The Awakening

The Awakening (1980)

Genres - Mystery  |   Release Date - Oct 31, 1980 (USA - Unknown), Oct 31, 1980 (USA)  |   Run Time - 100 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom, United States  |   MPAA Rating - R
  • AllMovie Rating
    3
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Cavett Binion

English archaeologist Matthew Corbeck (played by the emphatically-American Charlton Heston) undertakes an expedition to find the tomb of the Egyptian princess Kara, despite his awareness of a nefarious curse that is said to befall anyone who disturbs the tomb. Eighteen years after Corbeck's discovery of the burial site, his teenage daughter (who was born at the very moment of the tomb's violation) begins to behave strangely. Turns out she's been possessed by Kara's malevolent spirit, carrying out the princess's revenge by causing several deaths and developing a less-than-healthy obsession with Daddy. Based very loosely on Bram Stoker's novel The Jewel of Seven Stars (itself the inspiration for Hammer's superior Blood from the Mummy's Tomb), this is basically Warner Brothers' attempt to jump on the big-budget horror bandwagon in the wake of The Omen's staggering success. The result is a good-looking but artistically hollow film -- with elaborate sets, lush cinematography and a sweeping musical score, but little in the way of logic or suspense.

Characteristics

Themes

Keywords

curse, incest, killing, mummy, possession, princess, satanic, scientist, tomb