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Bubba Ho-tep




Bubba Ho-Tep (2003)
Directed by Don Coscarelli
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Bob Ivy

Elvis is alive and not so well, living in a nursing home, where everyone thinks he's an old Elvis impersonator. And now a mummy who eats the souls of the living has invaded the home and is feeding off the residents. It's up to The King and another resident, a black man who thinks he's JFK, to stop him.

I know it doesn't sound like it, but this is a great, great movie. If you're looking for horror, though, look elsewhere. Bubba has some horror elements, certainly, but it's mostly a comedy-drama with a ton of heart. Ossie Davis is great as always and Bruce Campbell has never been better. In the past, I've always thought of him as a decent character actor, but in Bubba Ho-Tep, Bruce is Elvis.

But the real star of this movie is the script by Don Coscarelli and Joe R. Lansdale: damn, it's good! Plenty of cool one-liners are sprinkled throughout, but there are also some great quiet moments with Elvis' reminiscences and introspection. He's not just The King, but a King filled with sadness for what he's become and regret for the loss of his wife and daughter. But now he's been given the chance to redeem himself and become the hero he always pretended to be.

Add to this a close to perfect musical score by Brian Tyler, and it adds up to one of the best films I've seen in quite a while.

Highly recommended