The Mummy Effect

From Ancient Egypt to modern times, the Mummy has haunted the imaginations of millions. Wrapped in bandages from head to toe, the Mummy stalks the night to avenge an age-old curse and destroy those foolish enough to disturb his tomb. Today, novelists and filmmakers continue to be inspired by the creepy and mysterious image of the Mummy in comic books, Hollywood blockbusters, and museum exhibitions. Neither age nor familiarity has dimmed the public's fascination with one of the most frightening and fascinating monsters of all time.

Released in 1932, The Mummy moved Universal horror into a land of deserts, pyramids, and long-lost tombs. This book examines the roots of The Mummy. It shows how the film shares many motifs with the work of writers such as H. Rider Haggard and discusses how The Mummy drew upon a contemporary vogue for all things ancient Egyptian.

The most penetrating study of the curse ever conducted, The Mummy's Curse uncovers forgotten writings, examines original surveys and field observations of museum visitors, revolutionizes the study of mummy horror films and shows that the curse's structure, meaning and interpretation was changed by events such as the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The Mummy is one of the most recognizable figures in horror and is as established in the popular imagination as virtually any other monster, yet the Mummy on screen has until now remained a largely overlooked figure in critical analysis of the cinema. In this compelling new study, Basil Glynn explores the history of the Mummy film, uncovering lost and half-forgotten movies along the way, revealing the cinematic Mummy to be an astonishingly diverse and protean figure with a myriad of on-screen incarnations. In the course of investigating the enduring appeal of this most 'Oriental' of monsters, Glynn traces the Mummy's development on screen from its roots in popular culture and silent cinema, through Universal Studios' Mummy movies of the 1930s and 40s, to Hammer Horror's re-imagining of the figure in the 1950s, and beyond.

In the winter of 1922-23 archaeologist Howard Carter and his wealthy patron George Herbert, the Fifth Earl of Carnarvon, sensationally opened the tomb of Tutenkhamen. Six weeks later Herbert, the sponsor of the expedition, died in Egypt. The popular press went wild with rumours of a curse on those who disturbed the Pharaoh's rest and for years followed every twist and turn of the fate of the men who had been involved in the historic discovery. Long dismissed by Egyptologists, the mummy's curse remains a part of popular supernatural belief. Roger Luckhurst explores why the myth has captured the British imagination across the centuries, and how it has impacted on popular culture. Tutankhamen was not the first curse story to emerge in British popular culture. This book uncovers the 'true' stories of two extraordinary Victorian gentlemen widely believed at the time to have been cursed by the artefacts they brought home from Egypt in the nineteenth century. These are weird and wonderful stories that weave together a cast of famous writers, painters, feted soldiers, lowly smugglers, respected men of science, disreputable society dames, and spooky spiritualists. Focusing on tales of the curse myth, Roger Luckhurst leads us through Victorian museums, international exhibitions, private collections, the battlefields of Egypt and Sudan, and the writings of figures like Arthur Conan Doyle, Rider Haggard and Algernon Blackwood. Written in an open and accessible style, this volume is the product of over ten years research in London's most curious archives. It explores how we became fascinated with Egypt and how this fascination was fuelled by myth, mystery, and rumour. Moreover, it provides a new and startling path through the cultural history of Victorian England and its colonial possessions.

PR specialist Cassie Cooper thrives on the thrill of orchestrating spectacular events, and her latest project, a masquerade ball at the city's prestigious museum, is set to be her crowning achievement. But the night takes an unexpected turn when a legendary amulet, said to hold ancient secrets, is stolen right under her watch. In a race against time, Cassie is forced to team up with her infuriating yet irresistibly charming nemesis, archaeologist Harrison Standish. With a reputation as solid as Indiana Jones, Harrison's expertise is their only hope of unraveling the mystery. However, as they delve deeper into the world of ancient relics and hidden dangers, Harrison finds himself struggling to maintain his no-nonsense demeanor, especially with Cassie's daring spirit challenging him at every turn. Together, they embark on a whirlwind adventure where historical secrets and simmering romance intertwine, leading them to question not just the truth behind the amulet but the true nature of their feelings for each other. Can they recover the priceless artifact before it falls into the wrong hands, and will their mission ignite a passion that's impossible to resist?

Mummies, experts, and breaking science revealed in journalist Pringle's fascinating dive into a little-known arena of human studies. Perhaps the most eccentric of all scientific meetings, the World Congress on Mummy Studies brings together mummy experts from all over the globe and airs their latest findings. Who are these scientists, and what draws them to this morbid yet captivating field? The Mummy Congress, written by acclaimed science journalist Heather Pringle, examines not just the world of mummies, but also the people obsessed with them.