Official Synopsis:
“Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness) “gives his greatest and most entertaining performance to date” (Premiere) as an aging and cantankerous “Elvis” in this “zinger-filled crowd-pleaser” (The Hollywood Reporter) from writer-director Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, John Dies At The End)! When mysterious deaths plague a Texas retirement home, it’s up to its most sequined senior citizen to take on a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy with a penchant for cowboy boots, bathroom graffiti and sucking the souls from the barely living!”
A movie with a more ridiculous plot couldn’t have more heart to it. That is what is so great about Bubba Ho-Tep. Not the over-the-top antics of Bruce Campbell that any B-Movie horror fan is sure to love, that is just a bonus, but the superb writing of great characters, with one of Bruce Campbell’s best performances alongside Ossie Davis as John F. Kennedy.
If you’ve never seen the movie before and are a bit confused, that is perfectly understandable. Here’s a quick breakdown of the plot: Elvis isn’t dead, he switched places with an Elvis impersonator before his death to escape the downward spiral that comes with fame and fortune. While on stage at a concert he fell and broke his hip and was in a coma. Now he resides at Shady Rest Retirement Home, waiting for cancer to overtake him. He’s not the only lost figure of history thought dead. Down the hall from Elvis lives John F. Kennedy. Jack claims that instead of assaasination, he was given a lobotomy where part of his brain was cut out and replaced with a bag of sand, which is powered by a battery in Washington. Also, he was dyed all over to look African-American. Both of these icons of history take it upon themselves to stand up against an evil mummy dressed in a cowboy get-up that has set his sights on Shady Rest to suck the souls out of the near dead.
A large part of the interesting style of the film comes from director Don Coscarelli, who is no stranger to low budget horror. Departing slightly from that genre, the horror aspect of the film is almost secondary, as it is the characters that are the real drive of the film. Coming to terms with old age and the feeling of worthlessness, and finding purpose once again, even if it is to fight a demon. Unlike a typical horror film, there isn’t much intensity to it. As you can imagine with two decrepit old men, one in a wheel chair and the other using a walker, fighting against a mummy who moves about the same pace, there aren’t going to be many scenes of intense action. This seems to be the perfect balance, however, and although Elvis may seem larger than life, the theme of the film is that he always wanted to be normal. The fact that these characters aren’t super heroes with above average abilities, but simply old men trying to outwit a mummy makes this film simple, quirky, and outrageously entertaining.
Whether or not we are supposed to believe that this really is Elvis, or this really is John F. Kennedy, it’s hard to tell; there are instances that lead us to believe both. Knowing the truth isn’t the point, and if you suspend all disbelief and believe in the story, you will find yourself on a magical journey of redemption and rediscovery of purpose from a tragic life filled with regret. These two characters renew the enjoyment of low budget films and prove you don’t need high value special effects or high paid actors to tell a meaningful story that inspires.
Video
Bubba Ho-Tep is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1. The video looks to be in great shape. Taking place mostly at night with some very dark scenes, color levels are well balanced, with the occasional increase in grain in some of the darker scenes.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The track sounds great, with well balanced levels from the surrounds and dialogue from the center channel. The score of the film simply has to be mentioned, as it is one of the things that stands out the most. This phenomenal score is the icing on the cake of great performances, cinematography and directing.
Special Features
There are some great new special features on the disc, including an interview with Bruce Campbell where he discusses a plan for a sequel that fell through because he didn’t like the script. Very unfortunate to hear, but one can hope to see more adventures of Elvis, as in this day an age they can resurrect anything.
NEW Audio Commentary With Author Joe R. Lansdale
NEW All Is Well – An Interview With Writer/Director Don Coscarelli
NEW The King Lives! – An Interview With Star Bruce Campbell
NEW Mummies And Make-up – An Interview With Special Effects Artist Robert Kurtzman
Audio Commentary By Don Coscarelli And Bruce Campbell
Audio Commentary By “The King”
Deleted Scenes With Optional Commentary By Don Coscarelli And Bruce Campbell
“The Making Of Bubba Ho-Tep” Featurette
“To Make A Mummy” Make-up And Effects Featurette
“Fit For A King” Elvis Costuming Featurette
“Rock Like An Egyptian” Featurette About The Music Of Bubba Ho-Tep
Joe R. Lansdale Reads From Bubba Ho-Tep
Archival Bruce Campbell Interviews
Music Video
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
Still Gallery
Bubba Ho-Tep is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and doubt there are many films that can balance heart and horror so brilliantly. The magic of this film and these characters brings satisfaction on every viewing. For Bruce Campbell fans this is a no-brainer. Scream Factory has given this a great treatment as with all their Collector’s Editions, and this one is a must own.
