'Lee Cronin's The Mummy' Was a Disappointment, but These 5 Movies Are So Much Better

One of cinema's classic monsters is a corpse covered from head to toe in bandages that inevitably stalks those who dare disturb its peace – it first appeared on screen nearly a hundred years ago.

Since then, filmmakers of thrillers, comedies, and adventures have returned to the image of the mummy dozens of times, creating a galaxy of unique projects.

1. 'Blood from the Mummy's Tomb', 1971

IMDb Score: 5.6/10

A group of British archaeologists led by Professor Fuchs discovers the tomb of the Egyptian princess Tera.

Fuchs became obsessed with Tera's story and transported her sarcophagus to London, where he placed it in a makeshift tomb beneath his home. He gives the princess's ring to his daughter, Margaret, who bears a striking resemblance to the deceased Egyptian princess.

Blood from the Mummy's Tomb departs from the classic image of a bandaged monster, building a plot around possession. Tera's spirit gradually takes over Margaret's consciousness, causing the girl to lose her identity and become the bearer of someone else's will.

2. 'The Mummy', 1999

IMDb Score: 7.1/10

The high priest Imhotep enters into a forbidden relationship with the pharaoh's concubine, Anck-su-namun. Together, they murder the ruler. For this crime, Imhotep is brutally executed – he is mummified alive and cursed to destroy the world if he returns to life.

Three thousand years later, aspiring Egyptologist Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan, set out to find the lost city of Hamunaptra. They enlist the help of adventurer Rick O'Connell.

Their expedition coincides with that of another group of treasure hunters, whose carelessness awakens Imhotep.

3. 'The Mummy Returns', 2001

IMDb Score: 6.4/10

The sequel to the 1999 movie finally and irrevocably abandons the idea of combining adventure and horror, instead focusing on pure entertainment.

The setting shifts to 1933, where Rick O'Connell and Evelyn live a happy family life with their son, Alex. Alex accidentally activates the Bracelet of Anubis, a powerful artifact that his parents recovered during an antiquities hunt.

The bracelet belonged to the semi-mythical Scorpion King and attracts the attention of Imhotep's priests, who dream of resurrecting their master and entrusting him with command of Anubis' armies to conquer the world.

4. 'The Mummy', 1959

IMDb Score: 6.6/10

Despite forebodings and warnings, a British archaeological expedition led by Stephen Banning uncovers a previously unknown tomb in Egypt. His son, John, who is confined to the excavation site due to a leg injury, refuses to leave, fearing he'll miss an important discovery.

It soon becomes clear that the tomb holds more than historical significance. The ancient priest Kharis, who was once punished for trying to resurrect his beloved, has returned to life. He begins hunting those who disturbed the tomb's peace.

Mehemet Bey, the custodian of the cult, stands behind him and seeks to complete the ancient ritual.

5. 'The Mummy', 1932

IMDb Score: 6.9/10

In a museum, a group of archaeologists opens the sarcophagus of Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian priest who was buried for sacrilege alongside a mysterious casket and the Scroll of Thoth – an artifact capable of bringing the dead back to life.

One of the expedition members casts a spell, awakening the mummy and driving himself mad. Ten years later, a new expedition in Egypt receives an unexpected clue from a mysterious stranger and discovers the tomb of Princess Anck-es-en-Amon.

When the ancient relics arrive at the British Museum, the truth becomes clear: the mysterious guide is Imhotep, resurrected, seeking to bring his beloved back to life. She is now embodied in the modern-day girl Helen.