Is there an art to making a bad movie?
I’ve often expounded on the fact that I’ve always believed that there’s an art to both watching and appreciating bad movies, but I’ve forever pushed back against that mindset that any cast and crew gets together with the sole intent of making one bad. There are just too many moving pieces already invested in a positive outcome that each project lingers under a kinda/sorta failsafe: someone at or near the head of the process strongly believes in the project. It may not be for the sake of money. It may not be for the sake of art. But I’d guess that there is some driving motivation – some deep-rooted undercurrent – that keeps the gears turning up until the point that the finished product is in the can. It’s only then that anyone can truly assess what he’s got; and – despite what you might think – there can always be reshoots.
Still, I’ll stumble upon the occasional flick that somehow defies my chief argument. There will be this film that looks inferior, sounds inferior, spools out inferior; and I’m left wondering how it possibly was that all involved couldn’t quite see the egg on their collective faces. That doesn’t mean it won’t have a saving grace or two – I’ve often insisted that even bad pictures can have good ideas – and it’s rare that I find myself throwing up my arms in frustration over how so many missteps weren’t recognized while folks were in front of the camera. That’s my initial assessment of 1969’s The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals.
Directed by Oliver Drake from a story by William Edwards, this Mummy is a rather obvious monster movie that pairs up myth and madness in the city that never sleeps … Las Vegas! (I know, I know … Seriously?!?!) The production stars Anthony Eisley, John Carradine, Robert Alan Browne, Maurine Dawson, and Marliza Pons in big roles. It isn’t unusual for such monster folly to present itself as a cautionary tale about science going too far or the scientist wishing for too much power; and I suppose it’s safe to suggest that those elements are present in negligible degrees in this one. But the problems are also too many to mention in a single paragraph, and the fact that there’s no consistency to these shortcomings leaves me in the unique position of concluding that this screen match-up quite probably should’ve never meant to be made.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A mummy battles a jackal-man in Las Vegas.”
As a professed fan of traditional monster movies, I really wanted to enjoy much more of The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals than I did … or maybe even ever could. Traditionally, the sympathy of viewers gets evoked because monsters never really wanted to be horrific, right? They get transformed against their wishes, or they suffer the wrath of some curse issued centuries before and wind up as creatures. While we might not feel pity for everything these behemoths do, we recognize that they’re still subject to cravings and appetites they may not understand, so our hearts break just a little bit when they eventually fall under the heels of man.
Well …
This Mummy never quite finds any significant reason for the audience to empathize with the plights of these carious characters. Archaeologist David Barrie (played by Anthony Eisley) rescues two sarcophagi from obscurity, both bearing the markings of some ancient curse which just so happens to be dated to this very week. (Will these damned archaeologists never learn?) Despite the protests of his friend Bob (Robert Alan Browne), dear Dave insists on being locked in this rural homestead overnight for the purpose of disproving said curse. (Seriously: will these damned archaeologists never learn? Have they seen no Horror movies ever?) A thinking man might suspect that maybe David just wanted nothing more to spend some quality time ogling the sealed body of the ravishing Princess Akana (Marliza Pons) in her sleep – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but before you know it the moon is high in the sky, the scientist has turned into a man-jackal (think ‘werewolf’), and he’s found a way outside to terrorize a few beat cops who catch the beast running down a dark country road.
I’ve often expounded on the fact that I’ve always believed that there’s an art to both watching and appreciating bad movies, but I’ve forever pushed back against that mindset that any cast and crew gets together with the sole intent of making one bad. There are just too many moving pieces already invested in a positive outcome that each project lingers under a kinda/sorta failsafe: someone at or near the head of the process strongly believes in the project. It may not be for the sake of money. It may not be for the sake of art. But I’d guess that there is some driving motivation – some deep-rooted undercurrent – that keeps the gears turning up until the point that the finished product is in the can. It’s only then that anyone can truly assess what he’s got; and – despite what you might think – there can always be reshoots.
Still, I’ll stumble upon the occasional flick that somehow defies my chief argument. There will be this film that looks inferior, sounds inferior, spools out inferior; and I’m left wondering how it possibly was that all involved couldn’t quite see the egg on their collective faces. That doesn’t mean it won’t have a saving grace or two – I’ve often insisted that even bad pictures can have good ideas – and it’s rare that I find myself throwing up my arms in frustration over how so many missteps weren’t recognized while folks were in front of the camera. That’s my initial assessment of 1969’s The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals.
