The Curse of the Aztec Mummy is a classic horror film released in 1957. Directed by Rafael Portillo, the Mexican film offers a thrilling tale of ancient mummies, secrets, and a deadly curse. Throughout the film, audiences are taken on a suspenseful journey as they witness the consequences of disturbing the resting place of an Aztec mummy. The story revolves around a group of archaeologists who discover the ancient tomb of an Aztec princess named Xochitl. Along with the princess, they also find a valuable jewel known as the "Green Eye." The archaeologists decide to bring the mummy and the jewel to their lab for further examination.
The plots to these movies scarcely bear discussion. The overall story involves mad scientist/super criminal Dr. Krupp (played with hammy glee by Luis Aceves Castañeda) — professionally known as “The Bat” — and his efforts to get his mitts on Popoca’s breastplate and bracelet in order to locate the “treasure of Aztecs.” This — and the translation of the inscriptions — requires the unwilling help of Dr. Eduardo Almada (Ramón Gay), his fiancée, Flor, their assorted family members and the comic relief hanger-on, Pinacate (Crox Alvarado). Kidnappings, hypnosis, death threats, a death chamber full of snakes, and a wonderful jailbreak involving toy machine-guns that clearly don’t fire anything ensue. The second film, The Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957), throws in a masked wrestler called The Angel, who tools around in a 1954 MG TF — apparently mindless of the potential for an Isadora Duncan demise with his cape fluttering perilously near the wire wheel knock-offs. He turns out to be…well, we’ll leave that to the film’s skillful plotting. Mostly, he just shows up and strikes wrestler poses. The third film only mentions him once in passing. How quickly they forget.
Krupp played with hammy glee by Luis Aceves Castañeda professionally known as The Bat and his efforts to get his mitts on Popoca s breastplate and bracelet in order to locate the treasure of Aztecs. I wouldn t call them good, but, boy, are they ever goofy fun with a maniacal super criminal, a masked wrestler, secret treasure, hypnotism, a snake pit, a really slow-moving mummy and, well, you get the idea.
" The archaeologists decide to bring the mummy and the jewel to their lab for further examination. However, little do they know that there is a curse associated with the Aztec mummy. Legend has it that anyone who disturbs the princess's resting place will be subjected to a series of terrifying events and ultimately face their demise.
The Curse of the Aztec Mummy / The Human Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy
In Brief: It's a double dose of Mexican mummy horror — The Curse of the Aztec Mummy and The Human Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy — and the films provide just the kind of entertainment those titles suggest. I wouldn't call them good, but, boy, are they ever goofy fun — with a maniacal super criminal, a masked wrestler, secret treasure, hypnotism, a snake pit, a really slow-moving mummy and, well, you get the idea.
While it is true that Mexican horror movies of the 1950s and early 1960s are perhaps the last (largely) unexplored area of classic horror cinema, it should immediately be noted that the Aztec Mummy trilogy has nothing at all to do with classic anything—except perhaps classic bad cinema. These films are not at all in the same league as the Abel Salazar productions—though his brother, Alfredo, had a hand in writing these. OK, so all Mexican horror is…well, a little on the goofy side. The Aztec Mummy movies, however, are somewhere in between amusingly screwy and flat-out crazy. All in all, the biggest identifying quality of the film is the difficulty in believing that these movies were written by adults. The feeling is more that they must have been dreamed up by schoolboys over the course of an afternoon or less. Like the better Mexican horrors, they steal wildly from the old Universal films, but whether the folks making them understood what they were copying is open to question.
You may wonder why the first film of the series is being skipped in favor of the back-to-back sequels. Well, that’s pretty simple: There doesn’t appear to be a watchable copy of The Aztec Mummy (1957). The scenes involving the Mummy himself are do dark that it’s almost impossible to tell what’s going on. But it doesn’t really matter because you get to see most of the first film as flashbacks in the sequels. (The third film, in fact, opens with nearly 20 minutes of flashbacks. In short, you’re missing nothing by not seeing the first movie.) Even without the first film, these two films include two doses of the supposed Aztec ceremony (they spent good money on all those peacock feathers and you’re going to see them!) where the Mummy, Popoca (Angelo De Steffani), is condemned to guarding a cheesy-looking breastplate and bracelet for eternity, along with his forbidden sweetie, Xochitl (Rosita Arenas), who is put to death for mousing around with Popoca. (All this is revealed by Xochtil’s current incarnation, Flor, under hypnosis.) This consists of some ear-splitting music, much dancing about and a song so bad I doubt it would have even charted on Aztec hit parade. We do, however, learn — based on the evidence — that the ancient Aztecs appear to have invented dry ice. (There’s educational value, see?) The third film, in fact, opens with nearly 20 minutes of flashbacks. In short, you’re missing nothing by not seeing the first movie — apart from another bout of the Aztec ceremony.
