Creepy Romance - The Mummy (1932)
I found myself watching the classic Universal monster film The Mummy recently for the first time in many years. It struck me how timeless some of the themes are—and just how influential it would prove to be.
Particularly, the concept of the romance horror film.
For those unfamiliar, The Mummy is a classic horror flick from 1932, directed by Karl Freund and starring the ever-creepy Boris Karloff as the titular undead creature.
The story? A tale as old as time, ancient Egyptian priest Imhotep, buried alive by the pharaoh for sacrilegiously trying to resurrect his forbidden lover, Ankh-es-en-Amon. Same thing happened to a friend of mine.
Fast-forwarding a few thousand years, act one begins with some clumsy archaeologists, led by Sir Joseph Whemple, who accidentally wake Imhotep up from his dirt nap. Naturally, he flees and reinvents himself as the surprisingly stylish Ardath Bey (a snappy anagram for 'Death By Ra'—nothing sus). His mission? To find his reincarnated boo, now inhabiting the body of Egyptian-American socialite Helen Grosvenor. Armed with his spooky powers, Imhotep is dead-set on reuniting with Helen and, well, not leaving much room for consent along the way.
But, of course, every undead love story needs some competition, right? Enter Frank Whemple, dashing son of Sir Joseph, continuing his father's proud tradition of "plundering foreign culture in the name of Western magnificence." And as soon as he meets Helen, it's love at first sight.
Suddenly, we're looking at a Twilight-esque love triangle! Only with less sparkly chests and way more ancient curses.
So… whose side are we on?
#TeamFrank
The story of Frank and Helen is your classic Western love story. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Girl becomes a vessel for the reincarnated daughter of a Pharaoh who’s being courted by a 3,000-year-old necromancer.
You know, the usual.
It’s love at first sight for Frank and Helen. The chemistry? Off the charts—at least by 1932 standards. They manage to keep their scandalous eye-gazing within socially acceptable limits, barely. Heck, Frank even suggests that Helen "rest" at his apartment after a dizzy spell—on the very first day they meet! Very forward indeed young man.
Frank is clearly the safe bet for audiences of the day. He’s a handsome, polite, hardworking American boy from a good family. But modern viewers? We can spot that Helen is way out of his league. Let’s be real, Frank is simping so hard for Helen, he’s practically volunteering to be her personal lapdog, no tail wagging spared.
But things take a turn in act two when Helen starts to go full reincarnated-princess mode, slipping deeper into her Ankh-es-en-Amon persona.
Suddenly, we see Frank in a new light—his heroic side. Sure, Frank may be younger, shorter, and 100% less knowledgeable about necromancy (his knowledge being zero), but that doesn’t stop him from charging headfirst into danger to rescue Helen. He even gifts her his protective amulet, which had been keeping him safe from Imhotep’s wizardy wrath.
Spoiler alert: Frank immediately regrets this decision when Imhotep uses his supernatural powers to choke him out over Wi-Fi. This allows Helen to be lured to Imhotep’s hieroglyph-covered bachelor pad.
But Frank? He’s not giving up. Despite being outclassed by a millennia-old opponent, Frank keeps coming back for more, determined to rescue his love from the clutches of the mummy.
So, in Frank, we’ve got your classic all-American college boy, desperately in love, totally outmatched, and running headlong into doom to save the girl.
Admirable? Yes. Smart? Well…
#TeamImhotep
Ah, Imhotep. The O.G. of necrophilic devotion. He’s not just your average undead priest, this is a mummy on a mission, with 3,000 years of unrelenting blue balls fueling fires of desire.
To the audiences of 1932, Imhotep must have looked like the ultimate foreign menace, a hulking, undead monster from an exotic land of pyramids, curses, and tit biting snakes. If you’re sitting in the cinema back then, Boris Karloff’s portrayal isn’t just terrifying; it’s otherworldly. This guy is a tall, intimidating figure draped in ancient mystique, and he’s here to steal the heroine and commence some 'book of the dead and chill'.
Fast forward to today, and we modern viewers can’t help but see things a little differently. Sure, Frank’s a nice guy and all, but let’s be honest: Imhotep is serving some serious big asp energy. He’s not just any old undead zombie—he’s a tall, dark and handsome, slab of ancient man meat, dripping with arcane wisdom. He’s the total package.
Frank never stood a chance.
But here’s the kicker, underneath all that supernatural swagger, we’ve got a story of truly epic tragedy. Imhotep is the very definition of a love that endures all. Time, death, resurrection, curses, and even meddling archaeologists. Imhotep is willing to defy the very laws of the universe to be with his princess, and you’ve got to admire that kind of commitment.
