The Bloody Pit #235 - THE MUMMY'S CURSE (1944)

 

As the swampy weather persists in Tennessee, Troy and I jump into the humid Louisiana heat to see what that knucklehead Kharis is doing. THE MUMMY’S CURSE (1944) is the last of the Universal films focused on our ancient Egyptian creature but does the series end on a high note or stumble toward the exit? We will discuss while sipping fresh Tana Tea.

  

Clocking in at barely an hour it would be easy to think the film could or even should be a little longer but you wouldn’t know it from the body count the movie racks up! There seems to be a race between the dusty undead Kharis and a clearly insane member of the Louisiana chapter of the Karnak cult to strangle or stab every character we like almost as soon as they turn their backs on one of the villains. This allows me to expound on my new theory of Monster Blindness that appears to afflict everyone stalked by a mummy. Have they no peripheral vision? I also question the olfactory abilities of waiting victims who must be able to at least smell the approaching cloth-wrapped worm-bait. And hang around for the most bizarre theory of all as I propose an alternate possible reason for the shift of location from New England in the previous movie – it is an odd one, believe me! Along the way we discuss wooden actors, solar powered princesses and Folger’s coffee. We cover a lot of ground and much faster than that limping mummy!

 

If you have any comments about this movie or any other film we’ve covered on the show thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. How would you rank the four Kharis films? Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon. 

Video - THE MUMMY'S CURSE (1944)

Seriously - podcast on the way!

THE MUMMY'S CURSE (1944) Poster Art

 

What I Watched in July 2026

For some reason EVIL DEAD BURN (2026) has divided the franchise’s fanbase. Before I could see the film I was already aware that it featured a fractured family at its core leading to a lot of negative online commentary about this element of the story. I immediately smelled idiocy as the previous film EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) featured a troubled family as the central focus of its narrative. The claim that family dynamics are suddenly being injected into the Evil Dead world is the kind of silly nonsense that the need for internet ‘content’ generates in an attempt to provide clicks. It marks itself as ‘bot crap and anyone influenced by it should be thinking for themselves. But enough about politics.

  

I was unaware of actress Souheila Yacoub’s work even though she is featured in the recent DUNE sequel. She nearly carries EVIL DEAD BURN on her shoulders suffering mental and especially emotional indignities that put most classic final girls to shame. I’d be happy to see her continue in the series as the character she plays here. The film seems to pride itself on a return to the vicious violence and emotional degradation I associated more with the first film in the series than with the more over the top gushers of blood the first two sequels presented. This (re)turn to harrowing, visceral bodily destruction seems to have been a shock to some viewers. I found it much in keeping with the series’ recent tone and enjoyed the unpredictability of the manner and type of physical cruelty dished out by the Deadites this time around.

 

In the final analysis I think I slightly prefer EVIL DEAD RISE but only because I love the siege style story it leans on and the claustrophobic feel of DEMONS 2 (1986) it evokes. I’m enjoying the continuing series with new creators taking fresh shots at the concept. Bring on the next entry!

The List

THE BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL (2020) – 7 (Irish bloodsucker tale)

REFLECTIONS IN BLACK (1975) – 7 (giallo)

ZARDOZ (1974) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

TOY STORY 5 (2026) – 7 

THE SINFUL NUNS OF ST VALENTINE (1974) – 6 (rewatch)

KING SOLOMAN’S MINES (1950) – 7 

EVIL DEAD BURN (2026) – 8 

REVENGE (1986) – 4 (low budget sequel to Blood Cult)

ROAD HOUSE (2024) – 7 (rewatch)

SUPERGIRL (2026) – 8 

METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN (1983) – 3 (well – I watched it)

CALL IT MURDER (1934) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (cinematic play adaptation)

THE ODESSEY (2026) – 8 

HUNTERS OF THE GOLDEN COBRA (1982) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949) – 7 (rewatch) (sharp film noir)

IVANHOE, THE NORMAN SWORDSMAN (1971) – 5 (odd combination of Robin Hood and the sword in the stone myth)

MOTOR CITY (2026) – 8 (pure action cinema)

PHANTOM OF DEATH (1988) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BIRTHDAY (2004) – 4 (interesting idea but it needed a rewrite and major trims) 

Poster Art - THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (1959)

 

Wild, Wild Podcast - PHANTOM OF DEATH (1988)

Have you been feeling tired and listless lately? Has your hair started falling out? Have you found yourself befriending shaggy old dogs in the park and taking them home? Are you feeling off balance? Then maybe you are suffering from 'Phantom of Death' syndrome, a rare disease which causes accelerated aging, psychosis and an increased desire to taunt policemen. Listening to this episode of Wild, Wild Podcast could be the only thing that will save you!

This episode also features some exclusive interviews! First up is that great stuntman Ottaviano Dell'Acqua filling us in on Miles O'Keefe, followed by Luigi Cozzi, who reveals how Donald Pleasence coped whilst having to work with a volatile Klaus Kinski on the set of Nosferatu in Venice (1990).

This season is dedicated to that great quiet man of British cinema, Donald Pleasence, who spent a great deal of time in the 1980s in Italy. We would love to hear from you about your favorite Donald Pleasence films from this period, or if you have ever screamed expletives at the top of your voice in a busy Italian thoroughfare.

You can get in touch with us, follow us on social media, buy our merch, and all that stuff, through our LINKTREE.

Trailer - PHANTOM OF DEATH (1988)

If you've never caught up with this Ruggero Deodato thriller here is the enticing trailer to give you every bloody reason to consider doing so. Also, it is the subject of the next Wild, Wild Podcast so you can get ahead of the Italian Cult Cinema game!