Tale of the Mummy (also known as Russell Mulcahy's Tale of the Mummy and Talos – the Mummy) is a 1998 adventure horror thriller film directed by Russell Mulcahy. The film stars Jason Scott Lee, Jack Davenport, Louise Lombard and Christopher Lee. Tale of the Mummy received a theatrical wide release on August 3, 1998, while it was released direct-to-video in 1999. Plot In 1948 Egypt, an archeological dig led by Richard Turkel reaches a tomb identified as belonging to Talos, apparently cursed. The hieroglyphics at the entrance warn that all should avoid the place. Despite this, they open the chamber's door only to be blasted with a cloud of dust, causing the archeologists to crumble apart as if made of fragile stone. Richard manages to blow the tomb shut, killing himself in the process. In 1999, Richard's granddaughter Sam Turkel continues where he left off. They see Talos' sarcophagus suspended from the ceiling when they break into the burial chamber. One of the team falls to his death, and another, Brad, has a seizure while experiencing Talos' past atrocities. Nine months later, a power cut occurs. The container holding Talos' sarcophagus is broken into, and a guard has his eyes removed. Detective Riley warns them the killer will undoubtedly strike again. At a party, Talos assaults a guest in the bathroom. Talos attacks a man in a car park while Sam explains the core of Talos' myth to Riley. Talos directed that his followers remove his body parts, and they believed he would someday be resurrected to reclaim them, gaining physical perfection and immortality. Later, Brad is arrested and tells Talos' history to Riley. Talos was exiled from Greece for sorcery and came to Egypt, where he fell in love, and in a pagan ceremony, married the Pharaoh's daughter, Nefriama. Neighbouring countries ordered the Pharaoh to kill Talos, as all who opposed him were struck with disease or tortured into believing his theology. To save Nefriama from death, the Pharaoh told her about Talos' upcoming execution, and she, in turn, told Talos. When the Pharaoh's army reached Talos' chamber, they saw Nefriama eating Talos' heart. The followers of Talos were all put to death, including Nefriama. Riley guesses that the murder victims are reincarnations of the Pharaoh's followers. Brad believes killing Sam (Nefriama's reincarnation) is the only way to stop Talos, who plans to be reborn when the planets