"I feel awful for the video store guy who has to pigeonhole this great flick"
Don Coscarelli: The Beastmaster and all the goopy goodness of the Phantasm franchise. Bruce Campbell: Cult actor extraordinaire and one of the industry's most shockingly underrated actors. Put the two together and you're bound for something special, right? Damn straight.Tear yourself away from the multiplex garbage for about 55 seconds and try to wrap your movie-addicted brain around this concept:
Elvis Presley is alive and (relatively) well and living in a Southern Texas convalescent home. His best pal is a lovable old black guy who insists he's actually John F. Kennedy Jr. Together the pair must do battle with a horrific soul-sucking Mummy before the creature devours every senior citizen in sight.
OK, now that all the wimps and fans of Hollywood Formula have clicked off of this review I can tell the adventuresome movie freaks something important:
Bubba Ho-Tep is a movie you absolutely must see. Think about the last time you saw a genre flick that actually impressed you with its originality.
Still thinking?
Unfortunately the jury is still out as to when you will get to see this fantastic little flick, as Coscarelli and company still have yet to find a distributor. Some attribute this difficulty to the estate of Presley, a clueless band of moneymakers who clearly cannot see that Bruce Campbell's personfication of The King is done with nothing but love and admiration.
One can only assume the estate isn't getting a piece of the pie, hence the struggles. There's simply no other reason to explain how an outfit like Lion's Gate or Artisan hasn't yet picked this flick up for (at least limited) distribution.
But fear not; if those who've seen the movie already have their way, Bubba Ho-Tep will see the light of day sometime in the near future.
The plot is as funny and touching as it is absurd. Sounds like an unwieldy mixture, eh? Chalk it up as a testament to Coscarelli's talents that such a wacky conceit could successfully cover such a wide array of sincere emotion.
I'll forgo the specific details of how Elvis and JFK end up depressed and alone in a dank old age home, as what's more important is how Coscarelli and Company actually make you believe it by the time Act III rolls around. You're unlikely to find a more "odd couple" than Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis and I suspect it's that sort of arcane unpredictability that helps to keep Bubba Ho-Tep so disarming.
Those who've spent their youths perusing the horror/sci-fi sections at the local video store need no introduction to the myriad talents of Mr. Bruce Campbell, but Bubba Ho-Tep represents a massive leap forward for the sadly overlooked actor. Ironic that what's far and away his best performance comes in a film that may end up going straight-to-video, but that's OK. You'll still get to see Bruce in all his hip-swinging Southern drawling glory...one day. Davis is no less endearing as a clearly confused old chap who is wholly convinced of his Kennedy lineage and after only a few scenes - we simply believe him.
It's tough to name a genre that Bubba Ho-Tep doesn't cover (and cover successfully). Many early scenes touchingly depict the icy heartbreak of advanced old age; the buddy aspect of the ongoing investigation provides heaping handfuls of rock-solid laughs; and the creepy-ass Mummy (and his giant skittering scarabs) seems yanked from a particularly slick modern horror flick. (Wow, a Mummy in a GOOD recent flick? I was surprised as you.)It irritates and saddens me that Martin Lawrence's latest vehicle can explode obnoxiously into 2,500 screens while something of Bubba Ho-Tep's clearly evident quality may end up languishing on a shelf somewhere - but that's life in Modern Hollywood. Perhaps Coscarelli should blame himself for making a flick that avoids genre characterization in every conceivable way. Or he could just pat himself on the back for a job damn well done - and hope for the best.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 SXSW Film Festival. For more in the 2003 South By Southwest Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Seattle Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Seattle Film Festival series, click here.
User Comments
12/29/09
Chad Dillon Cooper
Elvis & JFK vs. mummy. Doesn't get much beeter than this.
7/14/09
faiche13
fun, funny, funky
6/23/08
bored mom
A classic, and Texas has all the best weird fictionists
3/21/08
mr.mike
Has a few laughs , mostly from B.C.
8/28/07
LtA
Weird isn't funny. Weird for the sake of weird is NOT creative.
5/14/07
Mike Koziol
so much potential, a movie that didn't know where it wanted to go: comedy or more serious
12/30/06
AJ Muller
Story by the Texas Mojo Master done perfect by Coscarelli; Elvis by Campbell even better.
12/01/06
kevin haile
boring!
11/03/06
Hauzy
love Bruce Campbell but this just blew me away!!
