Directed by
Don Coscarelli
Cast
Bruce Campbell ………. Elvis
Ossie Davis ………. Jack
Ella Joyce ………. The Nurse
Heidi Marnhout ………. Callie
Bob Ivy ………. Bubba Ho-tep
Edith Jefferson ………. Elderly Woman
Larry Pennell ………. Kemosabe
Reggie Bannister ………. Rest Home Administrator
Daniel Roebuck ………. Hearse Driver
Daniel Schweiger ………. Hearse Driver
Run Time: 92 minutes
Rated R
DVD Release date: August 7, 2007
Elvis lives, and he’s fighting a redneck mummy in Texas with the help of former President/ former Caucasian JFK in Don”Phantasm” Coscarelli’s Bubba Ho-tep. While this premise may seem derived from an issue of the Weekly World News, Coscarelli’s movie is actually based on a twisted short story by horror author Joe R. Lansdale. (Lansdale will be known to diehard fans of Batman: The Animated Series for writing such episodes as “Showdown” and “Read My Lips.”)
Having switched places with an impersonator decades ago, Elvis (Bruce Campbell) now finds himself trapped in a rest home with little reason to get out of bed and a tumor on his penis. When a mummy surfaces to feed off the souls of the elderly, Elvis is compelled to fight back, and, as a consequence, start living life for the first time in years. Elvis is aided in his quest by an African American JFK (Ossie Davis), who believes that Lyndon Johnson dyed him black and replaced part of his brain with sand.
Did I mention that the movie is a bit quirky?
While things may sound campy and ridiculous, Bubba Ho-tep is a surprisingly moving tale of redemption. Elvis longs to right his past wrongs, and become the hero he always dreamed of being. The film also reflects our culture’s treatment of its senior citizens. They are invisible to the outside world, and the world is indifferent to them. The elderly are forgotten, and often slip into lives without purpose, persisting in a state of living death
Though budgeted at a paltry million dollars, Don Coscarelli manages to give the film a highly professional look and style that shames films with ten times as much money to throw around. Brian Tyler provides a marvelous score (for which he sings and plays each musical instrument) which supplies a somber mood to the film’s dramatic moments. The late, great Ossie Davis affords gravity and credibility to a role which would otherwise be silly comic relief. Of course, the star of the film is B-movie Icon Bruce Campbell, who portrays a larger than life Elvis in a (both literally and figuratively) soul-sucking environment.
Bubba Ho-tep is a creepy, funny, thematically rich, well made, original, independent film. Check it out.
The DVD
All right, what we have here is a clear case of “Malibu Stacey with Hat.” This is the exact same DVD and case as the previously released LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR’S EDITION. The only difference is the outer packaging. It is the old DVD with a new slipcover. The shrink wrap makes this clear. This is new packaging, not a new product.
HOWEVER, the packaging is bear-awesome. If you cannot tell from the above picture, the Disc comes with it’s own studded jumpsuit. It is incredibly cool. Even my 4 year old daughter is impressed that “the DVD has a coat!”
If you own the previous edition, it probably isn’t worth the upgrade. If you don’t own either, well it is only about 2 dollars more to get this version.
The Extras
Audio Commentaries
There are two commentary tracks. The first is a fairly decent one with Bruce Campbell and Don Coscarelli. The second is an occasionally hilarious track done by “Elvis” himself.
Joe R. Landsdale Reads from Bubba Ho-Tep
He reads a short bit from his story.
* The Making of Bubba Ho-Tep
This can be watched all at once, or as separate featurettes which cover makeup, effect, costuming, and score. Each is surprisingly entertaining.
Deleted Scenes
Three short deleted scenes, two of which have optional commentary.
Photo Gallery
TV Spot
Theatrical Trailer
It is a good single disc collection. But since it is already out there, we already know that thing.
