Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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71 of 77 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Elvis & JFK vs. The Mummy, October 21, 2003
Yes, I love this film dearly.
Yes, it's [very] funny.
Yes, it's probably one of the best films I have ever seen...and not just of the year but one of the best films of all-times."Bubba Ho-Tep" is a joy to watch, not because of the ludicrous premise and the silly situations, but because of the acceptance of the ludicrous premise and silly situations. And the feeling that (except for the mummy bit) this may all be true. Bruce Campbell (of the "Evil Dead" series of movies) gives the performance of his LIFE as Elvis Presley...an Elvis Presley who did NOT die. Instead, Elvis resides in a Texas resthome, waiting for death to take him out. His glory days are forever behind him and he's in a state of depression after watching his roommate kick the bucket next to him. Time passes slowly and so do his days and it makes him even more sick knowing that he can feel his demise coming. It's wrongheaded for most critics to overlook the metaphor in "Bubba Ho-Tep". Director Don Coscarelli ("Phantasm") cleverly adapts the story (from author Joe R. Lansdale's short story) and successfully brings the concept to life. You believe that Bruce Campbell is Elvis because he plays Presley with such heart and dignity that any Elvis fan will want "Ho-Tep" in their movie collection when it hits the video-shelves. Ossie Davis gives a warm-hearted performance as "Jack" AKA JFK. He's so sweet and lovable and you want him on your side because he's noble. And that's the brilliance of this movie: Campbell and Davis plays their rolls with a straight face. You believe that THEY believe they are who they say they are. It's deadpan comedy at its finest. It just better illustrates that this is a movie about growing old and confronting regret and fear before your time is up. Dress it up and make it dance but that's still what's at the core of the film and you can't deny it. As writer Stephen King once said, "We're all gonna die someday, baby. I'm just trying to make it interesting." I loved it. --Matt
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76 of 89 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Don't make me use my stuff on ya, baby!" (4.5 stars), May 29, 2004
In the tradition of the "Evil Dead" movies, Bruce Campbell is back in true form in this horror/comedy/drama flick that's a roaring good time. You just don't know what to expect next once you start this bad boy. Filled with laughs, horror and surprisingly, heart, "Bubba Ho-Tep" is everything you'd want from a B-Movie and more.Campbell stars as an elderly Elvis who lives in a Texas retirement home. People keep thinking he's just an impersonator off his rocker, but in reality he had traded places with an "Elvis" impersonator so he could get away from all of the fame and hardships of a rock-n-roll star. However, something strange has been happening in this retirement home. Folks are dying mysteriously every night without any clear explanation. As it turns out, an Egyptian mummy is the cause for the deaths and it needs to feed on their souls to stay alive. It's up to Elvis and his buddy, JFK, to take on this monstrous foe before it slaughters every living person in the retirement home. The end results are unpredictable and off-the-wall. The premise alone intrigued me to see it. That, and Bruce Campbell. I'm always in the mood to see a good funny horror movie, and this movie did a great job of fulfilling that need. Not one minute went by where I was bored or disappointed. While the story may be over-the-top, it's done in such a creative and clever way. The movie has fun with itself and it's very easy to see. Bruce Campbell does a marvelous job as "Elvis," and let's not forget the great Ossie Davis as the one and only "JFK." The movie combines elements of comedy, drama and horror. It doesn't know what it wants to be at times, but the cast knew that from the get-go and they even goof on that fact (watch the featurettes and listen to the commentary). The DVD has some outstanding features. The movie sounds and looks really good for a flick that was done under such a low budget. The commentary tracks are definitely worth you time, and you MUST listen to the commentary track where Bruce Campbell does it as "The King" and stays in character the entire time. It is the funniest thing I have ever heard. Other extras include featurettes, a music video, deleted scenes, the original trailer and more. All of this makes one heck of a great package. "Bubba Ho-Tep" is a great time from Campbell and company. Any fans of the "Evil Dead" movies will definitely want to put this on their list. Just keep in mind that this is a movie that you watch to be entertained and nothing more. This movie was pure enjoyment from beginning to end. It's bound to become a classic sooner or later. The King still lives, Baby! -Michael Crane
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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bittersweet rumination on life, aging, and death..., February 9, 2004
By A Customer
"We couldn't tell them the truth. That Elvis and JFK were chasing an Egyptian mummy that was wearing cowboy duds.... We didn't want them to think we were crazy..." What can you say about a movie that has an aged, impotent Elvis in an east Texas rest home recuperating from a broken hip, a black man who could very well be JFK, and an ancient Egyptian mummy using the home as a feeding ground? How 'bout: It's one of the best movies of the year. With such outrageous elements, (it's based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale), this could easily be a grade B forgettable flick. Instead, we have an entertaining, bittersweet meditation on life, on aging, and on death. Director Don Coscarelli, (of Phantasm fame), hits the right blend of horror, drama and comedy. The intentional comedic moments work beautifully; the audience laughs at all the right places. The 'make you jump' moments work without resorting to gore. It elicits sympathy and empathy for the characters, and manages to be thoroughly convincing. No easy feat given the subject matter - it simply *works*. Bruce Campbell, (of Evil Dead fame), shines as Elvis. It seems in the early `70s Elvis grew tired of the fame and fortune and swapped places with an impersonator - then made a modest living impersonating himself. Until he took a tumble from a stage, breaking his pelvis, ending up in the rest home. He's lost all proof of who he really is and most everyone thinks he is a little 'confused'. The only person who believes him is a black man, (Ossie Davis of The Stand), who claims to be JFK. ("They dyed me this color!") Through a believable plot device, a mummy shows up and starts sucking the 'small' souls of the rest home residents. Only the walker assisted Elvis and wheelchair riding JFK figure out what is happening. Their hunt for the mummy acts as the backdrop as we watch the aged Elvis start to live again. He now has a meaning in his life, a mission. A chance to redeem himself. To perhaps actually be the hero he played in all those B movies. To 'take care of business' one more time... Thank you... thank you very much...
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