Review

Universal's movie monsters have been a mainstay of modeling since Aurora introduced its kits in the 1960s. Now Moebius is taking up the mantle with a newly tooled kit of The Mummy, made famous by Boris Karloff in the 1932 movie. Molded in light gray plastic, the nicely detailed parts included a bandage-wrapped figure, a sarcophagus and lid, and a base with part of a wall, some ruins, and a cobra. The vignette captures the moment in the movie before Imhotep is returned to life through incantation.

The instructions are typical of Moebius' recent kits, with extensive notes about the subject, modeling tips, and written instructions supported by photo illustrations. The back page includes extensive painting instructions, with 17 colors called out referencing Testors enamel and acrylic paints.

Crisply engraved detail on the sarcophagus makes the multicolored painting easier. I was super-impressed with the mummy's head, which is a dead ringer (no pun intended!) for Karloff. The figure fit together tightly, leaving a hint of seam that I removed with sanding and a little filler. The seam on the head was most prominent. After filling and sanding, I scraped the tip of a No. 11 blade across the join to blend the seam into the flow of the hair. Similar work disguised the seams among the bandages on the body.

The lower sarcophagus presents the kit's only construction challenge, with exterior and interior each built from five parts. Alignment pins help, but it's easy to push one section out of position while trying to line up another. I used slow-setting Testors liquid cement (the smelly stuff with the pink label) and coaxed the parts into position. Both parts of the sarcophagus needed filler.

Monster kits are perennial favorites among modelers (Aurora's kits have been reissued by Monogram and Revell repeatedly), and this kit perfectly captures the spirit that made the originals so popular. It trumps its ancestors in ease of building. That coupled with great painting instructions should make this kit perfect not just for figure experts, but also for fans of the movie and figure novices who fancy trying a model that offers plenty of opportunities for experimentation and imagination.

The kit has an extensive paint list. Several of the base colors recommended are available in spray cans. Most of the model is better finished with hand brushes: especially a narrow flat brush and a fine point like a five ought. Filler putty is necessary to finish the model well.

The big thing this kit offers is fun with a capital F! The ease of construction means the modeler can concentrate on the heart of the project - painting - without having to worry about Federal Standard numbers and accuracy. A few well placed, attractively done cobwebs, maybe a cheap strobe, and perhaps some bandages draped over the shelf displaying the kit is bound to draw attention.

Building and painting The Mummy gave me a chance to let my hair down and have some pure, unadulterated fun. The finished model stands more than 12 inches tall and draws a lot of attention, especially from non-modelers. People who don't know the difference between a Sherman and a Tiger can relate to The Mummy and it's for anyone who's a kid at heart.