8/19/06
zaw
Wow!
8/04/06
Agent Sands
Really funny premise, but very forgettable.
4/24/06
Annie
Treat yourself to a great little movie with lots of laughs!
4/21/06
Becky
Funny, great music. Bruce when Sebastain first meets Elvis= priceless
11/22/05
Kurtis J. Beard
Hilarious.
10/01/05
matt
good, but could have been better
9/09/05
Mike
This was a awesome moive, I never laughted so hard before.
8/17/05
ES
What a great idea, silly yet excellently done
8/09/05
C. Fidance
I absolutely love this movie; Bruce and Ossie are terrific!
7/24/05
Reverse_Bear-Trap_101_"SAW"
Good... But, not great!
6/15/05
DM
So gleefully bizarre it's almost touching. The fact that it's funny doesn't hurt either.
5/28/05
Gary
Bruce is great, but everything else was disappointing. Saw in a theatre.
4/20/05
Dan
Fun cult film, especially for Bruce Campbell fans
4/17/05
Cary Gordon
Builds brilliant,
4/05/05
Eugene Mortensen
ok if you like camp strange films
4/02/05
Tom Benton
Clever, very funny horror-comedy; Campbell and Davis are terrific.
3/25/05
malcontent
strictly for Coscarelli and Campbell lovers
3/24/05
erebus45
Charming, engaging and Very, very well done
3/15/05
brody
horan the man must only have one nut snd be 13 years old
3/09/05
LarryV
Nice little B-flick. Ossie Davis and Bruce C. rock.
3/05/05
Sam Eskenazi
not for the unintelligent
3/03/05
HORAN THE MAN!!!!!
ELVIS CAN SUCK MY LEFT NUT!!
2/07/05
Jeff Anderson
THIS IS THE BRUCE CAMPBELL FILM TO REMEMBER & DON COSCARELLI'S AS WELL! TRULY GREAT!!!!!!!!
12/11/04
Phil M. Aficionado
Campy, innovative labor of love; total fun; Bruce/Ossie just plain fabulous
11/25/04
Jason
If Brian Mckay likes this movie I don't trust any other review he does this movie sucks ass
10/28/04
Raven
nothing happens in this movie at all NOTHING, its a borefest with some ok characterization
9/09/04
Otto Schmidt
This movie is the best drama-horror-comedy I have ever seen :)
8/31/04
Matthieu
very NICE, ORIGINAL story, not a girl and a boy who makes love at the end
8/27/04
Mike Stanbridge
Hope they find the funds to make the prequels!
8/23/04
Samuel
Great, from beginning to end!
7/29/04
American Slasher Goddess
One of the best in the genre, that I've seen in a long time.
7/25/04
Drew-P
Great fun. I even thought the beetles did a nice job of acting.
7/23/04
Lord Durvok 2
"NOBODY f**ks with the king!"
7/20/04
N. Christopher Bell
This movie sucks. And I'm a Bruce Campbell fan (actual member of the fanclub).
7/19/04
Jessica Gill
If you remember that it's supposed to be campy, you'll love it.
7/17/04
Uncle Phucker
Fucking genius! Unique and fun film. Great fun and actors.
7/11/04
Jim
Delivers laughs and a few genuine scares. Campbell & Davis both excellent.
6/20/04
Jean
Funny, crazy, bruce & elvis, no need to say more.
6/12/04
Tony Merlocco
Loved it! VERY FUNNY!
6/11/04
Wolf
Slightly overrated, but good acting all around. Musical score + Ossie were awesome.
6/10/04
DodoLurker
Tremendous effort by the actors, well-shot, just terrific
6/10/04
Jack Bourbon
It was a sebaceous cyst
6/09/04
othree
Elvis' character and dialog was the keeper
6/08/04
tatum
Original, hilarious, touching, loved it
6/02/04
Turtle
If an Elvis were to record a song to describe this film, it would be, "I'm All Fucked-Up."
6/01/04
maggie
imaginative-interesting
5/27/04
A F
Elvis, black JFK, Mummy, how can you go wrong? Who thinks this shit up? Genius, Pure Genius
5/27/04
fixer
Great fun... What more could you want?
5/27/04
bigmomma
its kinda dumb
5/15/04
Lord Durvok 2
The fact that Bruce didn't win "Best Actor" for the year shows that there is no justice.
