Valley of the Kings (1954)

the audience applauded

As Good As It Gets

Absolutely the worst movie.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

I watched the newly-released DVD version of this film from Amazon, and I was thrilled with the quality. After all, this is a 60+ year-old film, and the color is still outstanding. It isn't a great film; the plot is a run-of-the-mill adventure story, and I always found Robert Taylor to be a wooden actor. But Eleanor Parker's lovely face more than compensates, and the real star of the show is Egypt itself. Long before Egypt fell into political turmoil, this film showcased many of the country's legendary attractions. Filmed on location, the movie incorporates beautiful views of the Sphinx, the pyramids of Gizeh, the legendary Mena House Hotel, St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai, the temples of Luxor, the Sahara Desert, and the Abu-Simbel temples. If you are a sucker for romantic locales, a good fistfight, and enjoyable escapist fare, then this one is worth your money and your Saturday afternoon.

Dullard and Right Wing Tattle Tale Robert Taylor Dutifully Goes On Location to Egypt Along with a Great Cinematographer and Former Real Life Flame Eleanor Parker. Always an MGM Workhorse with a Small Amount of Talent, Good Looks, and a Distinctive Voice, He Never Managed to Bring Anything Special to His Movies.Competent and Willing was Robert Taylor. In this "Travelogue" it is Egypt's Tourist Locations that Highlight, Always in the Background and are a Sight to Behold. Today's Audiences are Jaded by All the High Definition Documentaries on Multiple Channels, there is Never a Shortage of Footage from All of Those Monuments that the 1,000 Year Civilization Left Standing. So This May Not be that much of a Draw.The Movie is Rather Lackluster in the Foreground and is Talky but Doesn't Say a Whole Lot that is Interesting. The Script is Standard Junk and is Almost Blasphemous in Front of those Gigantic Wonders. The Movie Making Crew Just Seems Way Out of Their Element and are Intimidated by the Splendor and the Film Comes Off as Just Workmanlike.Overall, it is Worth a Watch but for the Most Part it is Creaky in Pace and Scholarly Only in the Most Elementary. It's Eye Candy at Best and an Opportunity Completely Wasted at Worst.

One of the reviews struck me. One of the reviewers really disliked this film--mostly because the film got so much of the Egyptology wrong. When I read this, I thought perhaps it was written by my own daughter! She is an ancient religions/Egyptology major in college and watching a film like this is NOT an enjoyable experience if you are just looking to be entertained! She, too, spots all the methodological flaws. Now I can't blame my kid--I am a history teacher and watching films like "Pocahontas" with me is no treat, either! To those who love the topics, the way Hollywood cavalierly handles these topics is appalling. All the public usually cares about, however, is whether or not they enjoy watching the film! So, in light of this, my review is NOT intended for Egyptologists or those in the know--just for the average schmuck out there! The film plays like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and a traditional MGM epic film of the 50s. In other words, while there is lots of adventure reminiscent of Indiana Jones, there is a greater emphasis on spectacle as well as a bit of a nod to the popular Biblical epics of the day (boy, were they popular back then!).Robert Taylor plays the role of an archaeologist who is digging in Egypt at about the turn of the 19th century. Eleanor Parker approaches him and asks for his help to try to prove that the Biblical Joseph really existed---and during the reign of Ra-hotep. However, Taylor is convinced that Joseph did not exist and it's all a waste of time. But, reluctantly, he agrees---apparently because he thinks Ms. Parker is kind of hot. However, what they don't know is that there is a traitor in their midst--someone who is more interested in stealing whatever treasures the two of them unearth. Plus, this evil piggy and his friends are more than glad to kill if need be.Overall, the film has some very nice Egyptian locales and nice acting. While the story is a bit slow at times, the overall effort is pretty good--though far from Taylor's best work. It should be enjoyable for the average viewer--not a must-see be certainly a bit better than just a time-passer.

This movie had everything in it to become the Indiana Jones of the '50's but yet it isn't.The movie its story had potential. The story of the search for holy artifacts supporting that the stories of the bible are true and the biblical Joseph really existed and lived in Egypt, sound fascinating and surely good enough to make a fun adventurous movie around. Yet the movie never becomes are really great and perfectly fun adventurous movie to watch. The story is not imaginative enough and basically there is very little interesting or spectacular happening on the screen. The movie could had really used some more action and better villainous characters, to make the movie more exciting, tense and entertaining to watch.There really isn't much happening in this movie, which seems odd, considering the genre of the movie and its story. The movie makes a redundant and pointless impression because of that. Even though the story sounds like it- this just isn't a fun or adventurous must-see.The movie is a bit clumsy looking at times. Though its production values are good and the actors do their best, the movie just isn't good enough to watch at times. The movie was obviously shot with only one camera, with as a result some silly and ineffective camera positions at times. It especially makes the more fast paced and action sequences look ridicules and ineffective.The movie uses some beautiful locations and is obviously shot really in Egypt itself, for most part. It uplifts the movie and gives it a certain extra sense of feeling of traveling, adventure and mystery. Too bad that the movie doesn't know how to fully exploit and use this feeling and atmosphere. It once again shows why Robert Pirosh wasn't the greatest director around.Considering its potential, it's a disappointing movie that in its core still brings some good entertainment. So not a completely unwatchable movie, even though it probably has more weak than strong points in it.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/