8mm Forum: THE MUMMY (1932) 200' vs. 400'

This is topic THE MUMMY (1932) 200' vs. 400' in forum 8mm Print Reviews at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on October 14, 2008, 03:04 AM:

Had the 200' as a child and found it to be pretty solid. Usually I managed to resist the temptation of the more-affordable 50' reels, but in this case I got the 50' first and later graduated to the 200'. My only gripe about the longer version is that I believe they changed the order of some scenes. I feel it would have actually worked better in the original order. Never saw the 400' but naturally am curious. Unlike, say DRACULA, this title didn't scream out for expansion, and if the scenes were poorly or lazily chosen, it could actually be inferior to the 200'. Needless to say, your comments on either version are welcomed.

Posted by Charles Phelps (Member # 1341) on November 14, 2008, 07:46 AM:

I too started with the 50' and moved onto the 200'. In spite of the re-sequencing of the film into a more chronological order (flashback, 3700 Years Later, etc), the 200' is one of my all-time favorite digests.

The 400' MUMMY was a bit of a disappointment in terms of editing and scene selection. The 200' works better in that it sets up the basic context of the story with the flashback, then cuts to the chase: Im-Ho-Tep is reanimated, pines for his lost love in the museum, yanks her reincarnation away from a dance, gets ready to kill her so they can reunite, and is foiled by Isis. The editing really flows from scene to scene. The 400' instead is a bit choppy and some scenes are allowed to go on too long without any creative pruning. However, however it does work a little better with missing footage from the 200' tossed in.

Here is a rundown of the hybrid, detailing the footage from both. For the 400' only footage, just ignore the lines related to the Castle 200'. The details may be slightly off since I had to do a quick scan on the editor. Also, the description assumes some degree of familiarity with the movie itself.

U-8 400':
All the titles from the film except for the cast list, which appears to have been created by U-8 and edited in.
Castle 200':
The "Oh Amon Ra! Death is but the doorway, etc." titles;
3700 Years Later (I left this in, call me silly) [Smile]

, slaves are digging and unearth a tomb. David Manners and company are called over to gaze into the pit.
U-8 400':
Cut to Norton approaching the box, removing the scroll and reanimating the mummy. The scene is a slightly longer edit than the 200' and ends with the bandages trailing out the door as in the 200'.
Castle 200':
Fade-in to newspaper announcing the find of the Princess' tomb; onto the "Cairo Museum"; Ardeth gazes at his sweetie; swirling mist dissolves into Ardeth, kneeling and praying over the scroll; Helen, while at a dance, responds to intercuts of Ardeth's summons and leaves her partner and the dance; more swirling mist;
extended close-up of Ardeth's face.
U-8 400':
Quick fade in to Helen arriving at Ardeth Bey's house with her dog and continuing uncut through the flashback, Ardeth explaining that his waters are troubled, the dog howling offscreen, and Helen's exit.
Abrupt cut to Helen and Frank, with Helen not wanting to remember what happened with Ardeth. Frank vows to protect her.
Fade out/fade in: Frank sleeping on couch while Ardeth, with fist clenched, cast spells over his magic pool. Frank has a conniption fit, grabs the Isis charm, and collapses. Helen steps over him and leaves.
Quick fade-out/fade-in to Ardeth and Helen, who now dressed in her old clothes is now "Anck-es-en-Amen" and is ready to reunite with her former lover. Ardeth tells her to hang loose because a lot has changed since they loved in Thebes of old.
Castle 200':
Ardeth shows "Anck-es-en-Amen" her real mummified form. Helen recoils from Ardeth, who tells her about the rite that must be performed over her body so she can rise again.
U-8 400':
Dr. Mueller awakens Frank, tells him that he knows Ardeth's plan to make Helen a living mummy, and they take off for the museum. Ardeth gets his knife ready and shows it to the Anubis statue. Mueller and Frank arrive at the museum. Helen freaks out. Mueller and Frank burst in, Ardeth zaps 'em with his ring and turns to kill Helen. Helen hits her knees and prays to Isis. The Isis statue raises its arm, torches the scroll and Ardeth crumbles to dust. I believe that this entire last sequence in the U-8 is more or less complete and uncut.

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