Directed by Oliver Drake from a story by William Edwards, this Mummy is a rather obvious monster movie that pairs up myth and madness in the city that never sleeps … Las Vegas! (I know, I know … Seriously?!?!) The production stars Anthony Eisley, John Carradine, Robert Alan Browne, Maurine Dawson, and Marliza Pons in big roles. It isn’t unusual for such monster folly to present itself as a cautionary tale about science going too far or the scientist wishing for too much power; and I suppose it’s safe to suggest that those elements are present in negligible degrees in this one. But the problems are also too many to mention in a single paragraph, and the fact that there’s no consistency to these shortcomings leaves me in the unique position of concluding that this screen match-up quite probably should’ve never meant to be made.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A mummy battles a jackal-man in Las Vegas.”
As a professed fan of traditional monster movies, I really wanted to enjoy much more of The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals than I did … or maybe even ever could. Traditionally, the sympathy of viewers gets evoked because monsters never really wanted to be horrific, right? They get transformed against their wishes, or they suffer the wrath of some curse issued centuries before and wind up as creatures. While we might not feel pity for everything these behemoths do, we recognize that they’re still subject to cravings and appetites they may not understand, so our hearts break just a little bit when they eventually fall under the heels of man.
Well …
This Mummy never quite finds any significant reason for the audience to empathize with the plights of these carious characters. Archaeologist David Barrie (played by Anthony Eisley) rescues two sarcophagi from obscurity, both bearing the markings of some ancient curse which just so happens to be dated to this very week. (Will these damned archaeologists never learn?) Despite the protests of his friend Bob (Robert Alan Browne), dear Dave insists on being locked in this rural homestead overnight for the purpose of disproving said curse. (Seriously: will these damned archaeologists never learn? Have they seen no Horror movies ever?) A thinking man might suspect that maybe David just wanted nothing more to spend some quality time ogling the sealed body of the ravishing Princess Akana (Marliza Pons) in her sleep – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but before you know it the moon is high in the sky, the scientist has turned into a man-jackal (think ‘werewolf’), and he’s found a way outside to terrorize a few beat cops who catch the beast running down a dark country road.
Oy vey …
Thankfully, the transformation doesn’t last all that long, and our man of science returns to the house to change back, catch a few zzzz’s, and finish his nap. Yet, a second night of living the life of a jackal leads to a bit of a dustup with a traveling hobo – yes, you read that right – and their eventual throwdown results in cracking open Akana’s sealed coffin. Once she’s awakened and David back in human form, the story shifts into a different gear, once complete with flashbacks that detail just how she found herself in such dire straits and what it means for that mummy waiting in the casket next to her. Viewers find out that not only is the curse real but also the now fully awakened Egyptian princess has her sights set on taking over the modern world. First stop: Las Vegas!
Truly … oy vey …
Now, I don’t feel the spirit to go into any greater detail on the plot. Essentially, Akana is a bit of a royal shrew who’ll stop at nothing including turning David and Bob against one another in her bid to find a suitor (even though the now awakened mummy wants her all for his own), and the second half of the picture exists solely to give some screen time to the two creatures finally going mano a mano. Bob gets a scene or two as does Professor Cummings (John Carradine) who essentially shows up to deliver some exposition about what a good man David was back before all of this started. It’s banal, really, and director Drake supplies an awful lot of bloated, unnecessary footage of his monsters roaming some dark streets and even showing up on the Las Vegas strip. I suppose that’s the highlight to the entire affair – it is a weird juxtaposition of beasts against the flashing neon lights – and maybe that was what the filmmaker hoped would tickle the fancy of whatever audience eventually saw his wares.
Sadly, it feels like no one actually penned a conclusion – much less a story involving any investment – to this insanity: our Mummy and the Jackal-man simply kinda/sorta vanish magically in the last reel, much in the same way ticket buyers must’ve felt about their admission dollars once the credits rolled. Any goodwill earned from the title – one that promised a mash-up of screen creatures – gets wasted by the fact that these characters never quite learn anything from their various misdeeds and still get to dissolve into the ether of the finale. While the Jackal creature effects are serviceable, the Mummy is downright laughable at times as he looks more like Ghostbusters’ Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man than he does a heavily shrouded corpse.
As bad films go, this one probably deserves some recognition. It’s certainly harmless enough and produces laughs when it was reaching for tension. The flashbacks are, honestly, probably a bit more interesting than anything else in here; but even they never quite reach the feel of being something greater than what your local community theater group might produce on an insignificant budget. At a slim eighty-minutes, it isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen … but it arguably put in the effort at being just plain bad.
