One bourbon, one scotch, and one mav

So after a long, long wait I finally saw Bubba Ho-Tep tonight. It’s playing at the Lamphouse in case you Twin Falls residents want to go -and you should, because it’s really quite incredible.

“They” say that you know an actor is good if you look at their role and don’t see the actor at all. If that’s true, then Bruce Campbell is a lot better actor than anybody gave him credit for. Ever wonder what Elvis would be like if he was 70-something and lived in a shitty Texas rest home? Look no further, because Bruce fucking NAILS Elvis. Reminiscent of Jim Carrey in “Man on the Moon.”

Possible spoilers follow.

In so many cases, a movie fails because it isn’t strong enough in a single area. Either the screenplay is weak and the acting can’t support it enough, or vice-versa. This movie is one of the few that manages to strike right in the middle, bull’s eye. The story is hardly Oscar-worthy, but very interesting nonetheless; the directing is unique; cinematography is nothing less than amazing; soundtrack is phenomenal; acting is superb. If any one of these things had failed, they wouldn’t have created the phenomenon that is this movie. But it works, and works very well.

The movie itself is wonderful little film about Elvis and “JFK” (not really, but very convincing nonetheless) being stuck in this dumpy little rest home where people are basically sent to die. Only some of them are dying before they’re supposed to, and “JFK” starts to figure out why. He throws some hints to Elvis, and they finally decide they have to try and kick this thing’s ass.

Also, throughout the movie you hear Elvis’s inner dialogue about growing old, how he ended up in a dumpy rest home, what he would do differently, how he wishes he could go back and be with his wife and daughter again. Once again, if this had been done even slightly wrong, it would’ve appeared cheezy, like a cheap ploy for sympathy. Between the great writing and Bruce doing such a great job as Elvis, though, you really begin to feel for the character. Hell, by the end of the movie, I was convinced that Bruce should go on a “I Wasn’t Dead, Just Bored” reunion tour as the King of Rock & Roll.

Embarassingly enough, this was also the first time I’d been to the Lamphouse. I really dig that little theatre. I have this odd feeling that I’ll be back there pretty soon (possibly tomorrow, or Sunday, because I really want to see BHT again.)