The Mummy (1999) | 25 Years Later

It's been 25 years since The Mummy resurrected the classic pulp/serial adventure formula for a whole new generation. Now the movie is back in theaters and I've got a few thoughts about how the movie holds up a quarter of a century after it first debuted!
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[@CerealAtMidnight]

More from the Cereal At Midnight Archives: Indiana Jones 4K Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGbSgoaQj8SIidU Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5S5fJppnrl6eMU The Rocketeer COMMENTARY kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4jJo6B6j9iBZ5I Serials At Midnight: Flash Gordon kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIKsZnqYjplmipI Serials At Midnight: The Green Hornet kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3fKdmWhedKKhLM Serials At Midnight: Superman kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3KtfpmGhs5raq8 Serials At Midnight: King of the Rocket Men kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5zSeoqFgcSJrZI Icons of Horror: Universal Monsters kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYnRoXabZdmAf5Y Mummy Mania, In which I review all of Universal's classic Mummy movies: www.cerealatmidnight.com/2017/05/mummy-mania-1-mummy-1932.html

[@themetalpig7613]

Such a great movie. It wasn't even considered an A-grade release at the time, yet it's sad to say Hollywood is barely able to make something of this quality nowadays. That era really does feel like the pinnacle of movie making, where even B & C grade movie could be excellent, even straight to VHS movies could find an audience.

[@Krusader53]

The 1990s seemed to have a resurgence of movies based on pulp fiction or at least the style, such as the Mummy, The Rocketeer, The Phantom and The Shadow, all set in the 1930/40s. Why was that? Nostalgia for the older generations and/or something new for the younger?

[@CerealAtMidnight]

It's a good question, and something I do think about from time to time. There were tons of throwback adventure movies. It was almost like the second coming of the 1950s--we had these huge genre movies with great actors, great visual effects, and decent budgets and they were all a little goofy, but they knew it. Movies like Cutthroat Island even tried to bring back the pirate film. Maybe it was the impact of Jurassic Park? Hard to say, but I miss it like crazy.

[@arnie4692]

90s was the best decade of movies. You had literally anything you wished for in that time

[@PrivateEye10]

Just a classic overall... Wish where I am we had re releases like that...

[@Paul-ng7yj]

Even though some of the digital effects were dated, it was ambitious and it worked. The jokes still land. The adventure beats still work. The simple storytelling is just fine. The movie overall was just pure fun. I miss movies like this from the modern day, cynical, depressing, current day Hollywood.

[@paltrax]

"hey O'connel, looks like to me that we got all the Horses!"

[@katie88457]

I went to see this, too! When I saw it on the big screen in '99, it was with my mom for Mother's Day. It really set off a spark in my imagination, leading to interests in Egyptology (which I studied professionally, making me rather unemployable, lol!) and classic Hollywood. Seeing and hearing The Mummy again the way it was meant to be seen and heard...just the best! Thanks for talking about this, Heath!

[@scaps2200]

I saw Dawn of the Dead 1978 at the Cinema recently with my wife and daughter. It was a first time see for them. It was so much fun. My daughter loved it. So glad they are reshowing these movies. Maybe except The Phantom Menace!

[@randylevy]

Great video. At the time I didn't realize how good we had it in the 1990's. Is this pure nostalgia on my part? I don't think so. Movies were fun and unafraid to unironically embrace and revel in that. Plus so many great practical effects (that to this day still look great) with CGI used to enhance and smooth out the rough edges.

[@TheKKVB]

The late 1990's and early 2000's was the perfect balance of Hollywood Blockbusters using both CGI and the classic practical effects. Sadly it didn't last too long and CGI fully took over.

[@thepagemaster2963]

One of my altime favorite movies.

[@Old_Scot]

I remember watching The Mummy with my son. We had a few Brendan Fraser movies at that time, including George Of The Jungle. Strange you mentioned Van Helsing, though. I hadn't really thought of them as a piece. My son and I watched Van Helsing in the cinema when it came out, then went to Fop and bought the DVD of Young Frankenstein, which we watched that night. It's nice when your kids are young and you can introduce them to stuff you like.

