Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Directed by: Don Coscarelli
Premise: Elvis impersonator Sebastian Haff (Bruce Campbell), is committed to a retirement home along with another man (Ossie Davis) who believes he is John F. Kennedy. A supernatural creature begins preying upon the residents of the retirement home and it is up to Elvis and JFK to stop him.
What Works: Campbell’s Elvis a fully realized character. This is a film about a man who has had it all and lost it all and through the challenge set before him attempts to reclaim his life. There are a lot of colorful and fun characters here.
What Doesn’t: This is a horror film, but it is not that scary. Perhaps it’s not really intending to be since it has a strong comedic element to it. It would have been nice to see more of the other residents of the home and explore their own eccentricities.
DVD extras: Deleted scenes, commentary by Coscarelli and Campbell, a commentary track by The King, featurettes, and trailers.
Bottom Line: On its surface, Buba Ho-Tep is a fun low budget horror film, the kind of thing that would have played well at a drive-in forty years ago. For the kind of film it is, Ho-Tep’s production is first rate and it has a lot more humanity than many films of its kind.
Episode: #10 (July 18, 2004)