DVD Collectors Online

Die Augen der Mumie Ma, a review by Danae Cassandra

Die Augen der Mumie Ma (The Eyes of the Mummy)
Year of Release: 1918
Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch
Starring: Emil Jannings, Pola Negri, Harry Liedtke
Genre: Horror Thriller, Melodrama

Overview:
Albert Wendland, a young painter studying in Egypt, overhears Prince Hohenfels' plans to visit the mysterious tomb of Queen Ma.  Albert is intrigued when he hears a local legend: anyone who enters the crypt meets with disaster.  Ignoring the warning, Wendland journeys to the forbidden burial chamber and finds not a mummy but a beautiful woman, Mara, who is held prisoner by the evil Radu.  Albert rescues Mara and takes her to his European home where they are soon married.  Provided with beautiful clothes, she becomes acquainted with the ways of polite society.  Meanwhile, Radu has sworn revenge upon Mara.  The tragic curse of the mummy hangs over her head!

The Eyes of the Mummy was produced by prolific German UFA studio and boasts a who's who of movie legends.  The film was directed by a young Ernst Lubitsch, who would gain worldwide acclaim for films such as The Love Parade and Heaven Can Wait.  Emil Jannings, star of such classics as The Last Laugh and The Blue Angel, stars as Radu.  Polish femme fatale Pola Negri stars as the doomed Mara.  Negri made many films in Germany with Lubitsch before immigrating to Hollywood where her love affairs garnered more attention than her acting.

My Thoughts
This wasn't really a horror movie, despite being listed as one and having Mummy in the title.  It's really a melodrama/thriller.  Looking at it from that perspective, it's not a bad movie.  Emil Jannings is suitably sinister and threatening. Pola Negri does a commendable job as Ma, the beautiful girl who lives in fear of him, and Harry Liedtke is at least believable as her devoted husband.  While not up to the quality of his later works, Lubitsch's direction here is beginning to show his talent.  

Yes, this is a silent film, and the viewer should expect it to be one.  The acting is over-the-top by modern standards, the makeup heavy, the plot extremely simple.  Take the film as what it is, consider the year it was made in, and it's not that bad a movie, though.  

My only complaint is with my DVD copy of the film.  I'm accustomed to poor video quality, so the fact that this isn't remastered in any way didn't really bother me - yes, there were scratches and dings in the video, but they didn't take away any enjoyment for me.  What was noticeable is that the music soundtrack wasn't synced properly, so that the music would change either just before or just after the scene did, instead of properly with the change of scene.  I'm sure this is because of the cheapness of the Alpha Video release I have.

Bechdel Test: Pass
(for silent films, I will count any interaction between two women that isn't obviously about a man - here between Ma and her tutor)

Overall: 2.5/5

(From Danae's 2013 Horror Marathon on October 9th, 2013)

Never Say Never Again, a review by Rich

Never Say Never Again



In this remake and updated version of the 1965 THUNDERBALL, James Bond (Sean Connery), who has been primarily teaching for the last few years, is quite happily yanked out of semiretirement to deal with the deadly SPECTRE organization's newest plan for the destruction of the planet. (The Bond story line mimics Connery's semiretirement from the role, which he had last played in 1971's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.) Agent Number 2, also known as Maximilian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer), has managed to steal two cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads, and Agent Number 1, Blofeld (Max von Sydow), has threatened to explode them in areas with large populations if a huge, and almost impossible, ransom demand from the NATO countries is not met. The film features an excellent gaming battle between Largo and Bond, as well as stunning turns by Barbara Carrera and Kim Basinger. Technically not an offical Bond movie, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN was released around the same time as OCTOPUSSY, starring Roger Moore.

Looks like a Bond, smells like a Bond, sounds like a Bond, but it isn't a Bond!
Despite the ingredients being similar, they could not quite replicate the winning formula that is 007. Connery does his best to pull the film through, Bassinger was a convincing Bond girl, and the sexy Barbara Carrera raised temperatures especially when dressed as a nurse with long leather boots. There were exotic locations, plenty of action and fights, and I am sure a fairly hefty budget.
But now the negatives and why it cannot be considered in the same breath as the 007 series. The theme tune is weak, the opening titles (minus the sexist girls) are run of the mill, M is a disaster with Edward Fox, Q is basically absent, lack of flirting with Moneypenny, 007's glib remarks lack the typical punch and cheesiness, the action is below par, the effects disappointed several times (notably the missile scenes), distinct lack of gadgets, and a different and inferior feel to the whole production compared to the mainstream Bonds.
Close - but no cigar
 


(From Riches Random Reviews on April 30th, 2009)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Rick

Witness
I liked this episode. I liked seeing Fraser in prison, and how even there his manners and politeness helped in the end. I also thought the scene where Ray and Fraser were discussing the movie was pretty funny

Ray "If it were a good movie it would be in color"  Sound familiar Pete? 

Rating

(From "Due South" marathon on August 13th, 2009)