What is a place like me doing in a girl like this?
The 1999 Brendan Fraser film The Mummy has an extraordinarily beautiful cast, a delightfully bonkers plot, and a whole heap of unexamined colonialism, racism, and othering. Emily shares with Tracie the historical background of the West’s fascination with Egypt–which led to little Emily’s own interest and delight in all things Egyptological. But the Egypt we encounter in films like The Mummy has little to do with the real history of ancient Egypt (check out all the white actors!) and helps promote the idea that Western scholars make the best Egyptologists.
But not to worry: reflecting on this film isn’t all bad. The drool-worthy cast was the impetus for many a Gen X and Millennial bi awakening, and the characters (sometimes) reject traditional gender roles in delightful ways.
Even if you’re on the wrong side of the river, put in your earbuds and listen!
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