Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

How could you not love a movie about an elderly Elvis (he’s alive!) and JFK (he’s actually an elderly black resident who believes he’s JFK) who fight an ancient mummy killing the residents of a nursing home in the middle of Texas?? “Bubba Ho-Tep” is a rare gem of a movie that mixes comedy, horror, and a sense of sharp melancholy in a way that is entertaining and memorable. It was co-written and directed by Don Coscarelli, the man who gave the world the “Phantasm” series and “Beastmaster”, and stars Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. The film was not released and shown in mainstream theaters but was able to cover costs in independent and art house theaters in the US. It has a cult following and earned approval from most movie critics.

Elvis is alive and well (not really) and living in a convelsant home in Texas in the late 1990’s. He explains that he traded places with the best impersonator he could find, a man named Sebastian Haff, and was doing ok for himself until he lost any proof that he had showing that he was the real Elvis and finally having an accident where broke his hip and had a coma. Now he is old, alone, ignored, and his only friend is an elderly black man who thinks he’s JFK. When residents began dying and Elvis is attacked by a giant scarab beetle, Elvis and JFK begin to look for clues as to what’s happening in their little home. It turns out that a re-animated Egyptian mummy that was stolen from a travelling museum exhibition is eating the souls of the residents at Shady Rest Retirement and it’s up to Elvis and JFK to stop him, since no one would ever believe their story.

Favorite moment - I really enjoyed the relationship and chemistry between Bruce and Ossie in this film. I get the feeling that these two actors really enjoyed working together on this film and playing such interesting, iconic roles.

Elvis and JFK

It's Bubba!