[@roberthealey526]

Happy 25th anniversary to a fun and good movie 🎥

[@HECTORMONTALVO-le9cn]

I remember Fangoria covering this movie and warning that it was Indiana Jones than Karloff. I went to see it with one of my best friends, who passed away in 2017, and we were entertained by it but being horror fans we couldn't help but think what a horror Mummy version this could have been if it wasn't an adventure. Fangoria warned us. Me? I still felt let down. Oh well at least Universal kept the Mummy alive haha!🤔

[@vincently1995]

Happy 25th Anniversary to The Mummy!

[@reddalchemy5970]

Can't believe its been 25 years. I literally saw this in the theaters when it came out. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@leighs966]

Me too at age 13!

[@GorillaWhale]

I was 10 when this came out and no joke it’s like my favorite single movie of all time. I’m a huge Godzilla fan but this movie the mummy has everything adventure, action, humor, some romance. Imo it’s a perfect movie ❤

[@pgaven9396]

Its available on 4k...dang im old though...25 years!?!?! wow.

[@TheAlexZorba]

Those 25 years went fast. Feeling old as I saw the Mummy on a date in my 30s. I have seen The Godfather 25 years and Casablanca 70 years which had an intro by the then TCM guy at cinemas. I do need to start getting back to theatres more.

[@jamesfarley8356]

We loved seeing the Mummy ('99) so much we saw it 3 times but the sequels not so much (1x each)& the Mummy series of classic 30s-40's were a must watch along with the British Hammer versions were welcome additions to the genre & keep up the great work you are doing here Heath 🤗😎

[@michaelowens5736]

Stephen Sommers 2 best films, "The Mummy" and "Adventures of Huck Finn"

[@TomFrichek]

Perfect movie 10/10 fricheks

[@nicomedessantiago6259]

Heath, thanks for this video. You convinced me to revisit The Mummy on the big screen - TODAY! My only nit pick (not with you but everybody) is, I really think the film is more a remake of the 1940 "The Mummy's Hand" thank the Karloff film. In spirit, execution and tone, they feel much more like cousins than the 1999 and 1932 version do. Thanks again for another GREAT chat on video.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

Interesting! I love The Mummy's Hand, and it's probably my favorite of the Mummy sequels. I like that it leans more into adventure than horror, and I also dig that it introduces Kharis, tana leaves, and the idea of the Mummy being used as a weapon--controlled by an outside force. I'm not sure the buddy comedy works, but I respect it. I like your analogy that they're cousins.

[@MetalGreggNY75]

Heath I have been slacking on my film watching due to this past month I am/was recovering from being sick and of course the allergy season this year is supposed to be worse than ever. I have seen Lon Chaney’s The Wolf Man & Frankenstein , I am going to re watch Bela Lagosi’s Dracula…..I need to rewatch the Creature From The Black Lagoon. Need to see the Mummy, The Invisible Man & Bride Of Frankenstein.

[@PacoVJ]

This is a movie that i really enjoyed. For a time I though that it would fill the void of the lack of Indiana Jones movies. Another charismatic character, with lots of action and adventure. Unfortunately it never took off, second part was still good but not as good as the first one, and the last installment really fell short. Nonetheless I'm still a fan and really enjoy the movie. I will see if any theaters near me are showing it so i can take my daughters to see it and have some fun!

[@d.christophertatum2936]

I’ve come to enjoy the 99 Mummy but was furious at the time. I’m a fan of the original Mummy and was expecting a more sympathetic antagonist and less of a jokey vibe. The movie was advertised as a cross between an action film and a horror movie, with Sommers saying it was like the ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark stretched over an entire movie. At the time I felt like we got a pale shadow of an Indiana Jones movie. Adding to injury, the version that Joe Dante was developing was more in line with what I wanted, but he got the rug pulled. I took my anger to the pages of Fangoria magazine, but I’ve come around since then, ha ha.

