I enjoy classic Hammer and this is by no means classic Hammer. Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb does have a few things to recommend it however. Seth Holt was a talented, if lost, director, and he died while shooting this film. He had problems with alcohol and with getting films made, one may have fuelled the other.
The other thing this film has to recommend it is Valerie Leon. Not a great actress, but a truly great beauty. Valerie’s other appearances are usually in Carry On films (or on Morecambe and Wise). This is probably her best film. She’s still working to this day.
The film is pretty cheeky in parts, doesn’t take itself too seriously and is fun all round. Other Hammer favourites I’d put into this blogpost are Twins of Evil and Blood from Satan’s Claw. Again, they follow the same route as Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb – lovely looking girls, a pot boiler horror plot and some cheeky, funny and knowing touches.
And it’s not just me that likes this film, apparently a copy was found in Ingmar Bergman’s collection!
So, 64 films to go…
Matthew Cooper has written for Emmerdale, Eastenders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs. He was winner of the first ever Lloyds Bank Channel Four Film Challenge and the Oscar Moore Screenplay Prize. His first short film starred a then unknown Ewan McGregor and was picked up by Channel Four when Matthew was 19 years old. He’s been a script writer for hire and filmmaker for hire for over 20 years.