Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

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
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)

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)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Klock Worx Company, The (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (video)
• Magna Pacific (2005) (theatrical) (Austrailia)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Midget Entertainment (2005) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Miracle Films (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Silver Sphere Corporation
• Tornado Film (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• WE Productions (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• WE Productions (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Zootrope Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• 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:

Due to all the cameras, lights, and equipment virtually trapping him in his bed, at one point Bruce Campbell was forced to actually answer nature's call by using the same bedpan his character used to capture the giant scarab beetle.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Elvis: Get old, you can't even cuss someone and have it bother 'em. Everything you do is either worthless or sadly amusing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fantastic Four (2005)

brilliant pop culture weirdness

"Bubba Ho-tep" is a low budget movie that went for the B-movie feel on purpose, accomplishing its goal of being a "fine" piece of pop culture weirdness. The story is set in a current-day East Texas rest home and focuses on two residents who believe they are Elvis and JFK--the JFK character just happens to be black, and the rest home also houses a few other crazies, including the Lone Ranger. Elvis and JFK soon learn that an Egyptian mummy--who was stolen from his traveling museum exhibition--has come to life in their neighborhood and is killing the rest home residents by sucking their life force out their backsides (you can harvest a soul through "any major orifice," you know). Eventually, our decrepit heroes realize that only they can meet the mummy in a showdown.

The film is really a clever piece of pop culture mythology, working up hilarious back stories for JFK (Ossie Davis who is recognizable from, at the very least, several Spike Lee films) and Elvis (Bruce Campbell of the "Evil Dead" movies). Campbell's performance is particularly excellent, Don Coscarelli's as director did a perfect job finding the right mood and balance of humor for the film, and the leisurely plot--from Joe Lansdale's original novella--is totally engaging and a cinephile's dream.