Film Review: the Aztec Mummy (1957)

Plot Summary:
A search into the past life of an unknowing woman only to discover things they could only begin to comprehend. The Aztec Mummy is a story of such an incident and is a somewhat compelling tale of looking into a previous life's experiences. That's very well and all, but really, they wanted the ancient treasure and were dead set getting to it. However, guess what is keeping watch in the tomb? That's right, a momia Azteca. Shot entirely in and around Mexico City using black & white footage coming in at 80 minutes, The Aztec Mummy is a throw back into science, terror and folklore.

Review:
Doctor Almada played by Ramón Gay finds a willing participant to test his theory of remembering past lives. He does this by using hypnotic regression techniques. He sure did get lucky when his fiancé Flor turns out to be someone who served as a sacrifice during an Aztecan ritual. Lo and behold, we then discover she was to be served up to the gods. And the gods only want pure virgins. But past life Flor was in love and makes the mistake of being kissed. Do you think they were caught? Of course, they were caught. Despite this problem, the high priests still entomb her as well as her lover who is to stand guard over her body for all eternity.

Fast forward several hundred years and the good doctor has learned how to tap into her subconscious. With Flor's help, they are able to locate her past life's final resting place where they eventually walk off with an ancient artifact. Only this awakens the old lover who is now just a grunting bandage wrapped mummy bent on getting the relic back. Several what is that noise...step drag step drag step drag...scream and run away scenes ensue.

As the tension builds, there are several scenes with a group of thieves. I have no idea why they keep appearing. Maybe the director (Rafael Portillo) was trying to add some texture by creating a subplot. Maybe they were included to beef up the running time. Who knows for sure, but they do add some comedic relief. The finale has all the players in the tomb room where all the loose ends are resolved. There is peace again except the father does die. But who cares about him when love is involved.

Despite the things I did not care for in the film, I thought it was very much enjoyable. We watched the Spanish language version because the dubbing was distracting. The acting is average and the story campy. So, if you are looking for something old creepy and foreign, The Aztec Mummy should do. It was a delightful treat from the past.

Note: There are three other films in this series. They are as follows: The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958), Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy (1964), and Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957).

Mike's Rating: 6 out of 10 Old Dusty Lovers
MPAA Rating: Not Rated but would probably get a PG-13 for violence, terror, and one scary mummy
Running Time: 1 hour 20 minutes