The plots to these movies scarcely bear discussion. The overall story involves mad scientist/super criminal Dr. Krupp (played with hammy glee by Luis Aceves Castañeda) — professionally known as “The Bat” — and his efforts to get his mitts on Popoca’s breastplate and bracelet in order to locate the “treasure of Aztecs.” This — and the translation of the inscriptions — requires the unwilling help of Dr. Eduardo Almada (Ramón Gay), his fiancée, Flor, their assorted family members and the comic relief hanger-on, Pinacate (Crox Alvarado). Kidnappings, hypnosis, death threats, a death chamber full of snakes, and a wonderful jailbreak involving toy machine-guns that clearly don’t fire anything ensue. The second film, The Curse of the Aztec Mummy (1957), throws in a masked wrestler called The Angel, who tools around in a 1954 MG TF — apparently mindless of the potential for an Isadora Duncan demise with his cape fluttering perilously near the wire wheel knock-offs. He turns out to be…well, we’ll leave that to the film’s skillful plotting. Mostly, he just shows up and strikes wrestler poses. The third film only mentions him once in passing. How quickly they forget.
The final film, The Aztec Mummy vs. the Human Robot (1958) is easily the dumbest of the lot, which also means it may just be the most entertaining. Though released the following year, it supposedly takes place five years later — with The Bat up to his old tricks, except now he’s invented a radium-infused robot with a dead guy inside. When I was a kid, I used to spend summers with my grandmother in Concord, NC, and up (or down) the road was a family with a couple of kids I didn’t much like, but who were about my age. One of them had built himself a cardboard robot suit, which memory assures me was more impressive and believable than the one in this movie. In other words, this robot is divinely amusing. Whether or not — even with his deadly radium touch — he’s a match for Popoca remains to be seen. And you’ll have to watch the movie to find out.
The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Curse of the Aztec Mummy and The Human Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy Thursday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.
SHAREAbout Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."
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Soon after bringing the mummy and the jewel to the lab, the curse begins to take its toll on the archaeologists. As the curse unfolds, the archaeologists find themselves facing various obstacles and dangerous situations. They are stalked by an evil villain named Popoca who is determined to claim the Green Eye for himself. The film showcases thrilling chase scenes, suspenseful moments, and unexpected twists that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The Curse of the Aztec Mummy incorporates elements of horror, mystery, and adventure. It combines ancient legends with modern science, creating an intriguing storyline that captivates audiences. While the film's special effects may seem outdated by today's standards, it still manages to evoke a sense of fear and excitement. Overall, The Curse of the Aztec Mummy offers an entertaining and suspenseful cinematic experience. It delves into the realm of curses, ancient legends, and the consequences of disturbing the dead. The film remains a cult classic, providing viewers with an eerie adventure that explores the dark side of human curiosity..
Reviews for "Is the Curse of the Azztec Mummy Real? Exploring the Supernatural"
1. John - 1/5
I found "Curse of the azztec mummy" to be an incredibly disappointing film. The storyline was weak and predictable, and the acting was lackluster at best. The special effects were also subpar, making it hard to immerse myself in the film. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time watching it and would not recommend it to anyone looking for a quality movie experience.
2. Sarah - 2/5
Although "Curse of the azztec mummy" had an interesting premise, it fell flat in execution. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself losing interest halfway through. The characters were poorly developed, making it difficult to connect with any of them. Additionally, the dialogue was cliche and uninspiring. Overall, I was disappointed with this film and would not watch it again.
3. Mark - 2/5
"Curse of the azztec mummy" failed to live up to its potential. The plot had potential, but it was poorly executed. The film lacked depth and relied too heavily on jump scares rather than building suspense. The acting was also subpar, with many of the performances feeling forced and unnatural. Although I appreciate the effort put into creating an eerie atmosphere, it was not enough to salvage the overall lackluster experience.