Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb
In state she lies, regal, her attendants around her, devout and dedicated to their cause, to depose the Queen of Darkness, the Princess of Ancient Egypt, Tera, “she who is buried here and shall henceforth have no name,” drugged and entombed, her hand severed but creeping across the sands, the priests struck down as though cursed for their treasonous actions.
Centuries later, the tomb discovered by an expedition led by Julian Fuchs, they enter at the very moment his wife back in England gives birth and dies, the child miraculously surviving and growing up to be the beautiful young woman Margaret, courted by handsome Tod but haunted by strange nightmares which grow worse as her father’s former colleague Corbeck moves in next door, coinciding with a celestial conjunction long foretold.
Based on Bram Stoker’s Jewel of the Seven Stars of 1903, the astrological component of the title reflected in the stars and the nebulae of the opening titles, Ursa Major prominently featured, Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb was directed by The Nanny’s Seth Holt who died during production with producer Michael Carreras taking over, starring Quatermass and the Pit’s Andrew Keir as kindly, reassuring but irresponsible Fuchs and Valerie Leon in the dual roles of Tera and Margaret.
Released in October 1971, eight months after Holt’s collapse on set, the adaptation by Cry of the Banshee’s Christopher Wicking obviates the mystery by simplifying the narrative, opening with the murder of the Queen Tera, vengeful beyond the grave, and despite Hammer becoming more risqué in the new decade, cinematographer Arthur Grant invariably framing shots on Leon’s bosom, it feels sluggish and dated, trendy Tod (Mark Edwards) driving a modern car but otherwise entirely indistinguishable from a restrained period piece.
With The Haunting’s Rosalie Crutchley and Blake’s 7‘s David Jackson in small roles, both are better than what they given, while despite being specifically warned by her father not to trust James Villiers’ obviously evil stalker Corbeck that is exactly what Margaret does as though she and those around her were unable to fight their fates, Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb a slow shuffle which lacks the energy of the superficially similar shenanigans of The Abominable Dr Phibes, released earlier the same year.
Restored in 4K, StudioCanal’s new edition of Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb is supported by archive features including interviews with Leon, Wicking, sound recordist Tony Dawe and camera operator Neil Binney, a commentary from historian Steve Haberman and newly shot material from Leon and Kim Newman alongside galleries, a trailer and a booklet of essays and reprinted press materials.
