While critics may not have been huge fans of The Mummy, the viewers certainly were. And what’s not to love? A witty script with a talented, good looking cast set in the city of the dead exposes all kinds of mysterious acts that leaves the audience wanting more. However there are many things that fans, and critics, didn’t know about the action filled movie. Some of these secrets are truly eye-opening, and we have left no stone un-turned. Are you ready for it? Let’s begin!
Facts About ‘The Mummy’ Films You Need To Know
Richard “Rick” O’Connell
We just can’t imagine anyone but Brendan Fraser playing the part of witty Rick O’Connell. However the producer, James Jacks, actually offered the part to a few Hollywood legends. Such as Tom Cruise, (who later was cast in the reboot film) Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. All the actors were either not interested or weren’t able to fit the role into their respective schedules.
Richard Rick OConnell
Brendan Fraser
A huge reason that Brendan Fraser even landed the part was because Jacks and director Stephen Sommers saw how well George of the Jungle was doing at the box office. Sommers felt that Fraser could easily pull off the swashbuckling character he envisioned. Plus, Fraser understood that his character “doesn’t take himself too seriously, otherwise the audience can’t go on that journey with him.”
Brendan Fraser
Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan
Oh yes, we have to talk about Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan. Evie was played by the brilliant English actress Rachel Weisz, but you knew that already. Although did you know that her name has a special inspiration? The character was a tribute to Lady Evelyn Carnarvon, she was the daughter of amateur Egyptologist Lord Carnarvon. Both of whom were present at the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922!
Evelyn Evie Carnahan
Not The Same
In real life, Rachel Weisz is not a huge fan of horror films whatsoever. However, she didn’t think that’s what The Mummy was. In an interview she explained, “It’s hokum, a comic book world.”
Not The Same
The Mummy
Arnold Vosloo, the South African stage actor, was brought on board to play The Mummy. He clearly understood the approach Sommers wanted, however he only agreed to take the role of Imhotep “if I could do it absolutely straight. From Imhotep’s point of view, this is a skewed version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.” Guess it worked out in the end!
The Mummy
Keep It Safe
The producers James Jacks and Sean Daniel wanted to update the original Mummy films in 1992. Universal Studios agreed to their idea and set the budget at $10 million. Jacks said that the studio “essentially wanted a low-budget horror franchise.” Clive Barker, a horror filmmaker/writer, was therefore brought on board. However Barker’s vision was much too violent, with the story set in a contemporary art museum that turns out to be a cultist wanting to reanimate mummies. Jacks remembers that Barker’s take was “dark, sexual and filled with mysticism”, and that, “it would have been a great low-budget movie”. After numerous meetings, both Barker and Universal lost interest and ended up parting company.
Keep It Safe
Still A No
Joe Dante stepped in and imagined Daniel Day-Lewis playing a brooding Mummy. This version of the film was set in contemporary times and was focused on reincarnation with a love story element. Even the flesh eating scarabs made it to the end. However the studio wanted a budget of $15 million and ultimately rejected Dante’s version.
Still A No
The Green Light
After Mick Garris and Wes Craven said no, Stephen Sommers then brought in Jacks and Daniel. His vision for The Mummy was “as a kind of Indiana Jones or Jason and the Argonauts with the mummy as the creature giving the hero a hard time”. After seeing the film when he was a kid, Sommers wanted to recreate the film on a bigger scale. With just 18 pages, he pitched the idea to Universal – who were under new management and Babe: Pig in the City had just tanked in the box office. Universal loved the idea so much that they didn’t just approve the project, the took the budget from $15 million to $80 million. Nice!
The Green Light
The First
Venezuelan actress and model Patricia Velásquez is actually known as the world’s first openly lesbian Latina supermodel. In February 2015, she released her memoir Straight Walk, where she reveals her struggles growing up in poverty and how her relationship with Sandra Bernhard caused her to discover she was a lesbian. Some even claim that she is the first Native American model.
Patricia Velásquez
Special Effects
Reportedly $15 million of the $80 million budget was spent on special effects. Producers didn’t want The Mummy to look like the original so they developed a new look before filming even started. John Andrew Berton, Jr., the Industrial Light & Magic’s Visual Effects Supervisor, said “[The Mummy was] to be mean, tough, nasty, something that had never been seen by audiences before”. Berton used motion capture in order to achieve “a menacing and very realistic Mummy”.
