Watch "Bubba Ho Tep" with Elvis' commentary

[ForrestGump]

It's a true classic. I've only seen the film once and, when I finally got it from my storage, a year after I viewed it for the first time before storing it, I was keen to watch it again. I peeked through the menus and decided to check out Bruce Campbell's commentary, with him in character as Elvis. Only trouble was that I couldn't stop watching it that way and go back to just watch the movie because the commentary track is so brilliant. The film is great, but the commentary is probably several times funnier.

Bruce does a great job, too, as Elvis -- he's does the voice very well and even the speech patterns and word choice and usage are pretty good. I know Elvis' off-stage voice and I have to say that Bruce may have nailed it like no other actor, except perhaps Kurt Russell. And to keep that up for the length of the film is quite a feat. He also displays a good knowledge of Elvis minutiae. He even sings a few songs.

But the fun begins with 'Elvis' trying to figure out what kind of film it is and critiquing Bruce Campbell's appearance. The central idea and the running gag is that the voiceover Elvis is not Bruce Campbell (he's the real Elvis who actually did survive 1977 and not only survived to today but is doing fine and whipped back into shape) and that he's at turns shocked, dismayed, and happy with various developments in the story, the tone of the film, and the actors and director. He's also full of stuff like "now, what's this fella here doing?" and reminiscing about his own days making movies. He even receives a few calls on his cell 'phone during the film. It's utterly perfect and I am filled with awe at the breadth and depth of Bruce Campbell's talent.

If you're familiar with the stellar in-character commentary by Spinal Tap in the DVD release of This Is Spinal Tap, this one's pretty similar and, like the superb Spinal Tap set, effectively provides a second feature-length piece of entertainment (Spinal Tap also has so many deleted scenes strung together that there's basically a second movie in the set, too).

So if you've got Bubba Ho Tep in your DVD collection, or rent or borrow it, check out Bruce's commentary if you haven't already. It's pure gold. Hilarious but also very, very well done with a lot of subtleties that'll fly over the heads of some people.

[thatgemguy]

1. A great film

"Bubba Ho Tep" IS a classic.

Just rented "Shawn of the Dead" over the weekend, another very good flick, contained many veiled references to George Romero and his movies.

Why does Hollywood have problems? Could it be that the major studios have no vision? Do we really need a remake of "Dukes of Hazzard" or any other of the second rate TV crap???

[ForrestGump]

3. I realize that Hollywood's always produced a fair amount of dreck...

...but it seems that these days they're really struggling for ideas. It's so expensive to make and distribute features now that maybe they're taking fewer risks, but they're also contracting the bulk of Hollywood output down to ultra-derivative junk. Now and then an occasional good one slips through, but it really does seem that things are sliding downhil -- and I'm not talking about 'art' films and the like, or Oscar-destined heavy dramas but the kind of less-heavy entertainment that I've taken refuge in, for the most part, since grad school overloaded my seriousness circuits.

Gonna check out this Shaun of the Dead thing... :-)

[PittPoliSci]

2. i haven't watched any of the special features...

but i've owned it since it came out. I will definetly have to do that sometime! thanks!! :-)