Bruce Campbell has been a favorite of mine since I saw the original Evil Dead on a rented VHS tape in the mid 1980's. Mixing horror with humor in an over the top sense proved to be a goldmine for him and then unknown director Sam Raimi.
Campbell's most recent trek onto film appears as Elvis in a film titled Bubba Ho-Tep! As quirky as any of Campbells previous films, Bubba Hotep tells the story of what really happened to Elvis and John F Kennedy, who now reside in an East Texas rest home.
Unlike many of Campbell's previous films, Hotep is bigger on story and slower on action giving the film more realism than most of his other horror spoofs. Fans need not fret, though, as the Mummy, aka Bubba Ho-tep for his John Wayne goodboy impersonation, puts up a good scare along with plenty of laughs.
Campbell stars as aging Elvis, also known as Elvis impersonator which noone believes. Seems he made a contract to switch lives in the seventies with the best impersonator he could find, with the ability to switch back at any time. Unfortunately the impersonator died of a drug overdose before that could happen.
Now living in a rest home, reliving the glory of his former self, feeling sorry for the life he now has and the funny growth on his dick, we get to see a spark of life enter back into the King when a soul sucking Mummy feeds off the weak souls of dying members of the rest home.
Partnering with a Black man who claims he was former President John F Kennedy, the movie then showcases a lifetime of regret and once last chance at going out in a blaze of glory.
I found this film to be just as wonderful as the faster paced action of Campbell's former films. He also makes for one hell of an Elvis. Definitely another classic to be added to Campbell's stable of hits.
The Disc:
This special collector's edition comes from MGM in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that totally outdoes its budget. Small films prove they can look just as good as their bigger cousins. Bubba Ho-tep looks clean and crisp with nothing notable to distract from the film.
Sounds on the disc are wonderful as well though the missing DTS track makes us wonder why studios haven't embraced the format further for their soundtracks. Still the disc comes through clear as a whistle on the surround track.
Being a collector's edition, the DVD opens with a Two screen-specific audio commentaries. The first begins with Elvis, yes I do mean Campbell in character, or is it the real Elvis? Hmmmm. This is probably one of the more fun commentaries I've listened to lately. What a treat!
The second offers up director Coscarelli and Campbell's straightforward making-of commentary. Complete opposite of the first track, this one is also worth a listen, especially since the film has taken off since the release of the orginal DVD.
Next up in the goodies bag is a The Making of Bubba Ho-Tep (24 minutes), which shows just how much fun a low budget film can be. It's incredible how many effects and shots they got from this film. I mean to the innocent bystander one would unlikely be able to tell the difference in the filmmaking process.
Next up are three shorter featurettes that cover specific topics. To Make a Mummy (6 minutes), shows how Bubba was made; Fit for a King (8 minutes) delves into the making of Elvis style and such and Rock Like an Egyptian (8 minutes) is a nice one-on-one interview between Coscarelli and the film's composer, Brian Tyler.
Finally something quite a treat for fans is Joe R. Lansdale Reads from Bubba Ho-Tep. Joe wrote the short story that the film is based upon. Presented over unique stills and drawings, this is a real treat for fans of this awesome story.
bottom line:
One of the most original films in years with a cast that exceeds all expectations. Bruce Campbell may be considered a "B" actor but he is far better than most "A" actors could ever hope to be. Bubba Ho-Tep is one of his best films.
4.5 out of 5
By - Brian Gray
1/2
