The Bubba Ho-tep Saga
1988
Director Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, The Beastmaster, John Dies at the End) visits now-defunct genre bookstore Dangerous Visions in the San Fernando Valley. Coscarelli asks the clerk for a recommendation. The clerk hands him a book by Texas author Joe R. Lansdale and says “Lansdale always has a high body count.” Coscarelli purchases the book and becomes an immediate fan.
1988
Joe R. Lansdale releases the novel “The Drive In”. Coscarelli gets a copy and is determined to adapt it into a feature length film. For several years he works with Mr. Lansdale to mount a feature film version of The Drive In but their efforts are fruitless
1994
Joe R. Lansdale publishes alternate history novella "Bubba Ho-tep" on August 1, 1994 in the Elvis-themed anthology The King is Dead.
1994
Coscarelli reads Bubba Ho-tep, is intrigued by the story and feels it could inspire a terrific film.
We find the King as an elderly resident in an East Texas rest home, who switched identities with an Elvis impersonator years before his "death", then missed his chance to switch back. Elvis teams up with Jack, a fellow nursing home resident who thinks that he is actually President John F. Kennedy, and the two valiant old codgers sally forth to battle an evil Egyptian entity who has chosen their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds.
Coscarelli options the movie rights from Lansdale. Lansdale thinks it will never be made but later says jokingly “he was happy to take Coscarelli’s money.”
1995
Coscarelli finishes the screenplay to Bubba Ho-tep and submits the script to various studios but finds little interest. The general consensus from the powers that be is nobody will want to spend 90 minutes with two old codgers in a rest home. Coscarelli decides he will produce the film independently but will need the right actor to portray “Elvis” before he can go to investors. Coscarelli has visions that “Elvis” could be portrayed by multiple actors in the film.
1999
Coscarelli receives a voicemail at his office from friend and director Sam Raimi inviting him to a screening of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.
As related in Coscarelli's memoir True Indie: Life and Death in Film, when Coscarelli calls Raimi back they realize they have been pranked and that there is no screening. Raimi asks Coscarelli what project he is working on and he tells him about “Bubba Ho-Tep.” Raimi mentions, “You should talk to Bruce Campbell. He is a fantastic actor”.
Coscarelli's phone rings 10 minutes later and he is surprised to find Campbell on the line saying, "I hear you are making an "Elvis" picture!"
2000
Bruce Campbell is given the script, he reads it and signs on to portray both old and young “Elvis” in Bubba Ho-Tep.
1999
From the start Coscarelli envisioned the role of “JFK” being portrayed by legendary actor, director, author, historian and social activist Ossie Davis.
After numerous attempts to get his agent to give Ossie the script, Coscarelli asks friend and director Mick Garris (who directed Davis in “The Stand”) to write a letter to him on his behalf.
Coscarelli flies to New York City to meet with Mr. Davis and he soon signs on to co-star. Ossie’s agent is quoted as saying “I don’t like your script but my client does.”
2000
Coscarelli attends his son’s high school football game in Downey, CA and discovers it is right next door to the historic and abandoned Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center (formerly Hollydale Hospital.) It is the perfect location for Bubba Ho-tep and the exterior and interiors of the rest home will ultimately be shot there along with many other scenes including the “Elvis” concerts, the Nacogdoches carnival, the “Elvis” trailer explosion and many more. Trusted Coscarelli Phantasm-collaborators production designers Danny Vecchione and Justin Zaharczuk literally move into the abandoned facility to begin converting the decrepit buildings into sets. Visit the film location by following these directions.
2001
In advance of filming, a tutorial session is scheduled with Las Vegas's #1 “Elvis” tribute artist: Tim Welch. As Campbell tells the story, a few minutes into the session the frustrated tutor packs up and declares "You’re on your own, Baby".
Photo via Tim Welch Facebook page.
2001
Production begins on Bubba Ho-Tep. Rounding out the cast includes Phantasm’s Reggie Bannister, Ella Joyce, Larry Pennell, and legendary stunt performer Bob Ivy in the title role as “Bubba Ho-Tep”.
The film would shoot for 3 months at the Downey location on a shoestring budget with a skeleton cast and crew to keep costs low.
2001
Academy Award winning special effects house KNB Effects signs on to create the prosthetics and old age makeup for Bubba Ho-Tep.
Bob Ivy goes on an extreme fast diet to be able to fit into the skeletal Mummy suit.
2001
Costume designer Shelley Kay enlists BK Enterprises, a clothing company that holds the actual patents and trademarks on the actual “Elvis” jumpsuits. After reading the script they agree to assist with the creation of jumpsuits based off of the actual suits.
2001
Writer/director and friend of Coscarelli, Roger Avary, who received the Academy Award for co-writing Pulp Fiction, visits the Bubba Ho-Tep set in Downey.
He falls in love with the location and asks permission from Coscarelli to shoot his upcoming film The Rules of Attraction on the Bubba Ho-Tep sets after production wraps.
Eagle-eyed fans might notice Jessica Beal dancing down a “dorm hallway” the same corridor that “Elvis” and JFK rolled through.
2001
Word goes out online that the Bubba Ho-Tep production crew is seeking extras for the “Elvis” concert scene. Hundreds of horror fans show up to be in the film. The only requirement is to wear clothes from the 70s.
