SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: BUBBA HO-TEP

"BUBBA HO-TEP"
(2003) (Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Mild	Moderate	*Mild	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Mild	Extreme	None	Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Minor	Minor	Moderate	Heavy

QUICK TAKE:: Comedy/Horror: A man who claims he's Elvis joins another elderly man who believes he's JFK to battle an Egyptian mummy who's killing other residents of their Texas nursing home.

PLOT:

In a present day nursing home in Mud Creek, Texas, one of the residents (BRUCE CAMPBELL) claims to be Elvis Pressley. Although old and decrepit, he looks and acts like the King, albeit at an advanced age. Since his contract burned up long ago regarding him switching places with an Elvis impersonator back before his well-publicized death, no one believes him.

That is, except for a fellow nursing home resident (OSSIE DAVIS) who has a similar if outlandish sounding claim. Despite being a black man who doesn't remotely resemble former President Jack Kennedy, he swears he survived the 1963 assassination attempt, had sand placed in his head and was dyed black as part of the conspiracy.

Notwithstanding his own claim, Elvis thinks Jack is crazy, but things get even stranger than that. When a recently resurrected Egyptian mummy, Bubba Ho-Tep (BOB IVY), starts killing off the other residents in their nursing home, the two men form an unlikely alliance to figure out what's going on and then try to put a stop to the mummy's deadly nighttime activities.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Younger kids probably won't, but older teens looking for a cult comedy might be enticed by its premise.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language, some sexual content and brief violent images.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: BRUCE CAMPBELL plays a decrepit nursing home resident who claims to be the real Elvis Pressley who changed places with an impersonator who died long ago. With his mind reeling about how he came to be in such a situation, he learns about Ho-Tep and sets out to stop him. He uses strong profanity and sexual dialogue.
OSSIE DAVIS plays another nursing home resident who thinks he's former President Jack Kennedy who's still in danger from the assassination conspirators. He joins forces with Elvis to defeat the mummy.
BOB IVY plays the resurrected Egyptian mummy who's killing the feeble nursing home residents for their souls.; OSSIE DAVIS plays another nursing home resident who thinks he's former President Jack Kennedy who's still in danger from the assassination conspirators. He joins forces with Elvis to defeat the mummy.
BOB IVY plays the resurrected Egyptian mummy who's killing the feeble nursing home residents for their souls.; BOB IVY plays the resurrected Egyptian mummy who's killing the feeble nursing home residents for their souls.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this campy horror comedy that's been rated R. Profanity consists of at least 5 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, a nurse inadvertently gives a nursing home patient an erection (not seen), a young woman is seen bending over in revealing attire, and the bare breasts of some ancient Egyptian women are briefly seen.

Violence consists of humans fighting a mummy and the latter attacking a few nursing home residents. While it's possible some of that might be unsettling, suspenseful or even scary to some viewers, most is played in such a campy fashion that those qualities are lessened if not eliminated altogether. Some of that has brief, bloody results, while some scatological material and talk is also present. Some brief smoking and drinking are present, as are some bad attitudes.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, some of that briefly occurs during a concert and later in a hallway.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Elvis says that an impersonator liked drugs just like him, and then adds "More than me."
Elvis has beer along with some other people.

BLOOD/GORE: We see some mummified human remains in an old-time newsreel.
A huge scarab beetle scurries across a resident's floor and is then seen coming under the covers at her. She reaches down there, reacts in pain to it biting her (not seen) and pulls out her bloody hand. She then falls from the bed and repeatedly smashes the beetle with an object (with some gooey results when she pulls back the covers).
We hear the sound of Elvis' urinating.
We hear some farting sounds in the lunchroom.
Jack says he translated some hieroglyphics written on a bathroom stall wall as "Cleopatra does the nasty." He and Elvis then talk about the soul sucker and his need to use the bathroom with terms such as "take a crap." They then take about the soul sucking mummy having its mouth over a victim's "asshole."
We hear the sound of Jack urinating.
We see various flash images of the mummy's past, including that of a brain removal device being taken to a person (we briefly see the removed and bloody organ).
Elvis has some blood on his shirt after taking a tumble down a hill.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: An older nursing home resident takes the glasses off another resident for herself and then steals a gift off a cart (and is later seen eating the candy from it).
We see a young woman who's come to discard her recently dead father's belongings. Elvis notes that she hasn't been there except to drop him off several years ago (and she doesn't seem to be grieving in the slightest).
Elvis snaps and is mean to a nurse who cares for him, telling her, "I'm sick of your sh*t."
Elvis refers to women in his life (other than his wife) as "bitches."

