The Film
Clearly, heavily influenced by the Indiana Jones canon, filmmaker Stephen Sommers took audiences back to pre-World War II Egypt for a supernatural adventure, with little more than a two-fisted, gun-toting hero (Brendan Fraser) standing between salvation and utter doom. Seems that about 3,000 years ago, two lovers betrayed the pharaoh and paid the price, but some irresponsible archaeology has brought the troublemaker back to life--more or less--and all underworld is about to break loose.
Although released by Universal Studios, Sommers' Mummy is a world apart from their 1932 original, utilizing some wildly imaginative, then-cutting-edge special effects by the best name in the business, Industrial Light & Magic. Universal is doing something very smart with this release: After notoriously picking the wrong horse in the high-def disc race, they are making the two Mummy films part of their first-ever wave of Blu-rays, timed just ten days before the third Mummy, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor hits theaters. Heck, there's even a "free" Hollywood Movie Money redeemable code inside The Mummy and the new Mummy Returns Blu-ray and DVD, to encourage theatrical attendance. Like I said: smart.
The Picture
Following some unavoidable compression artifacts on the sun in the very first 2.35:1 shot, The Mummy unspools with some of the most impressive video quality I've seen on a disc. The movie is rather orange by design, particularly the opening scenes of ancient Egypt, lending a nostalgic warmth to the whole affair. Other colors are amped up here and there as well. Despite some slight film grain and a little bit of dirt, the level of detail in the textures and the shifting sands is absolutely amazing. It even had me wondering, "Damn, what's Lawrence of Arabia going to look like?" The digital effects have not all aged well, the technology has come along way in the past nine years, and the stellar clarity of the high-definition reproduction doesn't help their cause. (I'll probably say the same thing when Titanic arrives.) But that's further testament to what a gorgeous transfer Universal has bestowed upon us.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio here is certainly not stingy with the bass, underscoring everything from gunshots to some big thunder to fireballs from heaven. Crowd scenes fill the multichannel soundfield with voices and ample background noises and atmosphere marked by sublime layers of incidental effects. Impossible tornados, a swarm of man-eating scarabs, a sandstorm with a face: They're all sold by the sound. And for serious home theater-type moments, a vintage plane flies overhead, from the screen to the back wall and beyond. Jerry Goldsmith's underappreciated score flaunts a full, rich dynamic range and is given a genuine presence in the mix.
The Extras
About two minutes of deleted scenes are presented in quality that is a drastic step down from the movie presentation. Three different commentaries are provided for our listening pleasure. The one from star Fraser is a little dry as he flies solo, another from Sommers and film editor Bob Ducsay is the deepest and most varied, while the last from supporting players Oded Feher, Arnold Vosloo and repeat Sommers collaborator Kevin J. O'Connor is far and away the most fun. "An Army to Rule the World, Part 1" is the first half of a brief look at the packs of marauding bad guys, while "Building a Better Mummy" explores the visual realization of the title character for almost an hour.
Some of the content here is repeated on the Blu-ray of The Mummy Returns. That includes a three-minute sneak peek at the new The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and "Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy" which delves into Universal's illustrious history of classic monster movies. Both Blu-rays also feature title-specific special effects analyses for a few key sequences, and storyboard-to-film comparison for several scenes.
The Mummy also includes Universal's branded U-Control picture-in-picture enhanced content, which shows storyboards, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage with sound in an occasional, selectable onscreen window. Movie audio is automatically mixed down during the pop-ups and returns to full volume in between.
Final Thoughts
Successfully resurrecting an "ancient" monster for a new generation, The Mummy replaces that slow-moving guy in bandages with a creepy, dangerous villain we can't wait to see defeated… just not so utterly as to preclude a sequel. With a hero we can root for, plenty of laughs and coffins overflowing with originality, the movie is a tremendous ride, and the Blu-ray is a keeper.
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