The Mummy

Dear Liza,

It is October, so for the whole month we are watching monster movies. We are a household that doesn’t like realistic gore, so a lot of the modern horror movies are not for us. No slashers. No “Exorcist”.

Nope, we are romantics, I guess. Auntie Bridgett likes the 1931 swoon-inducing Dracula, with Bela Lugosi. The painted Transylvanian backdrops and facial expressions set the mood of not-quite-reality. And of course, Renfield’s laugh is amazing.

I prefer Boris Karloff’s The Mummy, made in 1932. Karloff’s personification of the 3,700 year old priest coming back to life for love speaks to me, in a creepy sort of way. Zita Johann, who portrays the object of his obsession, is stunning, and a perfect example of the ‘modern’ woman. Her costumes, banter, and knowing looks separate her from the poor hapless women in Dracula.