Ancient Egypt is a subject that fascinates many, so it’s only natural that it is committed to film multiple times. Sadly, most films about Ancient Egypt have been really bad–horrible, even. In a sea of low-quality B-movies about one of humanity’s oldest societies, it can be really hard to find a good movie about the topic, especially if you’re craving something in that genre.
Fortunately for aspiring Egyptologists, there are a handful of diamonds in the rough out there. Some of these are blockbusters, but most of them are underappreciated gems that aren’t really talked about enough today.If Ancient Egypt is your thing, you should definitely check out these movies. They might not be historically accurate, but they’re definitely entertaining.
10’The Prince of Egypt' (1998)
Directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, & Simon Wells
The Prince of Egyptis a religious movie at heart, intended to appeal towards Christian and Jewish audiences. However, even if you aren’t Jewish or Christian, heck even if you aren’t religious whatsoever, it’s a phenomenal movie. Produced by DreamWorks, it has all the makings of a classic Disney animated musical, from the upbeat, poppy numbers right down to the animation style. The story follows much of the Biblical Book of Exodus, in which Moses (Val Kilmer) leads the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery, against the will of Moses' adoptive brother, the Pharaoh Rameses (Ralph Fiennes).
The spectacle is truly wonderful, and the musical numbers are some of the best DreamWorks has ever produced. Songs like “The Plagues” and “Playing With the Big Boys” are sure to be stuck in your head for weeks afterwards. Of course, it also features a lot of Egyptian mythos and themes alongside its Abrahamic undertones.While not a movie that is totally historically accurate, it’s a fantastic adventure through time that can easily be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of faith, or lack thereof, and is among the best Ancient Egypt movies ever.
The Prince of Egypt
Directed by Luc Besson
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Secis a French film based on a comic book series byJacques Tardi. In this live-action flick, Adèle is played byLouise Bourgoin, who brings an elegance and shine to the fictional writer, appearing alongside a few of the comics' recurring characters. In this adventure, Adèle heads to Egypt to unearth the tomb ofRamesses II, but what she finds there proves to be far more than she bargained for.
It isn’t just themes of Ancient Egypt that get explored here–there’s also dinosaurs (yes, really), and a good amount of period drama, taking place in early 20th-Century Paris.This is often a recipe for disaster, and is a sign of a movie biting off more than it can chew, but everything works together really well in this movie, making it a thrilling and highly-underrated adventure flick.
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8’Stargate' (1994)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Stargatewas very poorly received when it first came out, however it’s found quite the cult following in recent years, with many consumers now starting to appreciate the film and itssubsequent cinematic universefor what it is.Kurt Russellstars as an archaeologist who stumbles upon an ancient artifact in Egypt, which, when activated, opens a portal to a distant desert planet. This new planet, Abydos, is inhabited by people who speak a dialect of Ancient Egyptian, implying that Ancient Egyptians must have used this portal to travel to Abydos.
If you’re into a twist of sci-fi with your Egyptian mythos, this movie is right up your alley. It’s got modern experts meeting a people and culture that hasn’t existed for millennia, and also features some cosmic themes about humanity’s influence on the universe.Classic, yet criminally-underrated,Stargatewill be like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and not in a bad way.
7’Agora' (2009)
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar
Agorais a Spanish-made movie, but is in English and features a lot of notable actors. In the foreground isRachael Weiszwho plays the real-life phiolospherHypatia,who lived in Alexandria in the Fourth-Fifth Century CE, when Egypt was considered part of the Eastern Roman Empire. Hypatia was not only a philosopher, but an astronomer as well, and begins to look into the flaws in the Romans' geocentric model of the solar system.
The film takes a few historical liberties in its depictions of Hypatia, but hey, what movie doesn’t take a few here and there? That’s why it’s historical fiction.Regardless, the movie may not be great, but it’s still good, and gives attention to a very influential woman in ancient history that doesn’t get nearly the amount of attention that she deserves.It definitely deserves points for that.
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6’The Mummy’s Hand' (1940)
Directed by Christy Cabanne
The Mummy’s Handis a pseudo-sequel that created on account of the success of the 1932 film. This horror flick doesn’t focus on an undead mummy, but rather a mummy who is being kept alive over the course of thousands of years by a nefarious priest. The movie has its flaws for sure, with a relatively unimpressive budget, and even rehashing footage from the original, yet in spite of all of it, it still manages to squeeze past being average and make it as a decent, enjoyable movie.