Fun fact! The young Zoe Perry, who would go on to star in television program Young Sheldon was one of those extras. Can you spot her?
2001
Production wraps at the end of 2001.
2001
Coscarelli locks himself in an editing bay for months working on the first cut of Bubba Ho-Tep.
Bubba Ho-Tep was one of the first films to be edited on a Mac computer using Final Cut Pro 1.2. This would soon become industry standard thanks to films like Bubba Ho-Tep and The Rules Of Attraction blazing the trail.
2002
Emerging film composer Brian Tyler signs on to Bubba Ho-Tep, to create the music score. Due to the limited budget he performs every instrument on the soundtrack including guitar, drums, piano/keyboards, bass, and vocals.
Tyler will go on to become one of the top composers in the world scoring blockbusters such as: Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the Fast & Furious franchise.
He refers to Bubba as “Lighting in a bottle.” Stream the soundtrack on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
2002
The final pickup shot for Bubba Ho-tep is filmed in Coscarelli’s backyard and a final edit of the film is locked in May 2002.
2002, Las Vegas
The worldwide premiere of Bubba Ho-tep takes place at the inaugural Cinevegas Film Festival at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. The festival is founded by Sundance programmers Trevor Groth and Mike Plante.
2002, Las Vegas
The Bubba Ho-tep premiere at CineVegas is the hottest ticket of the festival and plays to a sold out audience.
It is the first time the general public sees the film.
The entire cast is in attendance. The audience was laughing so loudly that many lines of dialogue were never heard. The film gets a terrific response and a chorus of cheers erupts that there might be a sequel coming.
2002
The reviews and audience reactions “go viral” from the Cinevegas screening all across the web. The buzz is building at a fever pitch for Bubba Ho-tep online.
2002
During the summer of 2002 and building on the buzz from the Vegas World Premier all the major movie studios host private screenings for their executives of the finished film.
The feedback is all the same. No studio believes an audience would be interested in seeing a film that focuses on the elderly.
2003
Bubba Ho-Tep has its Canadian premiere at the distinguished Toronto International Film Festival to a sold out screening of over 1000 audience members who give the film another incredible ovation.
2003
Bubba has its Los Angeles premiere at of all places - Graumans Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd with the entire cast present.
2003
Coscarelli’s screenplay for Bubba Ho-tep win’s Best Screenplay at HBO’s US Comedy Arts Festival and a Bram Stoker Award in New York City.
2003
Bubba Ho-tep continues its run on the film festival circuit playing more film festivals across the world including SXSW.
As the year goes on, no studio shows interest in releasing the film. The filmmakers are unsure on how to proceed and wonder if the film will ever see the light of the day.
2003
WGN Chicago Radio Host Nick Digilio goes live on his program after seeing a festival screening of Bubba Ho-tep. Digilio calls the film “A significant piece of American cinema” and rants that the film must be seen by a widespread audience.
Coscarelli hears Digilio’s passionate review and decides he will self-distribute the film himself theatrically.
2003
As this is the pre-digital age Coscarelli has to “strike” physical 35mm film prints of Bubba Ho-Tep. He partners with David Shultz of Vitagraph Films and with the advice of mentor Tim League (founder of the Alamo Theater chain) together they book a rolling roadshow of the film in independent theaters across the country. Coscarelli, Bruce Campbell and other actors from the film will attend many of these screenings.
2003
Up and coming Texas artist Aaron Lea designs the one-sheet for Bubba Ho-tep. The poster would be displayed at theaters all across the world. Lea would go on to collaborate with Coscarelli on future projects along with Rob Zombie, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, GHOST and many more. Aaron also designed the original Bubba Ho-tep website. Learn more about Aaron’s art at his official website or on Instagram.
2003
With help from senior producer Brad Baruh, the official theatrical trailer for Bubba Ho-tep premieres on E! News and proceeds to go viral online on the newly started Apple Trailers website.
2003-2004
The initial markets have record sell outs. Bubba Ho-tep becomes a North American theatrical hit.
2004
The film also plays theatrically all across the world delighting international fans.
2004
Fans who stay until the end of the credits notice a special end credit teasing a future Bubba sequel entitled Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires. The internet is abuzz with the possibility of “Elvis” fighting vampires.
What happened? Will it ever see the light of day?
2004
Bubba Ho-Tep is released on DVD by MGM Studios. The disc goes on to be one of the biggest sellers of the year. It features many bonus features including a special commentary by Bruce Campbell as “Sebastian Haff”.
Pictured: The special “Jumpsuit” Edition
2004
Night Shade Books publishes Lansdale’s short story and Coscarelli’s screenplay version in a limited edition book. The book sells out instantly and becomes a hot item on the collector and re-sale market.
2004
A special autographed edition of Brian Tyler’s Bubba Ho-tep soundtrack is released and sells out quickly.
2005
Our beloved President, the legendary Ossie Davis passes away February 4th in Miami, FL. Read Roger Ebert’s obituary here.
2005
Coscarelli adapts another Joe R. Lansdale story, “Incident On And Off A Mountain Road” for the Showtime anthology series Masters of Horror along with directors John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Tobe Hooper and more. “Incident” is selected by Showtime to be the premiere episode.
2016
Shout! Factory releases a Blu-Ray version of Bubba Ho-tep on their Scream Factory imprint.