Hammer's mummies

When it comes to mummy movies (be it Universal or Hammer), they always seem to limp along behind the likes of Dracula and Frankenstein. Granted, there are times when this comes from ideas endlessly recycled (reincarnated?) in such a series, but here is a film that dares to be different. Based on Bram Stoker's novel, "The Jewel of Seven Stars," not only are we NOT given the usual shuffling mass of bandages (although I confess to those films being a guilty pleasure), but the "mummy" in question is a woman; a powerful Egyptian sorceress who threatens to possess the daughter of the archaeologist who discovered her tomb. The story structure has more in common with the original Boris Karloff classic, THE MUMMY (in that the focus is on reincarnation, possession and Egyptian occultism) than any of the other Hammer mummy outings. While Hammer Film fans may find themselves preferring the Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee THE MUMMY out of all the eerie archaeological adventures from the studio, BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB is well worth a look from among their later output. There have been several films based on the Stoker book, but this one is the most memorable, and lovely leading lady Valerie Leon is probably given the most dialogue and screen time of her career here. The production seemed to suffer from a pharoh's curse, as director Seth Holt died before filming was completed (his plans for the film's finale died with him), and Peter Cushing (originally cast as the archaeologist) had to drop out after only one day of shooting because of his wife's death. (The Anchor Bay DVD contains photos of Cushing's footage as a hidden Easter Egg.) While Cushing's presence would have, without a doubt, elevated the film's status, we are still left with something unusual from Hammer.