I already have a problem with people thinking I’m a little weird, so I’m sure what I’m about to write may not help me one bit to change that opinion. I love the movie "Bubba Ho Tep." It just took me a darn long time to see it. Back around 2003 / 2004 I began hearing about the film on and off, and once news got out that it had been completed all I had to do was wait for some studio to pick it up and get it into theatres. I waited and I waited, all the time hearing about showings at festivals and conventions, none of which were ever in my home town. Then, to make matters worse when it finally got a limited theatrical release and opened in one theatre in Dallas, I somehow missed the boat and didn’t know about it until a few days after it closed. As I was banging my head against the computer in frustration, the screen flickered and changed to a different web page. The news I read gave me hope that I would one day see this movie, at least on DVD. It seemed that MGM championed the cause and would be delivering the DVD to my doorstep in a matter of days.

Needles to say, the day it arrived didn’t come soon enough and it went directly into my player. Of course, I had to take it back out again so I could take off all the plastic wrapping as well as the DVD case. Again, this was back in 2004, so I've seen the movie any times since.
I had been telling my friends at work about “Bubba Ho-Tep” for quite awhile, and they would usually stare at me with that “somebody please get the straitjacket look” that people get just prior to being killed by an axe-wielding maniac. For some reason I did note that my friends talked to me less and less after I mentioned the movie. I’m still not really sure why.

Well, heck. Let’s see if you guys’ll still talk to me afterwards. “Bubba Ho-Tep” has one of the greatest movie plots to come around in quite a while, as well as the cast to back it up. B-movie icon Bruce Campbell stars as an aging Elvis Presley living in an old age home in Texas. While there he learns that the center is being haunted by the ancient mummy Bubba Ho-Tep, who is methodically stealing the souls of its residents. This in itself wouldn’t be so bad except that he also seems to be taking it out through a very uncomfortable part of the body (think “where the sun don’t shine”). Presley teams up with the aging John F. Kennedy, who is played quite convincingly by the great Ossie Davis, to defeat this primordial evil.

Sounds like a classic, doesn’t it?


Hello?


Heeelllloooooo?

I know some of you may have left the building already, but the few that are still reading need to know why I was so excited about this movie, then perhaps you will be, too. First and foremost it stars Bruce Campbell. (If you’re asking yourself who that is right now… shame on you). I mentioned he was a B-movie icon, thanks in part to the “Evil Dead” film series. He is a cult figure to thousands of fans worldwide (myself included) for his stature in the B-Movie industry. He is simply, the BEST B-Movie actor in the business, though it’s not necessarily fair to pigeonhole him in that acting arena. He’s actually had roles in numerous TV shows like “Ellen” and “Homicide”, was the lead in the unfortunately short-lived “Adventures in Briscoe County” and “Jack of All Trades”, and has done a bit of directing. He’s even a bestselling author, whose books “If Chins Could Kill” and "Make Love the Bruce Cambell Way" are both great reads that I highly recommend. And to top it all off, he’s an all around nice guy.

Reason two was that the film was the brainchild of director Don Coscarelli, of “Phantasm” fame. Granted the “Phantasm” series is certainly not made up of the best films ever, but I knew that teaming him up with Campbell as well as Ossie Davis would result in something really great, despite the unusual premise. Was I right? Was it worth the wait? Absolutely.

“Bubba Ho-Tep” delivers everything that a good B-movie should. It’s funny, campy and somewhat scary. But what elevated it above the level of its own labeling are Campbell’s and Davis’ performances. First of all they treat the material as if it is serious stuff, only occasionally becoming caricatures themselves. Campbell especially has moments of reflection that make Presley a very sympathetic character. There is a genuine sadness about what age has done to this once beloved singer. And Davis brings a somber elegance to his portrayal of Kennedy. He doesn’t go so far as to try and impersonate the late President, so much as try to reflect his dignity.

The original DVD release from MGM was somewhat of a revelation. Knowing that the film would more than likely have a limited audience, they still took the time to include a number of terrific features. In one of those rare occurrences, there were two commentaries that are both worth listening to… more than once. The first teams Coscarelli with Campbell and they banter back and forth about the film, livening up the conversation with a lot of trademark Campbell wisecracks. Anyone who has ever heard one of Campbell's commentaries on the “Evil Dead” series knows that he is just plain fun to listen to. He fills his commentaries with anecdotes and self-deprecating humor with hilarious results. The alternate commentary features Campbell again, only this time he continues his portrayal of “The King.” It was an inspired idea to have him do this, and it is a must listen.

As the film was based on the short story of the same name, there was a reading by author Joe R. Lansdale illustrated by stills from the movie. You could also find two deleted scenes with commentary as well some cut footage from Bubba’s origin. There were four featurettes (that you can watch separately or choose to ‘play all’), each focusing on a different part of the production. “The Making of Bubba Ho-Tep” gave you an overall look at the production and comes in at around 25 minutes. This was followed up by “To Make a Mummy”, which gave us a closer look at the design of the villain of the piece, while “Fit for a King” showed the makeup process that Campbell went through to become ‘The King.’ The final featurette, “Rock Like an Egyptian” was all about the music created for the film. Each featured a ton of footage and interviews. There was also an extensive Photo Gallery that you can scroll though to see production stills and a great music video featuring some of the film’s music by Brian Tyler.

So now that you know how much I loved the movie and the DVD release that hit back in 2004, can you imagine how I felt when I learned a new "Hail to the King Edition" DVD was being released. I about died and went to Elvis heaven. When it first arrived, I was blown away by the inventive packaging. The DVD keepcase was enclosed in a miniature white Elvis jacket. This was undoubtedly a DVD meant to display on a shelf.

HOWEVER, this awesome packaging came with e level of disappointment. The DVD and keepcase were exactly what had been released back in 2004. There are no additional extra features or changes in the transfer. As a matter of fact, the 2004 release came with a small booklet with a letter from Bruce Campbell and a bunch of photos (with comments) from the production… this booklet is absent from this release.

So to be honest, as much as I love the packaging on this new release, I can really only recommend it to those who don’t already have the earlier DVD and hardcore fans who want to have this very cool looking jacket. As for the movie it self, I won’t fool myself into believing that everyone who watches “Bubba Ho-Tep” will love it as much as I do. Most won’t even give it a try, but I think those that do, might be surprised by how cool of a film it really is. If you watch it and don’t like it, don’t blame yourself, it may not be your fault. It just takes a certain sensibility to enjoy a film like this that is unfortunately missing in a great many of today’s movie audiences.

Directed by: Don Coscarelli
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis
Extras: Commentary by Director Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell, Commentary by "The King", Theatrical trailer, TV spot, Joe R. Landsdale Reads from Bubba Ho-Tep, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Don Coscarelli and Bruce Campbell, "The Making of Bubba Ho-Tep" Featurette, "To Make a Mummy" - Makeup and Effects Featurette, "Fit for a King" - Elvis Costuming Featurette, "Rock Like an Egyptian" - Featurette About the Music of Bubba Ho-Tep, Music Video, Photo Gallery,
Limited Collectible Packaging, 12-page Scrapbook/Behind-the-Scenes Photos with Personal Comments from Bruce Campbell and Don Coscarelli and a Two-Page Letter from Campbell to His Fans
Specifications: Widescreen
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 8/7/2007
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Language, Some Sexual Content and Violent Images)
Website
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We'll give Bubba Ho Tep: Hail to the King Edition a B+.