SHEDDING INK

Bubba Ho-Tep

Have you recovered from that plot description yet? OK. Is Bubba Ho-Tep as silly as it sounds? Yes and no. It's hard to believe a movie whose two main characters are an Elvis impersonator who might actually be The King and a black man who believes he's JFK, fighting a mummy in a nursing home, could actually have something meaningful to say about the shamefully disposable nature of the elderly in our society; but it does. Along the way, Coscarelli successfully melds many genres (horror, comedy, drama, westerns) into a desperately funny and surprisingly poignant film. Ossie Davis' repertoire and screen presence go without saying, while Bruce Campbell is simply brilliant as Elvis. Why he never became a big-time star—instead of being relegated to B-movies and cameos in Sam Raimi films—remains one of life's great mysteries.

- August 23, 2005

DVD Extras

The Collector's Edition comes with all manner of bonus materials: Joe R. Landsdale reads from Bubba Ho-Tep; deleted scenes with optional commentary by Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell; featurettes on the making of the film, the makeup and special effects, costumes, and music; a music video; and photo gallery.

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Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Two residents of an East Texas rest home, one of whom claims to be Elvis Presley and another who thinks he's John F. Kennedy, fight an ancient Egyptian mummy devouring the souls of their fellow residents.


Directed by Don Coscarelli


Written by Don Coscarelli; based on the short story by Joe R. Lansdale


Starring Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis

92 minutes
Rated R (language, sexual content, violence)

Movie: B+
Extras: A