31 Days of Horror: Bubba Ho-tep

Posted by Robert Fure (robert@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 20, 2008

Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

Synopsis: An aging Elvis Presley teams with John F. Kennedy to help rid a nursing home of an evil Egyptian mummy who is sucking souls out of their cohabitants asses.  Seriously.

Killer Scene: Geared up for battle and ready to kickass, Elvis rocks his sequined jumpsuit and a walker while JFK (Ossie Davis!) puts on a flashy suit, fires up his motorized wheelchair, and they take a slow, badass trek down the hallway, out to kick some mummified ass.

KILLSHEET

Violence: This isn’t a very violent film, as having your ass sucked on isn’t that violent.  Vile, perhaps, but not violent.  There are some old age related injuries, like an infected pecker, a heart attack, and a damaged hip.  During the climactic ending, there are some more serious injuries inflicted.

Sex: When you’re dealing with a nursing home, there isn’t much sex to be had – hopefully.  But I award this film a half-skull for all the talk of Elvis’ pecker and the flirting that goes on between him and his nurse, who rubs ointment on his wang.

Scares: There are a lot of jokes here, but there are a fair amount of scares spread around as well.  A persistent scarab harasses Elvis and the mummy stalks his prey in the dead of night, with creepy lighting and spooky sound effects.  General chills to be had, though you probably won’t poop your pants over this one.

Final Thoughts: Any horror movie with Bruce Campbell is going to end up on a lot of lists and Bubba Ho-tep is no exception.  Critically acclaimed and very smart, this film did have some trouble securing an audience that didn’t always get the humor behind it.  I say give this film a chance for a different kind of eccentric chills with lots of laughs and great performances from Campbell and Davis.

What did you think of Bubba Ho-tep?

Read more articles by Robert Fure