Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness) “gives his greatest and most entertaining performance to date” (Premiere) as an aging and cantankerous “Elvis” in this “zinger-filled crowd-pleaser” (The Hollywood Reporter) from writer-director Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, John Dies At The End)! When mysterious deaths plague a Texas retirement home, it’s up to its most sequined senior citizen to take on a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy with a penchant for cowboy boots, bathroom graffiti and sucking the souls from the barely living!
For thoughts on Bubba Ho-Tep, please check out my piece on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/GklBQOIHPaE?t=55]
Video Quality
Scream Factory presents Bubba Ho-Tep with a really strong 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR and color correction supervised and approved by Director Don Coscarelli. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory six years ago, and until now that transfer has held up as a great presentation of the film. This new jump in format does not provide the night-and-day difference that some transfers offer up, but fans will nonetheless clock the refinement in various aspects of the visuals. There are moments in the movie when we flashback to interactions outside of the retirement home, but a good portion of the action does take place among these nondescript walls. Due to this, you should keep your expectations about being dazzled firmly in check. The greatest compliment we can give to this transfer is that it maintains the original look and artistic intentions of the film.
The sumptuous natural film grain allows for an impressive level of detail and clarity in the production design, the special effects and more. The grain resolves incredibly well with nothing ever feeling overly clumpy even during the murky environments. The texture on display in the mummy makeup, the flashy outfits and within the retirement community are unbelievable at times. The special effects present with excellent clarity that makes the work all the more dynamic. This transfer has done a great job of cleaning up nearly all of the print damage even if a few specks made it through. This presentation preserves the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more immediate and natural.
While this is not a film filled to the brim with vibrant colors, the Dolby Vision presentation shines with its depth and nuance. Much of the film takes place in shadowy environments, even during the daytime as the characters are often stuck indoors. Despite this, there is a host of nuance to be found within this setting along with the more warm looking daytime scenes. The new presentation features some colors in the production design and costumes that pop off the screen. Lighting is an essential part of building the atmosphere of this film and this disc handles every slight environmental change with ease. The black levels are very strong with virtually nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights levels show no evidence of blooming even under intense sunlight. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. In terms of capturing the intended aesthetic of a film, the team at Scream Factory have knocked it out of the park.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with the previously released DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio tracks, both of which serve the movie perfectly well. These tracks do allow for many moments with the immersive sound of the Ho-Tep terrorizing the retirement center. While the track utilizes a dynamic soundscape, this is a more reserved tale than you may remember so don’t expect anything earth shattering. Fidelity holds firm even in the most chaotic set pieces so that sounds never blend into one another. Dialogue comes through with distinct clarity even when competing with other sonic elements. The score holds up well and is used impeccably to establish the mood of the story. There is not much to complain about with this great presentation. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.
Special Features
Disc One (4K UHD)
- Audio Commentary #1: Author Joe R. Lansdale provides a solid commentary track moderated by Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures in which he discusses his initial ideas and influences for this story, what Sun Records means to him, balancing the tone of the film, working with Don Coscarelli and the performers, his involvement with the production and more.
- Audio Commentary #2: Writer/Director Don Coscarelli And Actor Bruce Campbell deliver a commentary track which is jam-packed with great information including the provenance of the newsreel footage, the shooting locations, elements they were discouraged from including in the final cut, the process of applying the makeup, the benefits of shooting at certain film speeds, memories of working with certain performers, the sound design and more.
- Audio Commentary #3: The final audio commentary track is an all-timer as “The King” himself views the film and reacts to it in real time to hilarious effect. Bruce Campbell is a treasure.
Disc Two (Blu-Ray)
- Audio Commentary #1: Author Joe R. Lansdale
- Audio Commentary #2: Writer/Director Don Coscarelli And Actor Bruce Campbell
- Audio Commentary #3: “The King”
- The King Lives! with Bruce Campbell: A 22-minute interview with Campbell in which he discusses what drew him to the project, working with Don Coscarelli, deciding what lines to not cross, memories of Ossie Davis, working on a limited budget, the handmade nature of the feature, the reception of the film and more. Campbell is always enthusiastic when discussing his films, and this is no different.
- All Is Well with Don Coscarelli: A 24-minute interview with Coscarelli in which he discusses stumbling across the work of Joe Lansdale, the challenges of the material, the rejection he faced from the studios, how Sam Raimi suggested Bruce Campell for the lead role, the stunts in the picture, all of the craft departments, the release of the film, the ideas for a sequel and more.
- Mummies and Make-Up with Robert Kurtzman: A nine-minute piece with Kurtzman from KNB in which he discusses his history with Coscarelli, the effects of the weather on the makeup, the ideas behind certain effects and more.
- Deleted Scenes: Three minutes of unused material is provided here with optional audio commentary from Coscarelli and Campbell.
- Footage From Temple Room Floor: A two-minute look at some ancient Egypt shots not used in the film.
- The Making Of Bubba Ho-Tep: A 24-minute look at the production process with various members of the cast and creative team in which they discuss the original source material, raising money for the film, the casting of the film, the shooting locations, filming the concert scenes, the makeup process and more.
- To Make A Mummy – Makeup Effects: A five-minute look at the development of the Ho-Tep character and how they brought him to life in a practical manner.
- Fit For A King – Elvis Costuming: A seven-minute look at the costumes in the film with insights from costume designer Shelley Kay.
- Rock Like An Egyptian – The Music Of Bubba Ho-Tep: A 13-minute look at the original music created for the film by composer Brian Tyler and the inspirations he brought to the feature.
- Joe R. Lansdale Reads From Bubba Ho-Tep: An eight-minute reading of the original story is provided here over stylized imagery from the movie.
- Archival Bruce Campbell Interviews: A 35-minute collection of interviews with Campbell in which he goofs around and discusses the film throughout the release tour.
- Bubba Ho-Tep Filming Locations Then & Now: A 14-minute look at the locations from the movie and how they look from a more modern perspective.
- Bubba Ho-Tep Egyptian Theater Premiere: A three-minute glimpse from the premiere at the Egyptian Theater in which fans discuss their expectations for the film, their love of Bruce Campbell and more.
- Bubba Ho-Tep at Toronto Film Festival: A 31-minute look at the Midnight Mass screening at TIFF featuring both an introduction with Coscarelli and Campbell along with a post-screening Q&A in which they answer questions in a very entertaining manner.
- Music Video: A two-minute music video is provided here featuring clips from the movie and performance footage.
- Photo Gallery: A collection of images are provided from some of the makeup and costume tests, stills from the production and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
- TV Spot: A 32-second TV spot is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Bubba Ho-Tep conjures up certain expectations when you hear about Bruce Campbell playing an aging Elvis who fights an ancient mummy. The film does deliver on its promise, but it also explores some more poignant themes of aging and mortality that are a welcome addition to the genre fare. The film can feel a bit sluggish in its pacing at times, but overall it is a great deal of fun which stands as one of the more memorable turns from Campbell. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a wide-range of special features that are not to be missed. Even if you already own this one on Blu-Ray, this upgrade is worth your money if you are a fan. Recommended
Bubba Ho-Tep (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
