1999: the Mummy

A remake of the 1932 film of the same name, producers in the ‘90s were determined to update the myth for contemporary audiences – wanting to shift the image of the shambling, bandaged Mummy of the Universal Monsters franchise. The result, rather than a horror film as originally intended, is a sweeping action-adventure romance. The starring role was offered to a number of the decade’s other heartthrobs – Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – before it went to Brendan Fraser, who stars as American adventurer Rick O’Connell, hired by siblings and aspiring Egyptologists Evelyn and Johnathan Carnahan to guide them to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead.

Screening as part of 1999 - a season of our favourite films celebrating their 25th anniversary this year.