Special Effects
An Experience
In order to create the Mummy, Berton combined live action and computer graphics. He also matched digital prosthetic make-up pieces on Arnold Vosloo’s face during filming. Berton explained, “When you see his film image, that’s him. When he turns his head and half of his face is missing and you can see right through on to his teeth, that’s really his face. And that’s why it was so hard to do.” Vosloo described filming as a “whole new thing” for him as, “They had to put these little red tracking lights all over my face so they could map in the special effects. A lot of the time I was walking around the set looking like a Christmas tree.”
An Experience
Critics Respond
The Mummy received many mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 57% rating and a rating of 5.7/10. Meanwhile the critical consensus of their website wrote, “It’s difficult to make a persuasive argument for The Mummy as any kind of meaningful cinematic achievement, but it’s undeniably fun to watch.” Metacritic scored the film at 48 out of 100, indicating “mixed or average reviews”. Audiences, however, loved the film and demanded more!
Critics Respond
The Mummy 2017
In 2012, Universal announced their plan to reboot the franchise. Fans were eager to see what would happen and if any of the original cast members would make a reappearance. The Mummy (2017 film) was meant to serve as the first installment of the Dark Universe. No new plans have been released as to what’s next.
Film Title: The Mummy
Breakthrough
1999 is when Rachel Weisz’s international breakthrough came through and it’s all thanks to The Mummy. Variety magazine however criticized the direction of the film, as they wrote, “(the actors) have been directed to broad, undisciplined performances […] Buffoonery hardly seems like Weisz’s natural domain, as the actress strains for comic effects that she can’t achieve.” Fans begged to disagree.
Breakthrough
No, Thank You
Rachel Weisz did reject an offer to star in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor as she had issues with the script. Actress Maria Bello replaced her. It’s safe to say that fans weren’t happy with the outcome – for one, they all love Weisz’s character and seeing someone else take her place didn’t set well with everyone.
No Thank You
So Close!
While filming The Mummy, Brendan Fraser experienced a near death experience. We know the scene from the beginning of the film, when his character is hanged. Turns out that the scene was very real, folks. GULP. Rachel Weisz recalls, “He [Fraser] stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.”
So Close!
Four Hours
Back to Patricia Velasquez for a minute. Her “costume” consisted of some jewelry and a loin cloth…everything else was just body paint. And the body paint took ~four~ hours to apply.
Four Hours
Not Liked
Do you remember the scene when Beni has a sackful of gold he is trying to load onto a camel? And when he pulls the reins, the camel doesn’t even budge? Yeah, that’s because none of the camels liked Kevin J. O’Connor.
Not Liked
One More
Turns out that the morning after The Mummy was released in theatres, Stephen Sommers got a rather pleasant call. The director reveals that Universal phoned him and said, “We need another one.”
One More
The Ratings
In the film, when the ship is attacked, Rachel Weisz suffers a wardrobe mishap. Her white nightgown turns transparent when it gets wet. Therefore this had to be digitally altered during post production in order for the film to keep its PG-13 rating.
The Ratings
English Speaker
The voice-over at the opening was originally meant to be read by Imhotep. However the director Stephen Sommers realized later that Imhotep would not know how to speak English. Therefore Ardeth Bay provided the voice-over instead.
English Speaker
One Take
The hilarious scene of the library disaster was actually done in just one take. Now don’t get too excited. The reason for just one take was that it would have taken a whole day to re-shoot if a single mistake was made.
One Take
Too Handsome
Originally the Medjai were meant to be tattooed head to toe. However Stephen Sommers vetoed the idea as the actor Oded Fehr was just “too good-looking” to be covered up.
Too Handsome
Im-ho-tep
Universal Studios theme parks opened up the “Revenge of the Mummy” in 2004 – clearly they based the ride on The Mummy and The Mummy Returns films. The ride became insanely popular that the lines would be miles long with riders waiting for hours in the hot sun (the ride is in both Florida and California). Whenever the lines moved a bit, movie fans would chant “Im-ho-tep. Im-ho-tep. Im-ho-tep.” just like the hypnotized townspeople do in the film.
Im Ho Tep
That Scene
Remember the burning boat scene when Evelyn saves Rick from two gunshots? Yeah, I know, that was a pretty epic scene. Turns out that Stephen Sommers came up with the whole gag the night before!
That Scene
The Beach
Rick O’Connell was nearly played by the great Leonardo DiCaprio. Reportedly DiCaprio really loved the script and wanted to be in the movie, however he had just agreed to star in The Beach. DiCaprio apparently asked if filming for The Beach could be delayed just so he could film The Mummy but the producers refused. In a cruel twist, filming for The Beach was actually delayed anyway but it was too late to bring DiCaprio on board.
