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Most
of the world believes that Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell), the
King of Rock 'n Roll, is dead and buried... the truth of the
matter is that, bored with being a celebrity, he has faked his
own death and now, besieged with cancer of the penis, he's in
an old age home in Texas. Not only that, but one of his fellow
residents is none other than John F. Kennedy (Ossie Davis) —
his assassination, too, was a fake and now he's been dyed black
and is left to look over his memories. Together they join forces
to fight an ancient evil that has inexplicably set its sights
on their nursing home...
As the above plot
synopsis indicates, Bubba Ho-Tep
is no ordinary movie. Adapted from a prize-winning short story
by Joe R. Lansdale, it's a quirky meditation on how shabbily
we, as a society, treat the elderly as well as the first 'Elvis
and JFK battle a mummy' flick ever made. Barring any attempt
to mimic its storyline, it's likely to remain a unique film
for quite some time. Owing to the presence of Bruce Campbell,
many viewers expect a raucous, gory romp in the style of the
Evil Dead trilogy; those viewers are likely to be disappointed.
Bubba Ho-Tep may be quirky as all
hell, but it's not an action film — it's a character study,
and a deeply moving one at that. Campbell effectively transforms
himself into Elvis, and if the performance seems to be a caricature,
he doesn't stop at poking fun at the King's image.
He portrays Elvis
as a downtrodden, disappointed man who has gone from the biggest
celebrity in the world to being a bedridden old codger in a
nursing home. His aimless, loveless life is suddenly rekindled
when the evil force of the mummy starts targeting occupants
of the home. Revitalized, with a purpose, he rediscovers his
love for life and becomes hell-bent on stopping the mummy. Campbell
is terrific here, far eclipsing his well-loved but one-note
Ash characterization. The show is nearly stolen, however, by
Ossie Davis, here playing an elderly loon who believes he is
JFK. (Maybe he even is JFK; the film doesn't say for
certain.) Davis, an actor of great dignity and class, plays
the role completely seriously. He doesn't send up the material,
and in that respect he's able to convince the audience that
he really is the former president. That being said, Davis does
have some hilarious moments, which are all the more funny for
being so earnest and sensibly played.
This is very much
a two man show, but the supporting players do a fine job in
their minor roles — including Reggie Bannister (Phantasm,
1979, and its sequels) as the resident doctor. Very well directed
by Don Coscarelli (the creator of the Phantasm series),
the film is confined to one setting for most of the narrative,
and this has been problematic for some viewers. Nonetheless,
I would argue he keeps things interesting throughout and as
the whole point of the film is to address how the characters
have been shut away, out of sight, from the rest of society,
the setting makes logical sense. Though breezily paced, the
film resorts somewhat disappointingly to formula in the final
section as Elvis and JFK do battle with the mummy. Special effects
work is problematic in parts (notably the very rubbery looking
scarab), but the mummy itself looks very effective.
Original, funny and
genuinely moving in its depiction of the relationship between
Elvis and JFK, Bubba Ho-Tep is
a real gem — check it out.
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