5/11/04
Morally Sound
Freaking hillarious! Bruce Campell IS Elvis! The part with the graffiti is so funny!
5/02/04
DarthFredo
excellent movie, very amusing
4/11/04
Peter
A great film that deals with old age and life in general
3/19/04
Cary Gordon
A bit slower than I expected in parts but still a really fun watch.
3/09/04
Caiphn
Finally got to see it! Drags in parts, Bruce as Elvis is top-notch.
1/15/04
Betty White
Ossie Davis is wonderful is this unique horror flick.
1/10/04
AC
No tantamount asskicking has ever been displyed.
1/09/04
Kara
Excellent!!!!! -- except for the final minute
12/10/03
JJMAN
FAN-Fucking-TASTIC! It's ok Barry, this movie wasn't made for morons without a clue.
12/09/03
Dan Davis
Excellent, ball-buster for sure!!
12/07/03
Punk_Ass
This is one great movie. Very funny, yet touching. barry, you are a fucking idiot.
12/04/03
Andrew Callaway
Most awesome movie ever? Yes. Better than Evil Dead II. See it NOW!
12/02/03
Barry Weiner
The voice-over is a cop-out. Don't tell me, show me.
11/28/03
john
oh boy..what a great surprise this movie is...honest, funny, endearing and very moving
11/10/03
Lord Jiggy
Touching, moving, surprising...in spite of cheesy horror and bedpan humor.
10/27/03
Jen
hilarious and yet strangely touching
10/23/03
Lord Durvok II
Great acting and story. At first I thought, "No way in hell is Bruce gonna pull this off!"
10/18/03
Kyle
FUCKING INCREDIBLE.
10/17/03
Jaded
I love Bruce and I saw this with a very open mind but it was a big snooze. Not funny.
10/16/03
Robbie
This was not written by Coscarelli, but adapted from the short by Joe R Lansdale
10/15/03
Nancy Cary
Truly original. Great acting.
10/11/03
nick2k
speaking from a non-fanboy stance...i must say this was damn good AND hella funny!
10/07/03
Ryan
Bruce Campbell IS Elvis.
10/07/03
Erik Van Sant
You too will want a growth on the end of your schlong...God bless you, Bruce Campbell.
10/07/03
Titus
I've been waiting for this forever, and it was worth it. GO!
9/26/03
Jon
This movie is retardedly good!
9/26/03
John
That was fantastic! Don't miss that movie!!!!
9/23/03
The F-Bomb
BRUCE CAMPBELL IS THE MESSIAH!!! ASH IS GOD!!!!!!!!
9/20/03
Lee
Bubba Ho-Tep kicked all kinds of boo-tay!
7/30/03
Sunnyd
The film is great and we hope it gains the presentation it deserves!!
7/11/03
Mike Smith
Starts in Portland Oregon September 19th. www.bubbahotep.com
7/06/03
Darren
I drove 2 hours, waited in line 4 hours, got lucky with tickets and saw bruce as the king.
6/16/03
matthew
fuck
5/31/03
Jonathan Stokes (Stokesy)
Bruce is better that ever. Its about time he takes the leading over again since Evil Dead
5/20/03
Wallace
this was one of the best films i've ever seen, bruce is the man
5/01/03
I think "steve" is my dad
I thought it was very funny and a good mummy movie.
4/29/03
Pete
A wee bit of class on film
3/31/03
Will
awesome, awesome movie
3/28/03
Mike Smith
Incredible flick. See it if you can.
3/25/03
Tom
like it
3/23/03
Goofy Maxwell
Saw Bruce@E. Lansing Film Fest.: Presley estate makin' Don do the Ho-tep 2step. (inbreds!)
3/13/03
Mister Bigglesworth
Hollywood's distrubution sucks.(inbreds!) Give us damn good dvd and watch the sales soar!
12/03/02
jason
decent but slow.
11/20/02
mj
Saw it at Toronto. Amazing. Funny, yet surprisingly emotional.
10/20/02
Marc Morrison
It's like an introspective Evil Dead 4
10/05/02
steve
This film needs Distribution!!!
10/04/02
XH
It Rocks!
9/16/02
jon solita
Saw it at Flashback Weekend in Chicago. Great film, and has an unexpected emotional weight.
9/11/02
will
saw it at toronto film festival, it was excellent!
8/31/02
E. H. Bennett
Visually exciting, touching story, great acting all around. Please sell it soon, Don!
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