Lots of people shouted 'it's cursed, it's cursed' just like actors said in the film.

Leigh Kelly

It took nearly 10 minutes for the projectionist to reconnect the damaged celluloid and run the film's final five minutes.

The film broke down as wrestling star, The Rock, playing the back-from-the-dead evil Scorpion King, was about to meet his fate.

Complimentary tickets to see any of the films showing at the cinema complex were handed out to the audience whose dying minutes of the Mummy Returns had been spoiled on Saturday evening.

A UCI spokesman said: "Its the second time this week we have had a film break.

"One happened in another of our cinemas, but it was not the Mummy Returns.

It's cursed

"These breaks are very rare. They happen if there is perhaps a slight crease in the film itself.

"That brings the celluoid that bit closer to the powerful projection light. The film gets extremely hot and literally burns up.

"There was never any danger of fire breaking out. Our projectionists are trained to carry out such running repairs."

Leigh Kelly, 15, of Loanhead, Midlothian, who was in the audience, said:"It was quite funny really. My wee brother thought it was part of the show.

"Lots of people shouted 'it's cursed, it's cursed' just like actors said in the film."

Flash Gordon

James Cameron, 60, from Musselburgh, said: "I haven't seen a film burn up like that since I was a kid. It brought back a lot of happy memories of when I was a child.

"At Saturday matinee's old Flash Gordon films regularly went up in smoke.

"All the kids pelted the screen with any sweets they had left until the picture was fixed. The usherettes would come rushing in with their battery torches flashing yelling at us to keep quiet and stop throwing stuff at the screen.

"None of us took any notice. The film breakdowns were always more exciting than the pictures."

Mr Cameron said he resisted the temptation to throw anything at the screen, just for old time's sake.