|
Bit 1
|
The physical presence of Brendan Fraser and the ghostly one of Boris Karloff
link the thrills of The Mummy and the suspense of Gods and
Monsters.
|
|---|
|
Bit 2
|
Between Karloff's first collaboration with James Whale -- whose last days are
the focus of Gods and Monsters -- in the 1931 Frankenstein,
and their second, for The Old Dark House, Karloff starred for Karl
Freund in the original 1931 production of The Mummy. Karloff
recreated Whale's monster in Bride of Frankenstein, after Whale and
Claude Rains amazed audiences with The Invisible Man.
|
|---|
|
Bit 3
|
There's yet another connection between the two movies, in the sense of
"monsters" who have the power of life or death. Underneath the adventure
action of the new version of The Mummy, this aspect of the story
suggests that various treatments of blasphemy in films might at some time be
worth investigation.
|
|---|
|
Bit 4
|
What I mean are movie characters who place themselves on a par with the
Almighty by claiming, manifesting, or pretending to have, divine powers -- for
example, con man Tyrone Power pretending he can conjure up the dead in
Nightmare Alley (Edmund Goulding, 1947); or doctor Alec Baldwin
stating that he is God in Malice (Harold Becker, 1993). In The
Mummy, the man who plays God is Pharaoh's High Priest Imhotep
(Arnold Vosloo), who has acquired the infernal power to replicate most of
the original plagues of Exodus: swarms of locusts and flies, water turning
into blood, a rain of fire, a solar eclipse, and boils to cover the extras.
|
|---|
|
Bit 5
|
The plot involves two books of incantations -- one black, one gold -- sought by
rival parties, one led by Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser). From this
narrative basis, costume designer John Bloomfield (who usually does the
costumes for Kevin Costner's productions) provides black and gold costumes
for the prologue, set in ancient Egypt, telling how Imhotep came to be
buried alive. When the story moves to 1920s Egypt to introduce legionnaire
O'Connell, the colour of the desert sands suggests the addition of tones of
brown to the colour palette; then greens, reds and blues are added as the
story progresses.
|
|---|
|
Bit 6
|
While The Mummy sees Fraser in wise-cracking adventurer mode, Gods
and Monsters requires a different register of the actor, who, as
jobbing ex-Marine Clay Boone, proves to be an effective foil for Ian
McKellen as the uncloseted director Whale. Although McKellen's Oscar
nomination for his performance was well deserved, it is possible to imagine
other actors of his experience in the role; but it's hard to think who else
there might be in the right age range besides Fraser with the physical
presence as well as the acting ability needed to give substance to a complex
characterisation.
|
|---|
|
Bit 7
|
In Bill Condon's screenplay, adapted from Christopher Bram's novel, Boone
enters Whale's life when the elegant director, retired from films but still
living in some style, is recovering from a stroke. Whale's illness has left
him subject to intrusive memories of the past, like the recollection of a
perfect moment he knew when the unique circumstances of World War I meant
class barriers could be briefly transcended.
|
|---|
|
Bit 8
|
The purpose Whale sees for Boone is worked out in the course of a story
which at times recalls Sleuth, plus maybe a touch of The Roman
Spring of Mrs. Stone, with enough red herrings and plenty of comic
relief, like that supplied by Lynn Redgrave in the role of Whale's
disapproving but devoted housekeeper.
|
|---|
|
Bit 9
|
As Frankenstein's monster learned, "It is bad to be alone"; and even an
artist who sleeps in tailored pyjamas beneath a mink bedspread may be able
to establish some connection with a lawnmower man. Or maybe not.
|
|---|
| |
Bit 10
|
Details
The Mummy, by Universal 1999.
Director: Stephen Sommers.
Screenplay: Stephen Sommers.
Cinematography: Adrian Biddle.
Production Design: Allan Cameron.
Costume Design: John Bloomfield.
Music: Jerry Goldsmith.
Special Effects: Vision Crew Unlimited, Cinesite Hollywood, Industrial Light & Magic.
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O'Connor, Jonathan Hyde.
Gods and Monsters, by United International Pictures 1998.
Director: Bill Condon.
Screenplay: Bill Condon, adapted from the novel Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram.
Cinematography: Stephen M. Katz.
Production Design: Richard Sherman.
Costume Design: Bruce Finlayson.
Cast: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, David Dukes, Kevin J. O'Connor, Mark Kiely, Arthur Dignam.
|
|---|
| |
Bit 11
|
Citation reference for this article
MLA style:
Shane Lewis. "Monsters from the Past: 'The Mummy'/'Gods and Monsters'." M/C Reviews 2 July 1999.
[your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/screen/mummy.html>.
Chicago style:
Shane Lewis, "Monsters from the Past: 'The Mummy'/'Gods and Monsters'," M/C Reviews 2 July 1999,
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/screen/mummy.html> ([your date of access]).
APA style:
Shane Lewis. (1999) Monsters from the past: 'The Mummy'/'Gods and Monsters'. M/C Reviews 2 July 1999.
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/screen/mummy.html> ([your date of access]).
|
|---|
|
|
![[image]](http://www.themummy.com/images/photo4sm.jpg)