Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

27 February 2004 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

The King vs. The King of the Dead

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Nursing Home | Death | Texas | John F Kennedy | Elvis Presley

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

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
Bruce Rawitz	...	TV Announcer
Joseph Primero	...	Janitor
Chuck Williams	...	Elvis' Boy
Timothy E. Goodwin	...	Elvis' Boy (as Tim Goodwin)
James Maley	...	Elvis' Boy
'Two-Gun' Tyler	...	Elvis' Boy
Steve Kassel	...	Sebastian's Band, Drums
Damon Carruesco	...	Sebastian's Band, Guitar
Lief Frederick	...	Sebastian's Band, Bass
Danny Crossen	...	Sebastian's Band, Keyboards
Gigi Fast Elk Porter	...	Trailer Park Gal (as Gigi Fast Elk)
Emily Wengel	...	Trailer Park Gal
Naveed Mahboobian	...	Egyptian Guard
Omid Naimi	...	Egyptian Guard
Joseph C. Boulder	...	Lunch Room Folks
Virginia Brown	...	Lunch Room Folks
Celia Gill	...	Lunch Room Folks
Harvey Flammer	...	Lunch Room Folks
Sylvia Flammer	...	Lunch Room Folks
Ruth Hansen	...	Lunch Room Folks
Mary Rose Waken	...	Lunch Room Folks
Natasha Kurtz	...	Vintage Picture Model
Avery Taylor	...	Vintage Picture Model
Nadia Angelini	...	Vintage Picture Model
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gabi Ferrer	...	Fan at concert (uncredited)
Regina Pope	...	Extra (uncredited)
André Sogliuzzo	...	Narrator (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Coscarelli

Writing credits (WGA)
Joe R. Lansdale		(short story)
Don Coscarelli		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dac Coscarelli	....	executive producer
Don Coscarelli	....	producer
Jason R. Savage	....	producer

Original Music by
Brian Tyler

Cinematography by
Adam Janeiro

Film Editing by
Scott J. Gill
Donald Milne

Casting by
Jerry Whitworth

Production Design by
Daniel Vecchione

Art Direction by
Justin Zaharczuk

Set Decoration by
Damon Carruesco

Costume Design by
Shelley Kay

Makeup Department
Melanie A. Kay	....	makeup artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Melanie Tooker	....	makeup application: Elvis

Production Management
Rosa Gonzalez	....	unit production manager
Jason Serrato	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rosa Gonzalez	....	first assistant director
Jin Ah Lee	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Paul Cander	....	carpenter
David Gechman	....	illustrations "Book of Souls"
David Hartman	....	illustrator
Carrie Schupper	....	assistant art director
Todd Stauder	....	swing

Sound Department
Thomas Appel	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Bacca	....	sound mixer
John Brasher	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Chominsky	....	adr recording engineer
Mark J. Harris	....	voiceover recordist
Eric Hoeschen	....	foley artist
Marcel Lehrer	....	post sound coordinator
Mike Loving	....	boom operator
Rick McLane	....	sound engineer
Paul Menichini	....	sound designer
Dominik Meyer	....	machine room operator
Stewart Nelson	....	adr supervisor (as Stewart Nelsen)
Paul Ratajczak	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Ratajczak	....	sound supervisor
Trevor Sperry	....	foley mixer
William Tabanou	....	narration editor
Trevor Ward	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Lance Wiseman	....	dialogue editor
Lance Wiseman	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Chad Atkinson	....	mold maker
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup supervisor
Kamar Bitar	....	special effects coordinator
Connie Cadwell	....	lab technician
Jason Collins	....	special effects makeup
James Hall	....	lab technician
Steve Hartman	....	lab technician
Chiz Hasegawa	....	assistant special effects coordinator
Beth Hathaway	....	lab technician
Robert Kurtzman	....	special effects makeup supervisor
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup supervisor (as Greg Nicotero)
Scott Patton	....	sculptor
Brian Rae	....	mold maker
Alan Tuskes	....	mold maker
Alan Tuskes	....	special makeup effects crew

Visual Effects by
Tommy Dorsett	....	scanning and recording
David Hartman	....	visual effects supervisor
Kathleen Hartman	....	title logo design
Nicholas Lund-Ulrich	....	scanning and recording technician
Geoffrey Mark	....	visual effects animator
Dave Matherly	....	visual effects (as David Matherly)
Matt McFarland	....	scanning and recording manager
Santosh Oommen	....	visual effects animator
D. Kerry Prior	....	visual effects creator: bug unit
Michael T. Smith	....	visual effects supervisor
Jonard Soriano	....	CG animator
Peter Alun Thomas	....	scanning and recording technician (as Alun Thomas)

Stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunts
Gary Kent	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sammy Beavers	....	additional cinematographer
Precy C. Betiong	....	first assistant camera (as Prezy C. Betion)
Thomas Bilyeu	....	still photographer
Chris Chomyn	....	additional cinematographer
David F. Clark	....	second assistant camera
Jordan Garretson	....	key grip
Paul Goldhammer	....	second assistant camera
James Goldman	....	dolly grip
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Scott Libolt	....	still photographer
Chelsea Low	....	Steadicam operator
Alexandra Lucka	....	second assistant camera
Michael Miller	....	crane operator
D. Kerry Prior	....	additional cinematographer
D. Kerry Prior	....	photographer: second unit
William Sentelik	....	best boy electric (as Bill Sentelik)
Gary Stamford	....	gaffer
Brent Studler	....	rigging gaffer
Brad Wallace	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Joe Ferroni	....	casting associate
Jay Lawson	....	casting associate
Jeffrey M. Paal	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dee Dee Hopkins	....	assistant costume designer
Chloe Kay	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
James Williams	....	color timer

