Dawn of the Mummy (1981)

A group of fashion models disturb the tomb of a mummy and revive an ancient curse. Along with the mummy rising, slaves who were buried in the desert thousands of years before, also rise, with a craving for human flesh.

Director:

Frank Agrama

Writers:

Daria Price (screenplay), Ronald Dobrin (screenplay)

Stars:

Brenda Siemer Scheider, Barry Sattels, George Peck

Cast

Cast overview:
Brenda Siemer Scheider	...	Lisa (as Brenda King)
Barry Sattels	...	Bill
George Peck	...	Rick
John Salvo	...	Gary
Ibrahim Khan	...	Karib
Joan Levy	...	Jenny
Ellen Faison	...	Melinda (as Ellene Faison)
Diane Beatty	...	June
Ali Gohar	...	Tarak
Ahmed Rateb	...	Omar (as Ahmed Ratib)
Baher Saied	...	Egyptian
Ali Azab	...	Egyptian
Ahmed Laban	...	Egyptian
Laila Nasr	...	High Priestess / Xena

Storyline

A group of fashion models disturb the tomb of a mummy and revive an ancient curse. Along with the mummy rising, slaves who were buried in the desert thousands of years before, also rise, with a craving for human flesh.

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Plot Keywords:

mummy | fashion model | tomb | curse | photo model | 

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Taglines:

A monstrous, chilling terror stalking the living ...

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Mumie des Pharao

Filming Locations:

The Nile Studio, Cairo, Egypt

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harmony Gold

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut by 27 secs by the BBFC and the same print was released on the Videospace label before the introduction of the VRA (Video Recordings Act). When the film was officially released on video in 1987 it received 1 min 43 secs of censor cuts with edits to all flesh eating scenes, an eye gouging, the stabbing of a man's head with a meat cleaver, and a woman being bitten in the neck and dragged under the sand. The cuts were waived in 2003 and the film was released unedited on the Anchor Bay label.

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Connections

Edited into Cent une tueries de zombies (2012)

User Reviews

YAWN OF THE MUMMY

Since HBO/Thorn EMI's domestic video release has long since been retired, the film itself has become a rarity and sought after by many a horror fan. And, I was no exception. Even when the film was in print, I still had trouble. When I was a kid, all the "cool looking" horror films I wanted to see where never available at the video store my family went to, but rather at video stores in other cities and such. This was the case with "DAWN OF THE MUMMY" and I finally secured a copy after all these years. Less than one hour later, my unknowing plight with insomnia had been cured.

First of all, I don't care what anyone says, this is NOT an Italian horror film. This common rumor is not only inaccurate but inappropriate to an established style of filmmaking. What we have here is an American and Arabian co-production, and it shows.

The pacing is absolutely horrible. After spending 40 minutes of ridiculous padding, we finally see the resurrection of an actual mummy. This particular shot is edited quite nicely and stands as one of the two interesting sequences throughout the film. The other, takes place several minutes later, when a horde of flesh hungry mummified zombies rise from the sands of the desert. And, there you have it. That's it. Back to the slo-mo carnage.

If you want blood, you've got it... Sloppy Joe style. Most fans of zombie films crave the gore sequences, and I suppose I do as well to some extent. If it is handled in the right way, it can add to the film, but if it maintains the inept "BURIAL GROUND" approach, as this film does, I soon lose interest.

All in all, I can only recommend the film for it's terrific poster artwork (which lured me to watching it in the first place), a great score and the two sequences mentioned earlier.

That's all for now.