Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

BUBBA HO-TEP
Call No: PN1997.2 .B83 2002

There’s something about Bruce Campbell that I can’t seem to avoid. It’s not that I don’t enjoy watching him – it’s quite the opposite. I find him a treat to watch, like that snack in the cupboard that you know is terrible for you but you can’t seem to quit. I first discovered him when a friend insisted that I watch Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness. Even though it was the third part of the Evil Dead trilogy, my friend insisted that I didn’t need to watch the first two to enjoy it. He was right, and to this day I still stop for Bruce Campbell when channel surfing. When I came across Bubba Ho-Tep, I was excited to watch.

Don’t get me wrong -- this is not the witty and clever Shaun of the Dead, nor is it the gory and entertaining Zombieland. Watching this film and expecting anything but what it is could sour the viewer. The premise of the film, however, is enough to make any fan of these movies consider giving it a shot. I wish I could have been in the room when they first pitched the idea for this film: Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy fight off an undead mummy at a retirement home. Of course, not all the residents of the retirement home are still playing with a full deck so their real identity is suspect, but the stories that Elvis and Jack spin about themselves are so entertaining that you can’t help but hope they might just be telling the truth.

The film was so little publicized and so limited in production that it’s a very little known film in comparison. Bruce Campbell is entertaining to watch as the aging King of Rock and Roll who wouldn’t mind a bit of excitement before heading to the big stage in the sky, but it’s Ossie Davis who steals the show. Ossie Davis (may he rest in peace) remained feisty and charismatic in his old age, which made him a perfect companion for the over-the-top Campbell. Add to the fact that his character is actually John F. Kennedy (or so he claims), and you’ve got a hilarious performance from an acting great.

Elvis and JFK versus The Mummy

While the genre of comedy horror isn’t as popular or mainstream as some would like, it is films like this and Shaun of the Dead that give it some credibility. The film delivers on the humorous horror, but also takes a step back to dig for deeper emotion. Does it matter that the mummy is making a feeding ground of an old folk’s home? Age has taken away their importance, and the characters have to make a stand, because no one else will. 

This movie is an entertaining watch. Bruce Campbell gives an excellent performance, and maybe it will answer the age old question that has puzzled conspiracy theorists for a long time: Did Elvis leave show business to find peace, or just to hunt down ancient evils?