[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Mummy's Shroud (1967)

Director John Gilling wrote the screenplay for The Mummy's Shroud and its a fairly average, cliche riddled affair, that manages to somehow be quite an enjoyable watch. This is in no small part due to John Phillips who has top billing as spoilt millionaire Sir Basil Walden, Phillips positively fills the screen every time he appears and engages the role with an almost youthful abandonment. Andre Morell is also excellent as the expedition leader who ends up institutionalised by Walden.

One of the best things about The Mummy's Shroud is that the film gives a decent sized role to Hammer regular Michael Ripper. Ripper appeared in more than twenty Hammer films, usually having only a few moments in each film, but still managing to create a distinctive character but in The Mummy's Shroud he gives an especially polished turn. It was nice to see Doctor Who regular Roger Delgado have a large role in the film as the villainous Hasmid-Ali.

As always with Hammer their production values are superb for what are relatively low cost films, The Mummy's Shroud is no exception, the sets are lush and certainly evoke a sense of the period, both in and outdoors. Unfortunately the mummy itself, played here by stuntman Eddie Powell (Who was actually Christopher Lee's stunt double in many Hammer productions), is not a very convincing creature, looking more like an American Footballer than a shambling ancient mummy. The mummy does have the films finest scene though as it rips itself apart at the finale.

Watched via the SC dual format release which i picked up earlier this year.