Episode 32: The Evolution of Iconic Mummies in Pop Culture

Il-wey! Artist Jeff Victor (check out his website here) created “Pop Culture Evolutions” in which he selects a popular culture icon and charts their evolution over time. For example, Victor has done many of the superheroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Deadpool, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but he has also highlighted individuals including Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, and The Rock. Last week, Victor wrapped up his Evolutio-ween horror series with none other than mummies! 

Which mummies made it to his Evolution of Pop Culture Mummies? Naturally, one has to start with Boris Karloff’s Imhotep from the seminal 1932 film The Mummy. Fast forward five decades to the 1987 Monster Squad mummy then to Arnold Vosloo’s reanimated Imhotep in 1999 for the Brendan Fraser movie The Mummy. Skipping right to 2002, who can forget the western attired soul sucking Bubba Ho-tep, who lent his name to the title of the Don Coscarelli film, which is based on Joe R. Lansdale’s short story? Victor moves ahead ten years to the animated film, Hotel Transylvania. Ceelo Green voiced the rotund mummy named Murray. Rounding out Victor’s evolution is Sofia Boutella’s Ahmanet from last year’s The Mummy. Although I haven’t seen Monster Squad or Hotel Transylvania, Victor portrays each mummy in an iconic moment from their respective films. For example, most fans will remember the peaceful looking mummy in the opening scene of Karloff’s film, Vosloo’s menacing toothy scream, and Boutella’s hand-raising call for a dust storm in London. 

I think having a nod to the Christopher Lee’s Kharis from the Hammer Horror The Mummy (1959) would have been a good addition. And to give a little more screen time to women, it would have been cool to include Valerie Leon’s Queen Tera from the 1971 Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb. Which mummy character would you have included? Any mummies you would have switched out for another? If you dig this poster and want to order your own Evolution of Pop Culture Mummies poster, then click here!

Senebti! 

Banner image from Jeff Victor’s website.