The Mummy’s Handis a little hokey, but overall a fun follow-up to the 1932 film, coming off as something almost entirely new
The cast and crew are all new, along with its characters. Instead of Imhotep, the mummy in this movie is Kharis, who is forced to live using a mystical brew of tea, keeping him from passing on into the Duat.The Mummy’s Handis a little hokey, but overall a fun follow-up to the 1932 film, coming off as something almost entirely new, and as more of a spiritual successor than a full-on sequel.
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5’Land of the Pharaohs' (1955)
Directed by Howard Hawks
Land of the Pharaohsboasts a cast of thousands of actors, (mostly extras, of course) which was a monumental feat at the time. Although almost unheard of now, this movie was a real achievement in cinematic technology, using every asset in their power to make an epic historical drama like no other. It’s about the PharaohKhufu(Jack Hawkins), for which one of the pyramids is named, and the romance he has with Princess Nellifer (Joan Collins) as they come under the fire of the populace, who are sick of building the pyramids amidst years of hardship.
Land of the Pharaohsallows audiences to bear witness to the construction of one of the world’s oldest monuments, which would later become one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
With great action and the familiar tropes of 50s romance flicks, it’s a movie that may have aged poorly, yet is still worth every second, especially for fans of Egyptian mythos.It allows audiences to bear witness to the construction of one of the world’s oldest monuments, which would later become one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It’s something that is rarely comitted to film, which is what makes it worth revisiting.
4’The Mummy' (1932)
Directed by Karl Freund
The Mummy, which is not to be confused with the 1999 action-adventure movie, is a 1932 horror film featuring the one and onlyBoris Karloffas Imhotep, the mummified monster of the movie. Karloff is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Frankenstein’s Monster in thegothic horrorflickFrankensteintwo years prior, so to see him in a new, yet equally villainous role is always a welcome sight.
In a sense, this was one of the first popular movies to actually portray Egyptian mythos on camera, and sort of kick-started the whole thing. Maybe it wasn’t as big of a commercial success as some similar films that were coming out at the time, but it’s a great time, all the same.It’s probably one of the only good horror movies about Ancient Egypt out there.Let’s be real, there have been a lot of bad ones.
The Mummy (1932)
3’Cleopatra' (1963)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankieowicz
Cleopatrais an epic war/drama movie that really hasn’t aged all that well, but is still a good watch for fans of Ancient Egypt. The movie starsElizabeth TaylorasCleopatra VII, one of the last Pharaohs, during Caesar’s Civil War in the First Century BCE. The scale of this movie was unmatched for the time, and featured hundreds of extras and elaborate sets, costumers, and props.
Story-wise, it follows Cleopatra as she makes allies withJulius Caesar(Rex Harrison) as Caesar wages war against the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which is under her brother’s rule.A lot of real-life historical figures are depicted in the movie, and its colossal visuals and brilliant acting will be sure to satisfy the appetite of anyone who likes Egyptian history, especially when it comes to the fall of the empire.
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2’The Mummy' (1999)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
The Mummytrilogy really wasn’t received very well, save for its very first film, which isthe only good moviein the series. It’s totally a B-movie, but a really good B-movie all the same. The story follows Rick (Brendan Fraser) as he journeys to Egypt in search of the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo). But it turns out he’s not the only one in search of Imhotep’s mummified remains, because a group of grave robbers is right behind him, hoping to raise the mummy from the dead.
It’s got a lot of great action and adventure. Sure, the CGI is far from remarkable by today’s standards, but the fact is,The Mummyis still a classic film that is remembered by many fondly to this day. As mentioned though, it’s probably best to just stick with the 1999 film and not watch its sequels, remake, or spin-off series, as they’re pretty much all bad.
1’Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arkis the first film in theIndiana Jonesfranchise, meaning it’s also the first to starHarrison Fordin one of his most iconic roles as the eponymousadventure hero. This film sees Indy travel to Egypt in search of the Ark of the Covenant, an object of great power as described in Christian and Jewish texts. Also searching for it are the Nazis, who intend to use the power contained within the Ark for ill purposes (no surprises there).
This film became the flagship of the adventure movie genre, setting a standard for treasure hunt-themed flicks that is still referenced 40 years later. This is in thanks to its sweeping scale, tie-ins to Egyptian archaeological sites, and heartwarming romance.It’s a must-see for any movie fan, but an especially good watch for any cinephiles who are looking for a film that ties in with Ancient Egyptian themes, too.
