PHARAOH’S CURSE (1957) **

Captain Storm (Mark Dana) leads an expedition through the desert to join an archeological dig in progress in Egypt.  Their voyage is beset by troubles once a beautiful stranger Simira (Ziva Shapir) joins them on their quest.  Pack mules run off, their water supply inexplicably dries up, and scorpions attack.  Once the tomb is opened, the mummy disappears and Simira’s brother becomes a dried-out, bloodsucking, mummified killer.  

Pharaoh’s Curse is a no-frills mummy movie.  At least it’s short and moves at a relatively brisk pace, which is appreciated.  Director Lee (Catalina Caper) Sholem brings a workmanlike style to the picture, which looks right at home on your TV screen.  (The early scenes of Dana and company traveling across the desert sort of resemble an Egyptian variation on Wagon Train.)

The monster certainly had potential as it’s basically a mix of mummy and vampire, going around from victim to victim draining them of their blood.  Too bad the mummy make-up isn’t very effective as it just looks like somebody’s wrinkled old grandfather.  I did like the scene where its arm falls off and almost immediately began crumbling to dust though.  Ultimately, moments like this are just too brief and undistinguished to make Pharaoh’s Curse a winner.  The lackluster ending doesn’t help matters either.

Screenwriter Richard Landau also wrote Voodoo Island and The Girl in Black Stockings the same year.

AKA:  Curse of the Pharaoh.