The Duke De Mondo On "Bubba Ho-Tep"
Published April 15, 2004
It's a good time for Bubba's right now, with regards the popular culture. First, Bubba Sparxx surprises everyone by making a good album, and next thing you know, there's this here film by the name of Bubba Ho-Tep, directed by Don Coscarelli, which turns out to be a whole shitload of wonderful. It's like that old parable about the buses, about how you wait ages for one and then three fall off a cliff or something.
What this here Filmic Affair concerns itself with, is the mummies and also the Elvis and the JFK. It turns out Elvis didn't die after all, and wasn't even abducted by aliens, even though some folks claim he met up with Greedo just after that Comeback Special. What really happened, it turns out, is that he swapped places with an impersonator, so as the real Elvis could go off and live a normal life.
Celebrities, eh? Never content. "Oh, we don't get enough recognition and I'm so poor and I want the world to hear my music." Ten minutes later they're booking themselves into sanatoriums on account of "the pressure".
Anyhow, Elvis has ended up in a retirement home, with an unsightly growth on the end of his male sex. Also in residence is JFK, who has since been dyed black and had that famous piece of missing brain replaced with a sand bag.
Trust some damn Egyptian deity, then, to show up and wreck the whole idyllic scenario.
That's as much as The Duke is gonna reveal about the plot, on account of not wanting to spoil it for y'all. The only thing you really need to know about this here flick is that it has Bruce Campbell as Elvis.
Maybe you're not aware of it, but Bruce Campbell is the cult hero du jour, by which I mean he's the coolest motherfucker you ever did see. Some cult folks, like that Marilyn Manson Family from the 60's, they don't deserve the attention they get. That Jim Jones fella too. Those cults are to be avoided, if you ask me, like that Heavens Gate lot or The Michael Jackson Appreciation Society. But the cult of Bruce is a different matter entirely, and you don't even have to kill yourself, which is a bonus as far as I'm concerned, since it means you can reap the benefits of the man's work.
Bubba Ho-Tep is the good kind of horror-comedy. You're probably familiar with the bad kind, the kind that came after Wes Craven Presents The Scream. These films tended to think there was nothing funnier than to have the characters named after fellas what made the tea for Jess Franco, and to have them say things like "Man, this is just like that scene in Dawn Of The Mummy when the guy gets his guts ate."
That kind of humour is just plain lazy, unless it's done by the delightful Kevin Smith, AKA Silent Jay.
But the humour in this here film what goes by the name of Bubba Ho-Tep, it puts the effort in. In fact, when things go all horrorised, you kinda wish it wouldn't, on account of the characters being so brilliant, and Bruce delivering the best lines this side of Sam Raimi.
The Duke (Aaron McMullan to his parents and the clergy) is a Northern Irish writer, performer and insomniac currently residing in London. He is the creator of Mondo Irlando, wherein his scribblings and hollerings can be found. He is currently working towards the completion of his first novel, and his debut "punk / country / folk / whatever" album has recently been released by Ex Libris Records . You can also pop by His MySpace Page and maybe have a coffee and a biscuit.
- The Duke De Mondo On "Bubba Ho-Tep"
- Published: April 15, 2004
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- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Comedy, Video: Horror
- Writer: Duke De Mondo
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No necronomicon I'm afriad, but JFK does produce a book all about the evil and how stuff likes to eat souls and so forth. It did bring Ash to mind, for sure. As to other Campbell classics, might i suggest his piece de resistance, Evil Dead 2. If you ever see better physical comedy this side of Chaplin, then i will be tres suprised.
Evil Dead 2 is definately his peice de resistance! Also there have been many rumours flying that his Ash character from those movies maybe added to a Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash sequel!
Yeah, FvJvA was touted after the release of the initial team-up (which i personally found very enjoyable. Ronny Yu's earlier horror icon revitalisation - bride of chucky - was great fun too) . I think it had to do with New Line having the rights to all 3 characters. It'd be fun, but i don't know how much of Ash's wonderment is due to Sam Raimi. Would an ash flick without Sam work?
btw, i hope by now you've heard of the upcoming Evil Dead comic series. Apparently not an actual adaptation of Evil Dead 3, it will be set in that past universe with the deadites and Arthur and so on. Hopefully it will do the base material justice
Wow! That could be very cool indeed. Will Ash be in it i wonder? Hmm. The Medieval Dead comic book. Hopefulyl when its done they'll collect them all in a nice graphic novel - AKA the comics that its ok for grown-ups to read.
Nah, it's just going to be only about SMart. Think "Malcolm In The Middle" without the kids. Just Bruce and Lois. And shotguns and zombies.
What makes Bubba Ho-Tep really frightening is what is worse: cancer of the dick, or being left alone in an old folks home where the best you can do is look at some occasional love muffin.
I think i'd choose the rest home. Especially if that nurse from off the cover of Enema Of The State by The Blink 82's was on the staff.
Elvis used to come in just before we'd go onstage, we'd be leaving the dressing room to prepare and he'd come in with that huge entourage. And inevitably Elvis'd look across that group of people and single out one person. One night, on that last tour, I was ready to go on the stage and ... "Hey, Tony ...." I'm thinking, 'Whoah, the King has called'. So I turned around and walked back towards him. And he looked at me and said, 'Er, damn. I forgot what I was going to say.'
And isn't that what life is like?
Hey jadester, if you've seen any other Sam Raimi films, it's highly likely that you've seen another Bruce Campbell film (although he might not have been the star). Sam has Bruce in pretty much all his films (ie: Spiderman).
i did spot him in spiderman (it's been awhile, but wasn't he the newspaper guy? i *did* only see it twice so far...) and i'm pretty sure i've seen him in other cameos/etc.
I must get his autobiography thingy next time a get a few books from amazon. Should be good for some laughs.
The bruce cameo in spiderman was as the wrestling announcer (although he was fairly unrecognisable if you didn't know to look for him) who tells peter parker that "the human spider" is a crap name, and gives the name spider-man instead. Its also the best cameo in a film bursting with great cameos, notable "macho man" randy savage, and stan lee himself.
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Looks like i'll have to check this out. I loved bruce in Evil Dead 3 (so far the only one of his films i've got around to watching), which is why i clicked the pic on Blogcritics' front page.
Does the Necronomicon make an appearance in this film too?