Grave robbers open an ancient tomb that contains gold but also just so happens to be cursed. Add to the mix some vapid fashion photographers and models from New York who are in Egypt for a photoshoot and you have gory fun fun fun!

This 1981 film is very low-budget but enjoyable enough. I quite enjoyed the mummies feasting on the vacuous fashion types. This movie is basically just people running around being chased by very slow-moving mummies and people who find the gold that is hidden in the tomb, being delighted by their find but then meeting a gory fate. That’s it but it’s still entertaining.

I can still remember seeing the artwork for this movie on the video shelves of my local video shops back in the day. This film was unbelievably involved in the Video Nasties furore as it was a movie on the third list which involved films that video dealers couldn’t be prosecuted over but which could be confiscated at any time still. It was in good company as the first two Friday the 13th films and The Hills Have Eyes were also on this third list. It’s unthinkable that such a cheesy film as Dawn of the Mummy was thought to be potentially able to bring about the end of civilisation as we know it. But that was the hysteria of the era.

Fun fact- music for the film was written by Shuki Levy who also composed the music for many Saturday morning cartoon series such as He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

2.5 out of 5 stars