BUBBA HO-TEP
Starring:
Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davies, Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhour, Daniel Roebuck,
Daniel Schweiger and Bob Ivy
Screenwriter/Director:
Dan Coscarelli
Running Time:
95 mins
"Don't make me use my stuff on you Baby!"
The King
As a series of mysterious deaths plague at an East Texas retirement home, two of its residents start to investigate. One of them believes he is JFK (Davies) and the other says he is Elvis Presley (Campbell) but the two of them come to the same conclusion. The senior citizens of the house are been murdered for their souls and it is a 3,000-year-old Mummy that is doing it. Some kind of Bubba Ho-Tep.
Any film that has the King of Rock and Roll in a titanic battle to the death with a long dead King of Egypt should instantly make you sit up and notice. Bubba Ho-Tep is that movie.
The man who defines the word "cult", Bruce Campbell joins forces with Phantasm creator Dan Coscarelli to bring you one of the most original, funny and inventive Horror movies to come along in a very long time. Based on a short story by noted screenwriter and horror novelist Joe R Lansdale, Bubba Ho-Tep has one of the most imaginative plotlines to grace the genre in a very long time. Imagine if Elvis had become bored with fame, so he hired an impersonator to take his place but then that man died and no one would believe that he was the real King of Rock and Roll. So now he is living out his days in a nursing home filled with old people who claim to be just as famous as him. Then picture that these old folk coming under attack by a soul-sucking Mummy, who sees them as easy pray to replenish his diminishing life force. Genius.
This superbly fantastical tale would be nothing without stella performances from the two leads. Veteran actor/writer/director Ossie Davis brings his unquestionable talents into the mix as Jack. This is a man who adamantly believes that he is John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) and that the US Government dyed him black and stole part of his brain. In the hands of a lesser actor, this role could have perceived as absurd but Davis's sheer talent makes the character all that more believable to the point that you might actually think that he isn't just a delusional crackpot but he might actually be the real thing.
The movie is all about the performance of Bruce Campbell however. Already a cult movie legend, Campbell creates another iconic screen character in the shape of an aged Elvis Presley. His interpretation of The King is the best since Kurt Russell strutted his stuff in the TV movie in 1979. The voice, mannerisms and persona are all there making you believe that his is in fact seventy year-old Elvis. The whole movie is seen from the character's perspective, meaning Campbell is in nearly every shot. Add to this that he narrates what The King is actually lamenting during his time in the home and you have one of the best performances of his illustrious cult career.
There is also good support in minor roles by Ella Joyce as Elvis's nurse, who has the joyous job of applying The King's cream three times a day, Daniel Roebuck and Daniel Schweiger as two comedic hearse drivers and Bob Ivy as the master of evil, Bubba Ho-Tep himself.
When you find out that the film was made on a micro-budget, you realise again that the only real inventiveness in the American Horror Genre is coming from low budget, Indie flicks. Bubba Ho-Tep is a classic example of this and a lot of credit has to go to writer/director Dan Coscarelli. No stranger to the low budget horror scene, Coscarelli effortlessly mixes classic horror in the shape of the Mummy and new inventive flourishes that create a unique comedic/horror experience. He squeezes everything he can out of his meagre budget to deliver some good frights and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
Before the film was even released, Bubba Ho-Tep had cult hit written all over it and the great news is that it lives up to it ten fold. Just visualise a seventy year-old Elvis fighting a Mummy with a Zimmer Frame and tell me that you don't want to see that movie. This is what cult horror movies are all about and Bubba Ho-Tep is one of the best examples.
The King Lives!
PICTURE & SOUND
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1 and dts surround sound tracks, the movie is presented brilliantly. When you take into consideration that this is a low budget feature you have to applaud Anchor Bay for taking as much care as they have with the visual presentation and the sound quality. The dark atmosphere of the nursing house pulls you into The King's plight, as the picture quality is sharp throughout, even during the darker moments. The sound is also first rate, especially during the epic final confrontation with Brian Tyler's score really setting the scene.
BONUS FEATURES
Disc 1
Audio Commentary by director Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell
The director and star talk passionately about a project that is very close
to their hearts and then Bruce Campbell starts with the one-liners. The
man is not a cult star for nothing and he and Don provide a brilliant
commentary track. They discuss the distribution problems the film had
even after their successes at festivals and with reviews. Each of them
talks about the cast, especially working with Ossie Davis. Bruce Campbell
remembers his make-up and fat suit ordeal and by the end they do mention
a sequel.
