The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries - The Mystery of King Tut's Tomb (1977)

The Mystery of King Tut's Tomb

In season 2 of the Hardy Boys,  Frank and Joe become globetrotters.  When we last saw the Hardy Boys, in "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula," they were cruising around Europe in a white VW van, first in France, and then on to Germany, and finally to Transylvania.  In this week's episode, "The Mystery of King Tut's Tomb,"  The Boys have driven the van straight down to Egypt!

Egyptian Contraband in King Tut's Tomb

The plot of this one involves The Hardy Boys driving through Egypt as tourists, on their way to meet their father in Kenya.  While doing some shopping, The Boys have a mystery just coincindentally wind up in their laps, as usual, and they find themselves mixed up with an artifact smuggling ring.   The police confiscate their passports, and Frank and Joe are forced to solve the mystery if they want to leave the country, and avoid  being thrown in Egyptian prison.

Caught by the Fuzz

Of course The Hardy Boys version of "Egypt" consists of TV studio sets, Southern California exteriors that VAGUELY resemble Egypt, and scenes where Frank and Joe are driving their van in front of a bluescreen, and Frank says, "hey look, the Cheops pyramid," and then we cut to stock footage of a pyramid.  Not once do we see The Boys and a pyramid in the same shot.  Most of the sets don't even look Egyptian, more like a European village that has had a few Egyptian paintings and statues thrown on top of it.  In fact, I'm not sure, but I think they might be some of the same sets that were used in "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula."

Magic Bus

This episode was educational, though.  Did you know the Cheops pyramid is over 480 feet high?  You will after you watch this episode!  Joe also asks Frank, " I wonder if they were really built by people from outer space a few thousand years ago?"  Remember, this was filmed in the 1970s, when that was actually a popular belief.  Oh, another neat fact is that apparently everyone in Egypt speaks English.  I actually wasn't aware of that until I watched this episode, but judging by all the characters Frank and Joe talk to in this one, it must be the case.

Born in Arizona, Moved to Babylonia

This is probably one of the lesser episode of the series.  It's not really THAT bad, but coming on the heels of the excellent "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula," it can't help but be a disappointment.  The highlights of this episode include the weird American-themed bar the Boys hang out in in this one, complete with a disco band comprised of guys wearing Lawrence of Arabia-style keffiyehs.  To avoid getting caught by the bad guys in the bar, Frank and Joe spot a George W. Bush lookalike and start insulting Texas, prompting a bar fight.  Joe even gets to sing a song, but it's just a few bars of "Deep in the Heart of Texas."  There is also a chase scene, where the Hardys must outrun a white-haired old man, and a crippled man who walks with a cane.

George W. Bush Shows Off His Dance Moves

Overall, not that great of an episode, but still a reasonably fun way to spend 45 minutes.  Next week, it's off to Kenya (or, more likely, a Kenya-like area of Southern California) for "Mystery of the African Safari." 


BONUS!  MUSIC VIDEO:
Batman's King Tut (King Tut footage from the 1966 Batman TV series, set to the music of "King Tut" by Steve Martin!)


More screencaps after the jump...

Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

Think Sphinx

Inside King Tut's Tomb

And the Oscar Goes To...

Golden Idol

Abdul Fouar, Goldsmith

Panic on the Streets of Giza

A Mysterious Character Lurks Under the Bed

Frank and Joe Look For Clues

Interrupted by the Chief of Police

"The women here are oh so cute."

The Malevolent Mister Fez

Night Drivers

He Coulda Won a Grammy - King Tut

Disco Tut, Tut

How'd You Get So Funky?

No episode of The Hardy Boys is complete until the brothers lean into each other's shoulders.

Frank Hardy

Nightclub Conversation

Frustrated Joe

Kidnapped!

"Hello, Dominos?   I'd like to order one large eggplant and onion pizza."

"Good Lord... he wants to know if our refrigerator is running!"

Women

"Pyramids are oh so shiny."

Bank of America - Gizah Branch

Weird Meeting

Now, if I'd known, they'd line up just to see him, I'd taken all my money, and bought me a museum.

Ancient Relics

Alone in the Dark

Underground Chase

With a Snap of His Fingers

The Egyptian Superman isn't as Impressive as His American Counterpart

The Hardy Boys Anger The Decider

Well, THAT'S an odd place to put a sarcophagus.

The Ladies Love His Style

American Teenagers in an Egyptian Police Station

Joe Strums His Guitar

"Look out, KENYA, here we come!

NEXT WEEK: The Hardy Boys return in "Mystery of the African Safari."