Leofwine_draca Despite the title, THE Egyptian MUMMY isn't an early horror film about a bandage-wrapped creature rampaging through the streets of modern-day America. Instead, it's a lively comedy about an eccentric professor who decides to create a priceless mummy by getting an old tramp to pose as one. Comedy hijinks ensue, including a little romance and a cast of exaggerated characters.The truth is that this film is pretty decent for its time and has survived in a surprisingly good quality version. The professor character is classic stuff but the old tramp is even better: wait until you see how emaciated and sinister-looking he is! The actor would have been a good fit for a villain in a true horror movie.Certainly as with all early silent shorts, THE Egyptian MUMMY has dated somewhat in the ensuing years, but there are still some decent set pieces here, and at least one genuinely funny moment about a guy who decides to kill himself in a decidedly novel way. See for yourself.

Mark Martucci The emaciated guy playing the "mummy" is in fact very creepy looking! The actor is Joel Day and he is the real star of the film. Constance Talmadge is not on screen all that much. Billy Quirk is top billed but he is essentially the straight man here. The film is absolutely stolen by Day as the tramp turned mummy. It's very funny and well worth a look if you aren't expecting a Karloff-type mummy or wanting to see prime Constance Talmadge. There is even a horror genre plot element. The doctor, played by director Lee Beggs, is trying raise the dead and he thinks he has discovered "the elixir of life". I was laughing out loud as the nutty professor (or whatever he is supposed to be) believed he was being attacked by a real live and vicious mummy! The whole thing is ultra dumb and silly, but I was surprisingly entertained by this wild film. Joel Day is listed here in only a handful of films, but one of his other credits, Universal's MAN OF SHAME (1915), has him playing Death. Judging from his looks here, I'll bet he was effective as Mr. D. THE Egyptian MUMMY (1914) can be found on the NICKELODIA Volume 1 DVD from Unknown Video.

overseer-3 I laughed at this short, it was funny. And I was surprised that another Connie Talmadge film survived, and quite delighted to see her playing her perky self again. If only more of her films were still around. She was super at comedy.This short tells the story of a man who finds an unusual way to make a lot of money very quickly, so that he can marry the girl of his dreams. He enlists the aid of a hobo to play a mummy, so that he can sell his body for scientific experiments. Of course the mummy has to play dead, but has a very difficult time doing so. When he "comes alive" again pandemonium results. I give this short a 7 out of 10.

SlothNOIR An unexceptional short which does not qualify as a precursor to later `mummy' films. Connie and Billy are young and in love... but her father does not approve. Billy's contrivances make no headway until the mummy of Ramses III is delivered to the house of Connie's father! Remember, this is a comedy not a horror movie.