The Beach
Bit Rough
When Beni, played by Kevin J. O’Connor, was roughed up in the scene in the Egyptologist’s office, he was actually hurt in the process! O’Connor was badly bruised and even had to have his nipples iced afterwards.
Bit Rough
Fear
None of the actors were used to acting in front of “nothing” so they were shown pictures of what Arnold Vosloo would look like in fully Mummy get-up. This was meant to inspire fear.
Fear
Changing Direction
After The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was released in 2008, a sequel was in the works. The Mummy: Rise of the Aztec would see Fraser, Bello, Hannah, and Ford all reprising their roles and Antonio Banderas was going to play the villain. However, the film was ultimately cancelled and Universal Pictures instead chose to release a reboot in 2017. This would be the first installment in the Dark Universe franchise.
Changing Direction
Doubt
In November 2001, Stephen Sommers spoke about directing a third ‘Mummy’ film, “There is a demand for it, but most of the gang would only be up for it again if we could find a way to make it bigger and better.” However just three years later, he was doubtful he had the energy to make a third film although the cast were up for it.
Doubt
Adaptations
The Mummy did so well in the box office that many sequels and spinoffs were created. We had a sequel, The Mummy Returns and even a second sequel, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. There was an animated series and also a spin-off prequel, The Scorpion King, which starred Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Adaptations
Just Terrible
Unfortunately The Mummy 2017 received a lot of negative reviews and even eight nominations at the 38th Golden Raspberry Awards (a mock award for the worst in film). The film was nominated for Worst Picture, Worst Director for Kurtzman, Worst Actor for Tom Cruise, Worst Supporting Actor for Russell Crowe and Worst Supporting Actress for Boutella. Even though it grossed $409 million worldwide, it was a box office bomb as it had production and marketing costs.
Just Terrible
Sick Bags
While filming the plane crash scene for The Mummy 2017, production used The Vomit Comet and parabolic flight in order to simulate the illusion of weightlessness. In total, the crew did 64 takes and most of them became sick to their stomachs. Initially, director Alex Kurtzman ordered that they shoot the scene using wires and a rotating set, however Tom Cruise insisted on doing it as real as possible, so Kurtzman changed his mind.
Sick Bags
The Cloak
Angels, a British costume rental company, loaned a cloak to an extra in The Mummy which was actually worn by Alec Guinness when he portrayed Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in 1977.
The Cloak
Backside
Think back to the scene when Imhotep is raising a sandstorm in the desert…The camera quickly had to pan up as the wind machines kept blowing Arnold Vosloo’s cape up, thus exposing his backside.
Backside
Can’t Blame Him
Of course, you can’t think of The Mummy without remembering that terrifying locust swarm! Did you know that very scene needed to be re-shot a bunch of times? Well more specifically, Jonathan Hyde’s close-up needed to be re-shot. Apparently, the actor couldn’t keep a straight face while he dealt with all those locusts crawling on him. Yikes!
Can’t Blame Him
Name Origin
Around 2600 BC, there was an architect named Imhotep. He helped construct the first pyramids like the Pyramid of Djoser. Some claimed he came from the gods since his talent was so incredible. “Imhotep” translates to “one who comes in peace.” So in real life he was a celebrated architect and also physician and not at all the villain we see in the movie.
Name Origin
Secret Revealed
Luckily, the film production team had support from the local Moroccan army. However, there was something the cast didn’t even know during filming! Apparently, Stephen Sommers took out kidnapping insurance on all the cast members. Yet, he waiting to reveal that to them until after they finished shooting the movie.
Secret Revealed
Harsh Conditions
Of course, dehydration is a major concern when filming in the Sahara. Thus, the medical team on set concocted a special drink for the crew and cast to drink every two hours. In addition, the crew needed to deal with sandstorms, spiders, scorpions and snakes. Plenty of crew members were even airlifted from the location after being bitten.
Harsh Conditions
Reverse Roles
Remember Ardeth Bay? That name is an anagram for Death By Ra. Yes, he was the sworn protector of mankind from the villain, Imhotep. Yet, in The Mummy (1932), Ardath Bey, notice the different spelling, is actually Imhotep’s alter-ego. He uses this identity to pass as a modern Egyptian.
Reverse Roles
Your Dog Won’t Be Pleased
Believe it or not, the crew used dog food for an inventive prop. During the scene with fire and hail falling on Cairo, they took dry dog food and painted it white. That’s how dog food became hail balls thrown around on set.
