Those familiar with the world of Hollywood know that celluloid museums exist. Some of us may have even visited one. However, an entire museum devoted to one Egyptian director is unusual, and thus captures our attention.
The cinematic genius in question is none other than late director, designer and scriptwriter Shady Abdel Salam. His feature film “The Mummy remains one of the landmarks of Egyptian cinema. Even after more than three decades since its production, “The Mummy continues to inspire serious viewers, cinema critics and others interested in the nuances of ancient Egyptian history.
What is new is that shots from “The Mummy as well as from other works in which Abdel Salam participated either in design, graphics, sketches, plus his personal library and several of his other belongings are now displayed under one roof in The World of Shady Abdel Salam Museum. This is just one of several museums located on the premises of the renowned Alexandria Library.
It is not out of context when you consider that the museums primarily focus on different aspects of Alexandrian history and contributions. The talented filmmaker and intellectual is originally from Alexandria. His zeal for his native town never prevented him from probing the part of Egyptian history which preceded the advent of Alexandria, the capital of Egypt during the Greco-Roman era.
Visiting the World of Shady Abdel Salam is not simply part of an itinerary of the famous bibliotheca. Contrary to expectation, the museum raises a series of questions and controversies that are likely to pique the interest of film buffs for centuries to come by virtue of the insightful works of this filmmaker.
While filmmakers, Egyptians and Westerners alike, looked upon ancient Egyptian history as a series of interesting tales that depict the lifestyle of the Pharaohs or offer keys to new discoveries, Abdel Salam took the lead in thinking of how this history relates intellectually, socially and politically to modern Egyptians.
As you enter the museum, you see sketches in color and in black and white of his uncompleted project Akhenaton. Yes, Akhenaton is part of a glorious but obscure era in ancient Egyptian history.
The ancient Egyptian royal was the first monotheist, but even when that is believed to be the cult of the sun, it cannot just be dismissed as a type of pagan worship.
This era remains a focal point of most Western researchers and filmmakers, but for Abdel Salam Egyptians should have their own view of their history, despite the abundance of foreign research.
The section devoted to “The Mummy is no less interesting, as that was one complete phase of Abdel Salam’s thought: the starting point for the modern Egyptian is to know his history, to examine the antiquities, the artifacts that he sells illegally.
Should the peasants who constructed their houses on the ancient tombs trade in their forefathers’ belongings? Or should they report them to government officials? And if their poor living conditions have prompted them to sell the contents of the tombs, why shouldn’t the government make an effort to improve their lot? But another controversial issue that he raised was whether the dead should be disturbed to be exhibited in glass showcases.
But at no point should we forget that all this has been expressed in refined cinematic language that took Abdel Salam decades to master.
In the section devoted to “The Mummy, as well as in others featuring the director as a designer, his sketches are placed side by side next to shots from his works. You may admire the costumes of some of your favorite classical stars, not knowing they were designed by Abdel Salam.
These include “Wa Islamah, “Al Nasser Salahudin, “Almaz and Abdou Al Hamuli and “Rabaa Al Adawia to name just a few. Additionally, Abdel Salam participated in Hollywood productions like “Antony and Cleopatra for which he worked in design, where the Pharaohs’ costumes were entirely his own work and in “The Golden Pharaoh where his touches stand out with the royal barge that was exclusively made for that production.
But “The Mummy remains the melting pot where Abdel Salam combined his cinematic techniques and intellectual outlook, a fact attested by the presence of his own library that comprises scores of titles on ancient Egyptian history.
If there is a message we can take away from The World of Shady Abdel Salam it is to restart from where he left off. Currently, there is no filmmaker of his caliber on the scene to carry out his “Akhenaton, a work that is waiting the talent and budget to translate Abdel Salam’s script, sketches and designs to the big screen.