Music Department
Gary Krause	....	music editor
Daniel Schweiger	....	music supervisor
Jeff Vaughn	....	music engineer

Other crew
Carol Lynn Akiyama	....	legal services
Linda Bastin	....	purchaser
Peter Bierstedt	....	legal services
Lisa Charalambous	....	continuity
Stephen Chin	....	production assistant
Ashley Grimes	....	production assistant
Andy John	....	production assistant
Andrew Johnston	....	production assistant
Ramy Katrib	....	consultant
Jin Ah Lee	....	key set production assistant
Mike Loving	....	production assistant
Gabriel Martinez	....	production assistant
Kathy McHugh	....	script supervisor
Vern Moen	....	production assistant
Paul Nix	....	Elvis' limousine courtesy of
Gigi Fast Elk Porter	....	background coordinator
Christiane Savage	....	senior wrangler
Jeremy Tate	....	production assistant
Guy Thorpe	....	hearse coordinator
Tim Welch	....	consultant: Elvis
Emily Wengel	....	production assistant
Megan Whitener	....	production assistant
Sharon Wrisley	....	production accountant

Thanks
Naython Vane	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Silver Sphere Corporation

Distributors

• Vitagraph Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Films We Like (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Klock Worx Company, The (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Magna Pacific (2005) (theatrical) (Austrailia)
• Miracle Films (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Tornado Film (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• WE Productions (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Zootrope Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (video)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Midget Entertainment (2005) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Silver Sphere Corporation
• WE Productions (2006) (France) (DVD)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special effects makeup)
• Special Effects Services (pyrotechnic effects)
• Bad Weasel Productions (visual effects)
• Title House Digital (opticals)

Other Companies

• Production Magic Inc.  background coordination
• Silver Sphere Records  score album released by (limited edition)

Also Known As:

Bubbahotep (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-18 | France:U | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Silver Sphere Corporation

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Don Coscarelli] [closing line]The closing line of the credits, "...criminal prosecution and the wrath of Bubba Ho-tep," is a variant of "...and the wrath of the Tall Man" from the Phantasm (1979) films.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Bubba Ho-Tep: [subtitled from the hieroglyphics] By the unwinking red eye of Ra!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Name Is Bruce (2007)

Fabulously original film

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to see this film at a horror and fantasy convention. Since it is not yet in distribution I jumped at the chance. Just to set the record straight, I didn't go into this film with normal expectations. The god that is known as Bruce Campbell stars in this film, and let's just say that any morsel of Bruce Campbell goodness I can get is going to make me absolutely love a movie.

The basic premise of this film is that Elvis Presley is alive and not too well. He lives in an East Texas nursing home. It seems that years before Elvis tired of his fame and switched places with an Elvis impersonator. The Elvis we see in this picture is a 68 year old man with a penchant for rings and large, jewel studded sunglasses. Whenever he claims to be Elvis, everyone just laughs at this crazy old Elvis impersonator obviously going senile in his old age. Elvis discovers that there's a mummy inhabiting his nursing home who is sucking the souls out of the residents through a rather disturbing bodily orifice. So Elvis teams up with an old African American man (Ossie Davis) claiming to be John Kennedy (his explanation for what happened to him has to be heard to be believed, and is one of the funnier jokes in the movie) to stop the mummy and save the souls of the residents of the nursing home.

As crazy and silly as this setup sounds, the film actually achieves depths that most "serious" movies can't even begin to touch. The film deals with what it's like to be an elderly person in this country when nobody cares about you. Elvis and Kennedy are both regretful about not being there for their children when they needed them. And a last chance for glory and leaving this world honorably is a recurring theme throughout the film (see Kemo Sabe's showdown with the mummy). All of these themes are handled with a deft hand, never hammering the point home, but intended to be taken seriously.

Ossie Davis gives a terrific comedic performance as "Jack" Kennedy. He delivers some rather eyebrow raising exposition with such a light touch, the audience is forced to except his explanation as fact and move on.

And then of course, Bruce Campbell. Campbell plays Elvis as we've never seen him, a 68 year old man with a bad hip and a cancerous growth in a very uncomfortable place. Anyone who has seen any of Campbell's performances knows he can play the hero or the buffoon with equal skill. But here, he pushes the bounds of his talent like never before. Perhaps the highest praise I can give his performance is that 10 minutes into the film, I forgot it was him, and truly believed it was Elvis on the screen.

The film was written for the screen and directed by Don Coscarelli. Coscarelli has been in something of a rut since his breakthrough hit with "Phantasm" over 20 years earlier. This is truly his best film since that horror classic, it may even be better.

The film was based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale, the gifted writer. Lansdale routinely puts different genres in a blender together and comes out with something better than a genre outing. This film played just like one of his novels: Horror, comedy, fantasy, and a little bit of western.

Bruce Campbell was on hand for the screening I saw and made some comments before the film. He said that he did the film because it was so weird and that we need more films that aren't in the cookie cutter format. I couldn't agree more and I can't recommend this film highly enough. It breaks all molds and expectations. Seek it out when it finds a distributor, you won't be disappointed.