What we flagged
View all categoriesOur take
This is an early-1970s Hammer horror, slower and moodier than modern scares but genuinely dark. A dead Egyptian queen reaches through a young woman to return, and the possession plot builds steady menace. There are several killings with Hammer's trademark splashes of blood, some mild swearing, and a brief glimpse of nudity. The whole thing is grim and eerie, better suited to tweens and up who like old-school horror.
Uplifting themes
There is little uplift here; the story is mostly about dark forces gaining ground. A couple of characters try to protect the daughter and stop the horror. That instinct to help is about the only bright thread Most characters are either victims or in thrall to the curse. A doctor and a would-be rescuer show some decency and courage. Depth is thin, as it tends to be in this kind of horror
Story (may spoil tone)
Two Egyptologists, Professor Fuchs and Corbeck, are instrumental in unleashing unmitigated horror by bringing back to England the mummified body of Tara, the Egyptian Queen of Darkness. Fuchs’s daughter becomes involved in a series of macabre and terrifying incidents, powerless against the forces of darkness, directed by Corbeck, that are taking possession of her body and soul to fulfill the ancient prophesy that Queen Tara will be resurrected to continue her reign of unspeakable evil.
What we flagged
Details
Violence People are killed off one by one as the curse spreads, and the deaths a…
People are killed off one by one as the curse spreads, and the deaths are abrupt and nasty for their era. Blades and strangling feature, with real menace behind each attack. The violence is spaced out, but it bites when it lands
Language Swearing is mild and occasional. A 'damn' and a couple of uses of 'hell…
Swearing is mild and occasional. A 'damn' and a couple of uses of 'hell' show up in tense exchanges, and nothing stronger surfaces across the film
Sex / nudity The film carries a sensual, slightly morbid charge, and there is a brie…
The film carries a sensual, slightly morbid charge, and there is a brief moment of nudity tied to the queen's body. References to a strange 'affair' thread through the dialogue. Nothing is explicit, but the mood is adult
Drugs / alcohol You get strong language in passing, true to a film of this vintage, inc…
You get strong language in passing, true to a film of this vintage, including Smoking and the odd drink. They sit in the background of ordinary scenes and draw no real attention
Frightening Possession, nightmares and a reawakening Queen of Darkness build a sust…
Possession, nightmares and a reawakening Queen of Darkness build a sustained sense of dread. Dark rooms, a disembodied hand and a slow creep of evil set the mood. It works as a genuine slow-burn chiller
Gore / death / weapons Bodies show up and wounds bleed in the vivid red Hammer was known for.…
Bodies show up and wounds bleed in the vivid red Hammer was known for. One victim is found with blood pooling from puncture marks, and corpses feature more than once. It is dated but still fairly graphic
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- The queen takes over someone else's body to come back. What makes the idea of losing control of yourself so frightening?
- Older horror relies on mood and shadow more than shocks. Which approach do you find scarier, and why?
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Blood from the Mummy's Tomb
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