Movies

I first read Robin Cook's book "Sphinx" while in the Army, stationed in Mainz, Germany in the late '80s. I mentioned the book to a friend recently and he said "Oh, they made a move from the book". I found the movie on the net and plugged it into the VCR with some trepidation. NEVER are movies as good as the book. Well, this movie proved me wrong. The movie follows the book quite closely, but the lavish sets and great acting make for a very enjoyable viewing.

This under-appreciated movie deserves to be better known. The filming is beautiful and Frank Langella's performance is mesmerizing - reminding me of his soulful and darkly troubled Dracula. It starts off slowly, but the story quickly begins rolling as the mysteries pile up, and Erica is drawn into investigating them. I am a big fan of Ancient Egypt, Egyptology and Archeology. This is in no way a documentary, but it perfectly captures and evokes the mystery and beauty of Ancient Egypt and the excitement of hidden treasures - it's certainly more than entertaining enough and has some interesting twists. Definitely worth watching if you get the chance!

Call me a drippy romantic but Frank Langella, dancing eyes and all, is great in this movie. He captures the ideal of a darkly romantic mystery man with intelligence and humor. My only complaint is Lesley-Anne Down's shrieks--for an avowed Egyptolgist you'd think she'd be used to dark, dusty & dirty places. The plot, which causes Down to question her pride, self-esteem and morality when tempted with revealing centuries-old secrets, is straight forward and uncomplicated. The scenery of the desert, Cairo, and the pyramids is lush and lovely and the "comic relief," even though it comes with an "I just knew that would happen," twist is fun and charming. If you'd just like to watch a picturesque, romantic adventure with no socially redeeming features getting in the way, watch this.