MUMMY

The Mummy, one of the most popular and exotic monster as well as the most ancient evil in the Universal Monster´s lore as well as one of the most difficult to handle (not even Universal knows wath to do with this creature new days...) was portrayed by Boris Karloff in 1932 in one of the most mystic and hypnotic movies from that era. Imhotep even managed to attract audience 70 years later thanks to the great remake of its movie (even if it was more a comedy than a horror film).

Sideshow did two versions of the character; one as a mummy - Imhotep, and another one in his more "younger" and almost normal look as Ardeth Bay. They did a great job with Ardeth Bey but i was much more interesting on his "monster" form even if it only appeares on screen for a few seconds. I tough it was going to be more difficult to get this version of the character but i managed to get him in mint condition (tough it wasnt cheap), sealed with his box in perfect state sporting the awesome movie poster.

He is as tall as the rest of the monsters with the same set of articulations on the neck, shoulders, biceps, elbows... tough unlike the rest of the collection he cant stand on his hown at all. Sadlly, Sideshow didnt give him a base soo i had to use one of my own for this shambling character.

The portrait was sculpted by Matt Falls and he did an awesome job handling Boris Karloff likeness and mixing it with the texture and details of the Imhotep make up. The many wrinkles have a deep carving and the grey tones make it looks like a dry almost carboard flesh, the mark on the nose, the deep blue sad eyes, all details are spectacular and makes it looks like a reanimated corpse.

The hands also sports the same level of sculpt and painting, with the bettle ring - source of his power, and a rich grey texture.

His body is covered in bandages, but very different bandages of those like the Bride. The Bride´s bandages are totally white and new, but Imhotep bandages are yellow and extremelly old looking. I love how Sideshow think on this tiny details. The possition of the bandages is actually the same as in the movie and even the lose bandage on his rigth arm and left foot are present.

Sadlly, as good looking as this figure is, the bandages are wraped around his body extremelly tigth wich blocks entirelly the articulations. Thats rigth, this totally articulated figure is actually a statue since he only can move his head and wrists and just a little bit of his shoulders. Also his arms are positioned in an odd angle but they cant be fixed, soo is very tricky to to display him since most of the time he looks.....unconfortable.

His accesorys consist on an exact replica of the ark found on Imhotep´s tomb, with golden writing and Thoth scupting on the sides. The lid can be opened and inside it can store the other accesory: the Scroll of Thoth that needs to be read to bring Imhotep back to life. The scroll is a piece of yellow paper with gerogriphics and art printed on it.

This piece of paper is trully good looking and it also incude a little black ribbon to rollit and store it inside the ark.

Overall, this figure is really REALLY good looking and beautifully crafted BUT his lack of movility is odd and awkard and really clash with the kind of figure it is. The point of the Sideshow figures is how real and life like look but is pretty difficult to display this great monster with such limited movility.