. The Mummy (1932)
Shuffling, shambling mummies have featured in numerous creature features across several decades, with 2017's The Mummy (starring Tom Cruise) being the latest big-budget example. Here, we're going back to the original 1932 film of the same name, which set down the tropes which have coloured just about every mummy movie since.
Boris Karloff is the main star, a legendary horror actor whose resume includes such classics as Frankenstein (1931), The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932) and The Ghoul (1933), all of which are well worth seeking out. Inspired by the real-life discovery and opening of Tutankhamun's tomb, ten years earlier, the plot concerns an archaeological expedition led by Joseph Whemple and Dr Muller (played by Arthur Byron and Edward Van Sloan respectively.)
The team pays the price for its inquisitiveness, of course, and unwittingly unleashes ancient Egyptian high priest Imhotep on the world. Lost-loves, hidden tombs, curses and magic spells all play a part in this delightful movie directed by Karl Freund, who also worked on both the science-fiction classic, Metropolis and the much-loved sitcom, I Love Lucy.