Your Dog Won’t Be Pleased
How Gross Is Too Much
While the special effects team worked on the Mummy design, they were instructed to use “no gore.” Thus, they ran different tests to measure the “grossness threshold.” How funny!
How Gross Is Too Much
Just The One
Although some other parts got offered to multiple people, the role of Evelyn was only ever offered to Rachel Weisz. Actually, it was Stephen Sommers who cast her once he watched her in The Land Girls.
Just The One
A Little More Coverage
Hey, not everything was exactly television appropriate in the film. That’s why they made some slight adjustments before the film was broadcast on TV. One change they made was to paint on a small bikini on Anck-su-namun’s body.
A Little More Coverage
Weapon Jam
Another issue they ran into filming in the Sahara was firing guns there. Turns out, all that sand jammed their guns. Thus, they later filled in the firing of their weapons due to the technical difficulties.
Weapon Jam
Haunting Memory
As we mentioned, Stephen Sommers wanted to make The Mummy (1932) on a bigger scale, but why? Well, as a boy, he watched the original film. He was just eight years old and said it was the only film that terrified him as a boy.
Haunting Memory
Real Curse
Of course, the big plot point involves an old curse. So, some people couldn’t help themselves drawing real life connections to curses. Yes, some people actually believed the film was cursed because the film broke during the movie premiere.
Real Curse
Paying Homage
So maybe you forgot, but in the film there’s a Fort Brydon. Yes, that’s a made up place, but it has significance. In fact, Stephen Sommers also directed The Jungle Book (1994). In that movie, there’s a Colonel Brydon, so he wanted to pay homage.
Paying Homage
Historically Inaccurate
Maybe you caught this one, but The Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra resemble modern books. They were black stone and gold tablets bound together. However, you probably know from history class that the Ancient Egyptians used papyrus scrolls. Also no book would be made of pure gold. Think of how heavy that would be!
Historically Inaccurate
Checking With The Experts
Despite that inaccuracy, Stephen Sommers actually did work hard to keep things as close to real history as he could. He even consulted the UCLA Institute of Archaeology! What a dedicated director.
Checking With The Experts
Special Life-Size Set
Since the film was shot in Morocco, they needed to reconstruct scenes there. As far as the city of the dead, Hamunaptra, goes, they built a life-size scene of it on a Moroccan volcano crater just for the movie.
Special Life-Size Set
Authentic Sound
Again, in order to keep the movie as accurate as they could, they had an Egyptologist who helped figure out what the Ancient Egyptians may have sounded like for the film’s dialogue.
Authentic Sound
Intensive Process
Hey, we can totally understand his fear…Arnold Vosloo got really freaked out when he needed to film the scene where Imhotep gets mummified. Apparently, they bandaged him up for about four hours to film that scene with him being placed in the tomb.
Intensive Process
Sorry Lieutenant
Sure, an American like Rick O’Connell could serve in the French Foreign Legion. However, there’s something completely wrong about his rank. No, a foreigner cannot be a Lieutenant since officers must be French nationals in the Legion. Thus, he wouldn’t have been eligible for a commission.
Sorry Lieutenant
Misleading Title
Yes, we know the name of the film, but the lead character actually doesn’t get mummified. You probably noticed this already. Of course, all the followers were mummified but the lead was victim to a different type of death.
Misleading Title
Special Role
Did you know Stephen Dunham auditioned to play O’Connell? However, he was turned down for the role. Yet, Stephen Sommers did appreciate his talents. Thus, Sommers created the role of Mr. Henderson for Dunham!
Special Role
I’ve Said Too Much
In the original script there was an extra line from Evy when she first lays eyes on the resurrected Imhotep. In fact, she was supposed to exclaimed, “He’s gorgeous!” However, once they filmed the movie, they cut it from the script.
I’ve Said Too Much
Let Me Explain
Something just didn’t add up with those scarabs being alive after centuries without water or food. However, there was something in one of the early versions of the script that better explained these critters. Apparently, when Imhotep was cursed to live forever, some of the said scarabs got cursed since they were being forced down his throat. When he ate them, they also got everlasting life.
Let Me Explain
Changing Things Up
In the first versions of the script, Ardeth Bey was supposed to die at the movie’s conclusion. Yes, the audience wasn’t supposed to see him again. They were to assume he got killed by mummy priests. Yet, Sommers chose to have him in the final sequence where we see him thank Jonathon.
Changing Things Up
Only The Best
The Mummy actually took the win for Best Make-Up during the Saturn Awards that year. Does this one really surprise you? From the many amazing things about this movie, one that always sticks with people has to be the makeup.
Only The Best