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might be unsettling, suspenseful and possibly even a bit scary to some younger viewers, but most are played in more of a camp than true horror fashion.
Similarly, it's possible the mummy's appearance and actions might be unsettling, suspenseful or even scary to some viewers, but most of the material is played in such a campy fashion that most of those qualities are lessened if not eliminated altogether.
For those sensitive to the sight of sick, dying and dead elderly people, there is some of that in the film.
Elvis hears footsteps coming down the hallway and then thinks he sees a silhouette of his adult daughter.
A nurse spots odd blue flashes coming from a building and we then see something's point of view as it watches her from inside there (while ghostly voices are heard).
Elvis slowly goes to see what's coming down the hallway and spots the mummy standing at the end. It then starts coming toward Elvis and the hallway lights around it start to flicker and go out until the mummy stands directly in front of Elvis. The two make eye contact and Elvis sees various flash images of the mummy's past, including that a brain removal device being taken to a person (we briefly see the removed and bloody organ).
As Jack and Elvis wait to take on the mummy outdoors at night, it repeatedly disappears and reappears in front of them.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Gunshot sounds are used as transitional effects as we see various JFK related items in Jack's room.
A resident who thinks of himself as the Lone Ranger (complete with mask) carries two toy six-shooters.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck you," "Never f*ck with the king," "You're a f*cking idiot," "F*ck off you patronizing bitch," "Who gives a sh*t?" "No sh*t," "Sh*thouse," "Take a sh*t," "I'm s*ck of your sh*t," "Come and get it you undead sack of sh*t," "Dogsh*t," "Jacking off" (sexual), "Hard-on" and "Boner" (sexual), "Does the nasty" (sexual), "Eat the dog d*ck of Anabas you asshole" (in subtitles), "She didn't give a damn," "Hell no," "Freak," "Get the hell out," "Piss," "One big bitch cockroach," "Hot damn," "You six-legged bastard," "What in the hell is that?" "Real G*ddamn ugly," "Big damn bugs," "What in the Sam hell is that?" "You old rascal," "Would it make any damn difference?" "Going to the crapper," "Kemosabe" (how Elvis refers to a resident who thinks of himself as the Lone Ranger), "Nut" and "Nuts" (crazy person & crazy), "My ass," "How in the hell did that mummy do that?" "What the hell?" "How the hell did he get here?" "Bitches," "My own damn fault," "Old fart," "Damn straight," "Watch your ass" and "Pissed."
Elvis squirts lighter fluid into an already lit grill.
Elvis mixes rubbing alcohol and gasoline to use on the mummy.

JUMP SCENES: Sudden music and the sudden sight of Jack's hand on Elvis might startle some viewers.
A nurse turns and suddenly runs into another person.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music (played in somewhat of a campy style) plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 5 "f" words (1 used sexually as is the term "do the nasty"), 19 "s" words, 6 slang terms using male genitals ("p*cker," "d*ck" and "ding-dong"), 1 for female genitals ("love nest"), 16 asses (12 used with "hole"), 14 damns, 12 hells, 6 craps, 3 S.O.B.s, 5 uses of "G-damn," 2 of "For Christ's sakes" and 1 use each of "God," "Lord Almighty," "Jesus Christ," "My God" and "Oh my God."

