Cast:
Bruce Campbell as Elvis
Ossie Davis as Jack Kennedy
Reggie Bannister as Rest Home Administrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Bob Ivy as Bubba Ho-tep
Ella Joyce as Nurse
Heidi Marnhout as Callie
Larry Pennell as Kemosabe
Gigi Fast Elk Porter as Trailer Trash
Daniel Roebuck as Hearse Driver
Daniel Schweiger as Hearse Driver
Chuck Williams as Good Ol Boy
Harrison Young as Bull Thomas
Critique:
Elvis (Bruce Campbell) is alive and not so well living in an east Texas retirement home, a cruel twist of fate has left him unable to contact his family despite a desire to rekindle relationships abandoned in the past. His only interpersonal contact is with other patients of the home and the nursing staff. Bodies start turning up at an accelerated pace, it is a nursing home after all, and Elvis teams up with a black Jack Kennedy (Ossie Davis) to determine what can be done to stop the evil that has intruded upon their lives and seems determined to suck their souls.
Bubba Ho-Tep is a B movie that knows from the outset that it is a B movie. It does not try to hide the fact with unnecessary special effects or frenetic camera work. There is a good story to tell, based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale, and the movie tells it. As with most B movies there are some rough edges. The lighting is poor in a few places, some props are noticeably reused, and one of the monsters just looks cheap. The movie itself is much more than the sum of it’s parts though. It is well acted by Campbell and Davis, and the humor is well timed with a plot that is a joy to follow.
Beyond the scope of your average B grade horror movie, Bubba Ho-Tep is also able to make the audience question the role of senior citizens in our society. Sure, it is done by throwing two geriatric nut cases up against an ancient undead mummy, but the point is well made that there is still value in the people that society discards.
Who should see this movie? Bruce Campbell fans will love to see his interpretation of the King of Rock and Roll. There is a bit of action, albeit mostly at walker speed, and a good amount of humor. If you are looking for romance you will not find it in Bubba Ho-Tep. Overall it is a solid horror movie. As long as you do not go in expecting big budget Hollywood effects you should be very happy watching it.
