Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Elvis and JFK, both alive and in nursing homes, fight for the souls of their fellow residents as they battle an ancient Egyptian Mummy.

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writers:

Joe R. Lansdale (short story), Don Coscarelli (screenplay)

Stars:

Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce

9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Campbell	...	Elvis Presley / Sebastian Haff
Ossie Davis	...	Jack
Ella Joyce	...	The Nurse
Heidi Marnhout	...	Callie
Bob Ivy	...	Bubba Ho-tep
Edith Jefferson	...	Elderly Woman
Larry Pennell	...	Kemosabe
Reggie Bannister	...	Rest Home Administrator
Daniel Roebuck	...	Hearse Driver
Daniel Schweiger	...	Hearse Driver
Harrison Young	...	Elvis' Roommate
Linda Flammer	...	Room Nurse
Cean Okada	...	Attending Nurse
Solange Morand	...	Iron Lung Lady
Karen Placencia	...	Baby

Storyline

Based on the Bram Stoker Award nominee short story by cult author Joe R. Lansdale, Bubba Ho-tep tells the "true" story of what really did become of Elvis Presley. We find Elvis (Bruce Campbell) as an elderly resident in an East Texas rest home, who switched identities with an Elvis impersonator years before his "death", then missed his chance to switch back. Elvis teams up with Jack (Ossie Davis), a fellow nursing home resident who thinks that he is actually President John F. Kennedy, and the two valiant old codgers sally forth to battle an evil Egyptian entity who has chosen their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds.

---

Plot Keywords:

nursing home | death | mummy | john f kennedy | elvis presley | 

---

Taglines:

The King vs. The King of the Dead

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violent images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Zootrope Films [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

27 February 2004 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Bubba Ho-tep

Filming Locations:

Downey, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Silver Sphere Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before Bruce Campbell accepted the role of "Elvis," he had only one question for director Don Coscarelli: "Are you going to show the penis?"

---

Goofs

The sign outside the front of the Shady Rest Convalescence Center in Mud Creek is misspelled "Convalesence Center".

---

Quotes

Elvis: What do I really have left in life but this place? It ain't much of a home, but it's all I got. Well, goddamnit. I'll be damned if I let some foreign, graffiti writin', soul suckin', son of a bitch in an oversized cowboy hat and boots take my friend's souls and shit 'em down the visitors toilet!

---

Crazy Credits

The film thanks "The staff and residents of the Mud Creek Shady Rest Convalescent Home. Mud Creek, Texas", when in fact no such home exists.

---

Connections

Spoofs The Mummy (1999)

User Reviews

Suspicious Minds

I must confess I had reservations prior to seeing this film. I thought it would be some God-awfully childish film laden with sophomoric jokes, cheesy effects, and inane dialogue. Some of those elements do surface, but this film was a genuine pleasure to sit through. Imagine if you can that Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll, switched places with an Elvis impersonator and now lives a sad, lost life in a small, run-down nursing home in East Texas. Add to the mix Ozzie Davis as a man convinced he is John F. Kennedy and a mummy that sucks the souls of geriatric residents and you have the basic premise behind Bubba Ho-tep. But beyond all that and the jokes about Elvis's genitalia and other low brow references is a film with a tremendous amount of heart and a message about the elderly in our society and how we have, as a society, betrayed them and cast them aside. The script and effective direction of Phantasm's Don Coscarelli make this film work on several levels. It is a comedy. It is a drama. It is a horror film. It has all those elements. You care about the characters and are drawn into this seedy little world. The biggest asset the film has is its performances. Davis gives a fine turn and adds credibility to the film, but Bruce Campbell as the king just bowled me over. I had seen him before, but I had never seen him act like this before. You soon forget Campbell is acting and think Elvis is really there - now 68 and destitute. Campbell's inflection, mannerisms, and poise melt and fuse wonderfully into Elvis. This was one of the very pleasant surprises that come along every so often.