SEX/NUDITY: In voice over narration, Elvis talks of some growth on the end of his penis and says that he's going to burst it by "jacking off." He then goes on to say he hasn't had a "hard-on" for years.
Elvis talks about Priscilla and wonders, "Would we still want to f*ck?" or if they would just talk about it.
Elvis wonders if there's anything more to life than "food, sh*t and sex."
A young blonde comes into Elvis' room to discard her late father's belongings. She's in a small top (that shows cleavage) and short skirt and then bends over, revealing the lower part of her panty-covered rear (which the camera focuses on). In voice over narration, Elvis comments on this, calling that her "love nest," saying she did so because she doesn't see him as sexually threatening, and stating that his "pecker" fluttered once which is better than nothing.
A miscellaneous woman shows cleavage at a concert.
A nurse tells Elvis that "it's that time," dons some rubber gloves and puts some sort of salve on them. She then apparently rubs that onto his penis (we don't see that) and he comments on that in voice over narration (as we see various flashing images, including that of the above bent over young woman in her short skirt). He then apparently gets an erection as she reacts in surprise to seeing it (we don't) and jokingly tells him he should take a cold shoulder. He then asks her to join him and "pull on it a little" but she declines both offers.
Jack says he translated some hieroglyphics written on a bathroom stall wall as "Cleopatra does the nasty."
Jack asks Elvis, "Would you like a ding-dong?" He then says "not mine," but that he's referring to a chocolate ding-dong. He then adds that of course his would be that way now that he's been dyed brown.
Elvis slowly goes to see what's coming down the hallway and spots the mummy standing at the end. The two make eye contact and Elvis sees various flash images of the mummy's past, including that of bare-breasted Egyptian women.
Elvis applies the above salve to his own crotch, but we don't see the contact (below the camera and he's otherwise fully clothed).
We see footage from some old Elvis movies where he kisses some women (while others show cleavage).
Elvis asks Jack what Marilyn Monroe was "like in the sack." Jack says that's classified, but then adds that between the two of them, "Wow."

SMOKING: We see Elvis with an unlit cigar that he later lights and briefly smokes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We see a young woman who's come to discard her recently dead father's belongings. Elvis notes that she hasn't been there except to drop him off several years ago (and she doesn't seem to be grieving in the slightest).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Mummies.
Ancient Egypt.
Living one's last years in a nursing home.
How history views popular figures.
What Elvis and JFK would have been liked had they lived.
Elvis' comment that old people are seen as worthless or sadly amusing.
Elvis' question, "In the end, does anything really matter?"
We see a scar on back of Jack's head in approximately the same place JFK was shot.

VIOLENCE: A huge scarab beetle scurries across a resident's floor and is then seen coming under the covers at her. She reaches down there, reacts in pain to it biting her (not seen) and pulls out her bloody hand. She then falls from the bed and repeatedly smashes the beetle with an object (with some gooey results when she pulls back the covers). We then see the mummy standing in the shadows in her room. Moments later, Elvis spots the woman in the hallway on the floor at his door asking for help. She's then suddenly yanked away.
Lighter fluid runs into an already lit grill and then explodes, as does a nearby camper.
We hear Elvis' hip crack and see him fall from the stage during a concert (in flashback and with no impact from the fall).
Elvis sees movement under an overturned candy tin on the floor. A huge scarab beetle then leaps out at him and then scurries up a wall. It then comes at him, but he catches it inside a bedpan. When he turns that over, it flies out at him and he falls to the floor. The beetle then scurries at him across the floor. He stabs a fork down into it and then holds it against a portable electric heater, causing the beetle to catch on fire and him to receive a small jolt of electricity.
We briefly see the mummy on top of an elderly resident on the floor.
Two coroners accidentally drop a body in a body bag (nothing happens and it's played for comedy).
We see footage from some old Elvis movies where he punches several people.
The mummy attacks Elvis and the two struggle over his walker (that he uses to push the mummy up against a tree). The mummy then pushes Elvis to the ground. It then backhands Jack from his wheelchair to the ground. He then gets over Jack and prepares to suck his soul from his mouth until Elvis distracts him.
Elvis sprays his rubbing alcohol and gasoline mixture onto the mummy and then sets him on fire. It stumbles around a bit and then collapses.
The mummy attacks Elvis in a motorized wheelchair where both punch each other. Elvis then head-butts the mummy and both tumble down an embankment after the chair goes over it.
The mummy has Elvis by the throat, punches him in the face and then hits him with something else. Elvis then punches the mummy and sets him on fire again (we see it fully engulfed in flames).

Reviewed December 19, 2003 / Posted January 9, 2004

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