It’s not easy being a necromancer with a passion for ancient Egyptian reincarnation, folks. Every time Imhotep gets close to his goal, something—or someone—is always standing in the way. It’s like the world is conspiring to keep him and Ankh-es-en-Amon apart. First, he's mummified and buried alive, which, let's be real, here, would make most people give up on romance. But this guy crawls his way back to life centuries later, only to find out his princess has been reborn as Helen, an entirely different person who barely remembers him!
Tough break.
And just when he’s about to complete his creepy-but-oddly-romantic resurrection ritual, who swoops in to ruin everything? Frank.
Frank "I've only known Helen for approximately three hours" Whemple.
Meanwhile, Imhotep’s been carrying this torch for a solid three millennia.
Imhotep isn’t just a villain. He’s a tragic hero of sorts. I mean, sure, his methods of wooing Helen involve a bit of mind control and the occasional magical strangulation, but that’s just how necromancers roll! He’s been dead for centuries, he’s still figuring out modern dating!
So, in Imhotep, we find the ultimate romantic, a man whose love is quite literally eternal. He doesn’t care about death, distance, or even the fact that Helen is technically not the same person as his original princess. For him, it’s all about the soul, baby. It’s about that connection that transcends time and space. Forget flowers and chocolates—Imhotep’s idea of a grand romantic gesture is defying the natural order of life and death itself.
Now, there are red flags here, no doubt, but I've read enough smut novels to know, this isn't a deal breaker. Imhotep has 'enemies to lovers' book boyfriend written all over him.
So....who wins your heart kids?
Origins
Prior to The Mummy's release, there were some films that combined elements of romance and horror, although the budding genre wasn't yet quite as scary and thirsty.
Most of the very earliest references to this combo, were found on the stage in early German expressionist cinema and silent films. Many of these productions focused on inner emotions and distorted realities, often unrequited love and the horrors of deteriorating mental state or societal hardship.
Outside of a deep dive into experimental European stage, which is untold levels of hipster behavior. Here are some early examples of films for your watchlist:
The Phantom of the Opera (1925) – This silent horror film is based on Gaston Leroux’s novel and blends romance with a pinch of horror. The central plot involves the tragic love story of the Phantom, a disfigured man living in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, who becomes obsessed with the young singer Christine.
Nosferatu (1922) – While primarily a horror film and an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula, there are elements of romantic obsession in Count Orlok's pursuit of Ellen, reminiscent of the Dracula story's deeper romantic themes.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) – Though not overtly romantic, this German Expressionist horror classic includes a subplot of love and devotion between Francis and Jane, where Francis fights to save Jane from the sinister Dr. Caligari.
These films laid some of the groundwork for the later merging of romantic and horror elements, but it wasn't until The Mummy that the genre really began to take form as we recognize it today. The Mummy introduced a more overt blending of tragic love and horror that would influence later films in the genre.
Legacy
Since the release of The Mummy in 1932, there have been many films that blend romance and horror, blurring the boundaries between love with fear. Where the past saw an exploration of the pulls of desire unfolding in unfamiliar territory, modern works are often exploring all-out gore side by side with sex.
More for the watchlist:
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) – This adaptation focuses heavily on the tragic love story between Dracula and Mina, blending gothic horror with a tale of eternal love.
Crimson Peak (2015) – Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this film is a gothic romance intertwined with haunting ghostly elements, where love, betrayal, and death coexist.
Let the Right One In (2008) – A Swedish horror-romance that explores the bond between a young boy and a centuries-old vampire in the body of a girl, with a mix of sweetness and dark intensity.
Warm Bodies (2013) – A post-apocalyptic zombie romance where a human girl and a zombie boy fall in love, giving a unique and heartwarming twist to the horror genre.
The Shape of Water (2017) – Another Guillermo del Toro film, blending romance with fantasy horror, about a mute woman who falls in love with an aquatic creature being held captive.
Candyman (1992) – A supernatural horror film that explores the tragic backstory of the title character, whose love for a woman led to his demise and fuels his haunting.
Spring (2014) – A unique mix of body horror and romance, where an American man falls for a mysterious woman with a dark, supernatural secret.
These films all contain strong elements of romance, front and center, with more than an implied sense of fear and tension. They are great examples of more modern romance horror titles for you to check out.
It will be interesting to see where this niche genre goes from here, if the 2024 film 'Do Not Disturb' is anything to go by, it should be a wild ride indeed.
--minlim