Michael_Elliott
Tomb, The (1986) * 1/2 (out of 4) If you remember the good old days when non-stop trash was shown on stations like Cinemax then you might have came across a film like this. The story is pretty simple as a con man is able to steal some jewels from a tomb in Egypt but the dead princess Nefratis (Michelle Bauer) comes back for revenge. She travels to America where she tracks down and kills all the men who bought these items. This film starts off with an incredibly silly action piece, which I'm guessing was meant to be some sort of Indiana Jones homage but then we move into more horror elements. As is to be expected, this film certainly isn't going to be mistaken for the work of Orson Welles but if you're lining yourself up for a film like this then I'm sure you know that already. Those wanting some cheap thrills will find some here but not nearly enough to make this film worth sitting through. At only 83-minutes things move way too slowly and sadly the energy runs out before the opening credits are over. I think fans of the horror genre might want to tune in just to see Cameron Mitchell and John Carradine but neither man can add too much to the film. I'm a die-hard Carradine fan and will attempt to see everything he's in but his work with Ray is cheaper than some of those films he did in Mexico back in the 60s. Mitchell chews up the scenery as only he can. Sybil Danning appears as well and fans of Bauer will be happy to know she has some nudity. There's not as much nudity in the film as one might expect but there are a couple gory death scenes. Most of the effects are cheap but mildly effective. THE TOMB is incredibly light-weight entertainment that isn't going to win any awards but I'm sure fans of "Z" movies might find it interesting. I enjoy low-budget movies but this one here just didn't have enough going for it.
ozthegreatat42330
I remember reading a write up on this film, the standard fare put out by the promotions people. It sounded exciting, horrific, all the things I enjoy about a good mummy movie. Then I got the box home and knew I was in trouble. The cheesy art of the box cover was the first clue. It could just have easily been the cover for "Big Trouble in Little China" which was a much better film, but this was no comedy, at least not intentionally. To begin with the budget on this must have been all of a $1.85 with tax. Then there are the sets. The film was supposed to take place in Egypt, but the sets bore no resemblance whatever. Cameron Mitchell is no actor, no way, never been. I was especially disappointed to see aging horror star John Carradine and Sybil Danning in this as they are both usually in much better quality work. You can safely give this one a miss, unless you are a fan of "Plan 9 From Out Space." This is right down there with it.
drhackenstine
The Tomb is one of those stupid movies I remember seeing when I was around 7 or 8 and thinking it was the coolest thing in the world. Now, watching it almost two decades later, I realize I must have been a pretty stupid kid. Ancient Egyptian artifacts are stolen from a dead princess's tomb. She returns from the dead to exact revenge on the individuals who now possess them. Sounds like it could be good for average '80's horror cheese fodder, but it isn't. Slow-paced boredom with an irritating group of actors (minus Michelle Bauer, who is always fun to watch even though she can't act). The pace is horrible and many horror scenes never seem to deliver. Whoever wrote this must have been on speed for the story jumps around a bit for really no reason at all. For some reason the title of the movie is shown twice in the opening credits. Tedious schlock with really nothing to offer. Features goofy violence and gratuitous T and A. One Star.
BaronBl00d
...And I don't really know if that is saying a lot either. The Tomb tells the story of some stupid robber in Egypt disrupting the sacred tomb of an Egyptian sorceress, dead and yet still alive. The guy sells the artifacts found in the tomb, and the mummy(wearing low-cut outfits, breasts popping out here and there, and speaking as though she was picked up off of Hollywood Boulevard) goes to Los Angelos to get them back so she can perform a ritual sacrifice and stay young. Alright, the story is not too good, but the film is entertaining. For one of Ray's films, the acting is better than usual. Some nice performances by horror veterans Cameron Mitchell(he does a real fine job) and John Carradine in his five minutes of film raise the film from being strictly mundane. Throw in some great music and lots of T & A(a Ray specialty it seems...he even has Kitten Nativadad as a stripper in one scene doing some entertaining back-breaking bouncing) for extra measure. Let's not forget Sybil Danning too. Yep, she is in the film in the first five minutes only in what can be described as nothing more than a throw-away cameo. Her presence seems to be totally unnecessary, although I really am not complaining. Sure this film is a cheap B movie, but what the heck. Fred Olen Ray is living a lifetime dream of creating movies. His affection for the horror genre is obvious when he makes a point of giving cameos and roles to the likes of Mitchell, Carradine, and in other movies Robert Quarry, Carroll Borland, Kirk Allyn, and many more. He is not hiring them for their billing potential. It is nonexistent except to people like me who like to remember those fond memories of another time. He hires them for his love of their work. He gives characters in his movie names like Howard Phillips(named for H. P. Lovecraft) and David Manners(the actor who starred in the original Mummy as the heroic lead). It is easy for me and others to denegrate his work, and I have in other reviews, but like them or not...I applaud the fact that he went out and made them. Kudos Mr. Ray!
AD
