Bubba Ho-tep [DVD] [2004] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

It's sort of hard to classify this thing. Sure, there's a 4000-year-old, soul-sucking mummy and some nasty scarab beetles killing people, but this is not just a horror movie. It's a poignant look at the way old people are pushed aside and forgotten by the younger generations, a poignant look at one man's reflections back on his life, and it's also wickedly funny. Here's the story; bear with me on this. Elvis Presley is stuck in a nursing home in Mud Creek, Texas; back in the 1970s, he switched places with Sebastian Haff, one of the best Elvis impersonators, and now his new life is entering its final, loneliest phase. He is now a little old and feeble, he has a bad hip that forces him to use a walker, but he's mainly just feeling old and used up and worthless. When his roommate dies, he watches the guy's daughter (Heidi Marnhout - who is quite a looker, by the way) come and basically toss the old man's life and memories right in the trash. Then some old folks around him start dying mysterious deaths - deaths caused by a soul-sucking mummy in snakeskin boots and a cowboy hat. Hey, even Elvis has a hard time believing it until he sees it for himself. His only ally is President John F. Kennedy, played by Ossie Davis. Okay, I know you're saying "Isn't Ossie Davis black?" What happened, see, is that, after the shooting in Dallas, "they" dyed JFK black and filled his head with sand (his brain is still in Washington, running on battery power) - that's what Jack thinks, anyway. Well, these two old guys load up for bear and go out to kill themselves a mummy.

The plot may sound stupid, but this is in no way a stupid movie. Unfortunately, the things that make Bubba Ho-Tep such a great film are impossible to describe and quantify in words. It's an Elvis redemption story, as he gets up out of the bed and sets aside his age and, uh, problems, to become the hero he always wanted to be - he finds a reason to live again. Ossie Davis really makes the movie work; it takes a really great actor to play a black John F. Kennedy, and this movie may have failed utterly without his contribution to the project. Bruce Campbell is, of course, superb. One critic called his performance one for the ages; I'm not sure I would go that far, but he does an amazing job, one which only furthers his cult status among his growing number of fans.

My hate is definitely off to Don Coscarelli for his vision and determination to make this film. The studios wouldn't touch this thing with a ten-foot pole (which says a lot about what is wrong with the studios), the actors' agents weren't exactly keen on their guys taking the roles being offered, and there wasn't much money at all in terms of budget, but Coscarelli really makes the magic happen. The makeup job on Campbell was pretty good for the most part, and the man pretty much becomes the King. The soundtrack, as I've mentioned, is just incredible, thanks to composer Brian Tyler - even if you hate the movie, you may have to go out and buy the soundtrack. Bubba Ho-Tep did enjoy a limited distribution in theatres, earning film festival kudos in the process, but this independent film release is really one of those things that starts with word-of-mouth advertising and then just spreads like wildfire.

The DVD is incredible. Along with several featurettes on the making of the movie, theatrical and TV trailers, a music video of the theme song, deleted scenes, and a reading by Joe R. Lansdale from his original Bubba Ho-Tep short story on which the film was based, you also get two commentaries. The first one, featuring director Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell, is as informative as it is fun, but the second commentary is something special as it features "The King" himself - this is one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my life and definitely my favorite commentary of all time. This movie is worth buying for this alone, as The King's reactions to different aspects of the story and his frequent observations about the differences between this and his own films will have you rolling on the floor.

I wish I could communicate just how poignant this film really is. Despite of all the humor and farcical action going on, this movie addresses a lot of serious themes in a remarkable way. You'll laugh, you might even cry, and you will almost definitely go around doing Elvis impersonations of your own for at least a week. This is entertainment of the highest order, my friends.

Is it really Elvis? After all, it is not really JFK. But then there really is a Bubba Ho-Tep, so at least it is a fifty-fifty proposition. If only there had not been that barbaque accident that destroyed the only proof Elvis had in his possession about the switch. But the important thing is that this 2002 film works either way. When Elvis talks about his regrets over running out on Priscilla and Lisa Marie or about how bad his films were, there is some resonance. Besides, there is something heroic about the King heading out to do battle with a mummy puffing along behind his walker while JFK zips along in his motorized wheelchair.

Campbell's performance as the aged and infirmed Elvis avoids caricature; the accent is never laid on too thick, which is key. Like the short story by Joe R. Lansdale on which it is based, this film from director Don Coscarelli has an affection for the character of Elvis. The point was not that Elvis disappeared, but that by pretending to be an Elvis impersonator he could perform without having to put up with the rest of the circus (it reminds me of the Elvis from his television comeback special, where he sits in a circles with the guys playing his guitar and singing his music, long before the became the bloated figure in the white star spangled jump suit).

You keep thinking that "Bubba Ho-Tep" is going to be a camp horror movie, but it does not go this way. Yes, this film is actually on the conservative side of things like "Men in Black," which had tongues more prominently in cheeks. But then these two old codgers have lots of problems besides the soul-sucking mummy and this film ends with a knock down drag out fight between our heroes and the title character. Campbell and Davis take their characters serious, as does the film, and that is why it works as well as it does, which is a lot better than you would ever think. At the very least, you have to celebrate the film's audacity and say, as would the King: "Thank you. Thank you very much."

As you would expect the extras on this DVD are above average. You have two commentary tracks, the first by Coscarelli and Campbell, with the second being by "The King." Lansalde reads from his original story and you also get theatrical trailers and TV spots, deleted scenes, and several featurettes.

Campbell stars as an elderly Elvis who lives in a Texas retirement home. People keep thinking he's just an impersonator off his rocker, but in reality he had traded places with an "Elvis" impersonator so he could get away from all of the fame and hardships of a rock-n-roll star. However, something strange has been happening in this retirement home. Folks are dying mysteriously every night without any clear explanation. As it turns out, an Egyptian mummy is the cause for the deaths and it needs to feed on their souls to stay alive. It's up to Elvis and his buddy, JFK, to take on this monstrous foe before it slaughters every living person in the retirement home. The end results are unpredictable and off-the-wall.

The premise alone intrigued me to see it. That, and Bruce Campbell. I'm always in the mood to see a good funny horror movie, and this movie did a great job of fulfilling that need. Not one minute went by where I was bored or disappointed. While the story may be over-the-top, it's done in such a creative and clever way. The movie has fun with itself and it's very easy to see. Bruce Campbell does a marvelous job as "Elvis," and let's not forget the great Ossie Davis as the one and only "JFK." The movie combines elements of comedy, drama and horror. It doesn't know what it wants to be at times, but the cast knew that from the get-go and they even goof on that fact (watch the featurettes and listen to the commentary).

The DVD has some outstanding features. The movie sounds and looks really good for a flick that was done under such a low budget. The commentary tracks are definitely worth you time, and you MUST listen to the commentary track where Bruce Campbell does it as "The King" and stays in character the entire time. It is the funniest thing I have ever heard. Other extras include featurettes, a music video, deleted scenes, the original trailer and more. All of this makes one heck of a great package.

"Bubba Ho-Tep" is a great time from Campbell and company. Any fans of the "Evil Dead" movies will definitely want to put this on their list. Just keep in mind that this is a movie that you watch to be entertained and nothing more. This movie was pure enjoyment from beginning to end. It's bound to become a classic sooner or later. The King still lives, Baby! -Michael Crane