The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals (1969) was produced by Vega International. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Severin Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were respectable given the age and quality of the source material. In fact, this might be about as good as this thing has ever possibly looked, based on what I’ve read and seen online. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? There are a few shorts (20-minutes) which explore the film’s history along with the production company, and they’re surprisingly informative given the fact that I assumed not much was known about either. There’s also an Adult film – Angelica, The Young Vixen – and a commentary for those interested in exploring things a bit more carnal in nature.
Alas … it’s hard to Recommend this one except for those who truly relish the ‘bad movie’ experience.
Having never made a film on my own, I do try to still respectfully talk about the results from any storytelling experience … and still I’m finding it hard to point to anything charming emerging from The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals (1969). At times, I found myself wondering what director Drake may possibly have been thinking as scenes and sequences stretch on far longer than necessary. It isn’t as if anyone thought they were delivering Shakespeare in here, and yet no actor seems all that invested in making it work beyond merely speaking their lines, hitting their marks, and smiling on cue. In the pantheon of bad pictures, this one has a reputation all of its own, and yet is it bad of me for thinking that it didn’t have to?
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Severin Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Mummy And The Curse Of the Jackals (1969) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Thankfully, the transformation doesn’t last all that long, and our man of science returns to the house to change back, catch a few zzzz’s, and finish his nap. Yet, a second night of living the life of a jackal leads to a bit of a dustup with a traveling hobo – yes, you read that right – and their eventual throwdown results in cracking open Akana’s sealed coffin. Once she’s awakened and David back in human form, the story shifts into a different gear, once complete with flashbacks that detail just how she found herself in such dire straits and what it means for that mummy waiting in the casket next to her. Viewers find out that not only is the curse real but also the now fully awakened Egyptian princess has her sights set on taking over the modern world. First stop: Las Vegas!
Truly … oy vey …
Now, I don’t feel the spirit to go into any greater detail on the plot. Essentially, Akana is a bit of a royal shrew who’ll stop at nothing including turning David and Bob against one another in her bid to find a suitor (even though the now awakened mummy wants her all for his own), and the second half of the picture exists solely to give some screen time to the two creatures finally going mano a mano. Bob gets a scene or two as does Professor Cummings (John Carradine) who essentially shows up to deliver some exposition about what a good man David was back before all of this started. It’s banal, really, and director Drake supplies an awful lot of bloated, unnecessary footage of his monsters roaming some dark streets and even showing up on the Las Vegas strip. I suppose that’s the highlight to the entire affair – it is a weird juxtaposition of beasts against the flashing neon lights – and maybe that was what the filmmaker hoped would tickle the fancy of whatever audience eventually saw his wares.
Sadly, it feels like no one actually penned a conclusion – much less a story involving any investment – to this insanity: our Mummy and the Jackal-man simply kinda/sorta vanish magically in the last reel, much in the same way ticket buyers must’ve felt about their admission dollars once the credits rolled. Any goodwill earned from the title – one that promised a mash-up of screen creatures – gets wasted by the fact that these characters never quite learn anything from their various misdeeds and still get to dissolve into the ether of the finale. While the Jackal creature effects are serviceable, the Mummy is downright laughable at times as he looks more like Ghostbusters’ Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man than he does a heavily shrouded corpse.
As bad films go, this one probably deserves some recognition. It’s certainly harmless enough and produces laughs when it was reaching for tension. The flashbacks are, honestly, probably a bit more interesting than anything else in here; but even they never quite reach the feel of being something greater than what your local community theater group might produce on an insignificant budget. At a slim eighty-minutes, it isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen … but it arguably put in the effort at being just plain bad.
The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals (1969) was produced by Vega International. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Severin Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the provided sights-and-sounds were respectable given the age and quality of the source material. In fact, this might be about as good as this thing has ever possibly looked, based on what I’ve read and seen online. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? There are a few shorts (20-minutes) which explore the film’s history along with the production company, and they’re surprisingly informative given the fact that I assumed not much was known about either. There’s also an Adult film – Angelica, The Young Vixen – and a commentary for those interested in exploring things a bit more carnal in nature.
Alas … it’s hard to Recommend this one except for those who truly relish the ‘bad movie’ experience.
Having never made a film on my own, I do try to still respectfully talk about the results from any storytelling experience … and still I’m finding it hard to point to anything charming emerging from The Mummy And The Curse Of The Jackals (1969). At times, I found myself wondering what director Drake may possibly have been thinking as scenes and sequences stretch on far longer than necessary. It isn’t as if anyone thought they were delivering Shakespeare in here, and yet no actor seems all that invested in making it work beyond merely speaking their lines, hitting their marks, and smiling on cue. In the pantheon of bad pictures, this one has a reputation all of its own, and yet is it bad of me for thinking that it didn’t have to?
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Severin Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Mummy And The Curse Of the Jackals (1969) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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