Egypt in a Hurry: My Take on Going Places with Lowell Thomas, #23

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for old travel documentaries or just want to see what Egypt looked like through a vintage lens, sure. It’s not exactly edge-of-your-seat entertainment. If you prefer high-octane pacing or, I don't know, a coherent narrative that isn't just someone pointing at ruins, you'll probably hate it. It moves fast, maybe too fast.

Lowell Thomas has that classic, booming 1930s announcer voice that feels like it’s narrating the end of the world even when he’s just talking about a pillar. He’s very authoritative about everything. It’s almost funny how much he knows—or pretends to know—about every single grain of sand.

The cinematography is the real star here. There’s a specific shot of the Karnak temple where the light hits the columns just right, and it looks like a painting. You forget how much effort it must have taken to haul that equipment out into the middle of the desert back then. 🏜️

Then we’re in Cairo. The streets are a blur of activity. It’s a complete 180 from the static, silent stones of the ancient sites. The movie doesn't really try to bridge the gap between the two worlds, though. It just jumps.

I found myself comparing the vibe to The Hands of Orlac, not because they are similar in plot—obviously—but because of that strange, eerie stillness that old film stock captures so well. There’s something unsettling about watching people who are long dead walk through a Cairo that doesn't exist anymore.

The pacing is a total mess. One minute you’re learning about a pharaoh’s tomb, and the next you’re being whisked away to another city before you’ve even had a second to process the hieroglyphics. It’s exhausting, honestly. You can tell they were trying to fit *everything* in.

Little observations:

• The sound quality is rough. Sometimes the music just cuts out like a bad radio connection.
• The shadow of the cameraman shows up in one scene, and nobody bothered to edit it out. I loved that.
• Thomas says the word "mystical" at least six times. We get it, Lowell.

It’s not a deep dive. It’s a postcard. It’s a short, weird, dusty postcard from a time when the world felt much bigger and much harder to get to. Don't go in expecting to learn everything about Egypt, just enjoy the ride.

It’s fine for a Sunday afternoon. Maybe skip the heavy history books and just look at the statues. They’re cooler anyway.