[@ajmhobby]

I love the 1999 version of The Mummy! I also love The Mummy Returns which is a lot of fun. I didn’t hate the 3rd one but it didn’t need to be made.

[@kleetusvandam]

SOLD! Thanks for the heads up Heath. We're gonna see the 2pm matinee on the biggest screen in AZ today.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

Woohoo! I hope you had a great time.

[@kleetusvandam]

@CerealAtMidnight We had a blast! Was a little disappointed at the turnout, though. About 35 people in an auditorium that holds upwards of 500 seats.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

That's more than in mine! I saw the movie on a Saturday afternoon at 4 pm and there were less than 10 people there. In fact, the whole theater only had about 30 cars in the parking lot. Not good....

[@kleetusvandam]

@@CerealAtMidnight Dang, not good at all!

[@CoinOpTV]

I have The Mummy on Blu-ray is the 4K a big improvement?

[@CerealAtMidnight]

Oh yes, definitely.

[@DonJoeBob]

Great movie and I'm glad it's getting some love. It's showing at my local drive-in and I can't make it which is very disappointing. As much fun as a flick like this is and films of this ilk, I scratch my head in bewilderment as to why there's not the same love for the ALL of the Indiana Jones films; those are chock full of excitement and throwback entertainment with an amazing cast, marvelous set pieces and effects. I've heard all of the complaints which usually comes down to "it's not RAIDERS" - get over the first film and let the love flow for the rest - there's plenty more out there to enjoy. Just like THE MUMMY and it's sequels.

[@airblazerfoodgamingandrevi2952]

Boi watching that tonight.Just because i seen ur vid

[@anaerobic]

Love The Mummy, it was awesome to see in the theater!! I think I'm going to The Phantom Menace as well and I've already reserved my ticket for North by Northwest 👍

[@karlleibfacher5367]

I love this film. The second one was good too.

[@thepagemaster2963]

I wasn’t a fan of the sequels but I did enjoy the mummy animated series when it came on kids WB and well as a kid I liked the mummy returns and scorpion king

[@russellkolp6245]

I remember seeing this originally in the theater around my late elementary School Middle School time. At movie theater by the mall. With my buddies. Are moms dropped us off and went searching for beanie babies. Amd crotch goblin free time. And me and my friends love this movie. I remember calling from a pay phone at the movie theater to a beeper and then our mom's from the mall payphone Bank. Saying we want more time at the mall. Figure it out and see another movie. So me and my friends had operation sneak into another movie of our choice.

[@joshua2814]

Yeah, not perfect, but very fun and well-done movie. The year before lockdown half the movies I saw in theater were Fathom Event rereleases. Unfortunately, that multiplex closed and the next nearest one doesn’t have enough screens to spare for old movies. So, now I have to be picky with those showings because I have to go a lot farther to see them.

[@moomcmoosson1992]

Many of the VFX looked horrible on the UHD. I can't imagine it looks any better blown up to a cinema screen. But i love the movie just as much as Indiana Jones 1 and 3.

[@James-yo5zh]

Now, whose gonna go see the re-release of the Phantom Menace?

[@CerealAtMidnight]

Me.

[@user-zd9yn5mz1f]

Still prefer to see the unmade version by George Romero, which would blow this version away.

[@raidersofsteak2227]

Key word unmade you can’t even try to say an unmade movie would be better

[@user-zd9yn5mz1f]

Good point. I do know that the final Mummy feature went through a host of writers - and revisions - long after Romero submitted his draft. The end result was completely different than the initial plan. Would the summer have been big enough for TWO mummy movies? Well, they would have been so far in extremes that it wouldn't even be fare comparing them. I guess it would have been better to simply say, "it's a shame that very little-to-none of Romero's fingerprints remained on this film." He could have provided a unique take on a difficult subject. But in the end, l guess people had fun with this version.

[@cavalierdecoupe]

Kinder times

[@DeadToTheWorld92]

I'm the weirdo who also loves Mummy Returns and Van Helsing. :)