Audio Commentary by The King
From an undisclosed location The King provides his own unique commentary
on Bubba Ho-Tep. Eating his popcorn and potato chips, The King comments
on how the movie is far too racy compared to the films he made in the
60s. He also talks about how annoyed he is that Elvis impersonators over
use the line "Thank you very much, thank you", when he said a lot more
than just that. He also plays a few new songs that he has been working
on while he has been "away" but complains about the lack of songs in the
movie. He also has a few words to say about Bruce Campbell.
Disc 2
Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary by Don Coscarelli and Bruce
Campbell) (5.25 mins)
Entitled "Hallway", "The Lady's Room", "Footage from the Temple Room floor"
and "Elvis and Jack ruminate", these three deleted or extended scenes
add a little to the story. The footage from the Temple Room floor is the
entire Egyptian sequence, which shows how Bubba Ho-Tep became a Mummy.
(For some reason the option to select the commentary is missing, you have
to press your audio button)
Featurettes
Joe R. Lansdale reads from Bubba Ho-Tep (7.56 mins)
The renowned author reads from the beginning of his own short story, accompanied
by still images from the movie. We hear a lot more of what Elvis is thinking
in bed and it really makes you want to read the book.
The Making of Bubba Ho-Tep (24.37 mins)
Director Don Coscarelli, author Joe R. Lansdale and stars Bruce Campbell,
Ella Joyce, Bob Ivy and Ossie Davies talk about making the movie. The
featurette takes you behind the scenes of the shoot, the makeup and the
stunts as well as offering insights into characters and the actors who
played them. We also get to see the reception the film received at the
various film festivals it was previewed at.
To Make a Mummy (6.06 mins)
KNB EFX and actor Bob Ivy talk about creating the Bubba Ho-Tep character
as well as the other major makeup effects in the movie.
Fit for a King: Dressing Bruce Campbell (7.50 mins)
Costume designer Shelley Kay talks about creating the authentic Elvis
outfits for actor Bruce Campbell. All of The King's famous jumpsuits where
supplied by his original designers at B & K Entertainment.
Rock like and Egyptian: The music of Bubba Ho-Tep (12.40 mins)
Director Don Coscarelli interviews composer Brian Tyler and they discuss
how he writes the score and what his influences where behind he sound.
Interviews (Region 2 exclusive)
The King and I: An in-depth excavation with Don Coscarelli (20.29
mins)
The writer/director of 'Bubba Ho-Tep' talks about the long journey he
and his cast and crew took bringing this movie to the silver screen. Talking
passionately about the project he reveals how he found Joe R. Lansdale's
short story and how it was complete luck that Bruce Campbell became involved
in the picture. The cult icon is also discussed, in terms of his performance
and approach to the role. He also talks about the theme of the movie and
how long he worked getting it right before having to struggle to find
a distributor. This is an honest insight into low budget filmmaking.
UK Premiere Q&A (10.24 mins)
Recorded 29th September 2004 in London, director Don Coscarelli asks questions
from the public at the British premiere of 'Bubba Ho-Tep'. We find out
about what the Elvis estate thought of the movie, what it was like working
with Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis and how difficult it was to sell the
movie.
Bruce talks Bubba: An Interview (11.31 mins)
The cult hero himself talks about the chronology of Bubba Ho-Tep, the
difference between Don Coscarelli and other low budget directors, wheelchairs
and the rebel yell, Joe Lansdale's book, Ella and Elvis's unit and Bubba
part deux.
Biographies
Read text biographies of Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis and director Don
Coscarelli.
Photo Gallery
Behind the scenes images from the KNB EFX workshop.
Music Video (2.27 mins)
Composer Brian Tyler plays the main theme from his score for Bubba Ho-Tep.
Theatrical Trailer (2.15 mins)
Your chance to watch the excellent theatrical trailer for the movie.
TV Spot (0.31 mins)
The short ad used to promote the movie on TV.
OVERALL
A brilliantly inventive film is backed up by some very funny and informative extras. The DVD is worth buying for the commentary track by The King alone, as it is one of the best and funniest solo tracks every done. Add to this, another excellent commentary by Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell and some good featurettes and interviews and you get one of the indie flick DVD packages to hit the selves in a long time. This is a must buy Cult Classic that will enhance anyone's collection.
DVD
Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
Army of Darkness: Evil Dead Three
Phantasm
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2004