Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)

Upon arriving in a small town where she has inherited a rundown mansion, a famous horror hostess battles an evil uncle, and townspeople who want her burned at the stake.

Director:

James Signorelli

Writers:

Sam Egan, John Paragon

Stars:

Cassandra Peterson, Phil Rubenstein, Larry Flash Jenkins

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phil Rubenstein	...	Director
Larry Flash Jenkins	...	Technical Director
Cassandra Peterson	...	Elvira (as Elvira)
Damita Jo Freeman	...	Associate Producer
Tress MacNeille	...	Anchorwoman
Edwina Moore	...	Hairdresser
Mario Celario	...	Rudy
Lee McLaughlin	...	Earl Hooter
Bill Swearingen	...	Cameraman
Charles Woolf	...	Manny
Bill Dance	...	Messenger (as William Dance)
William Cort	...	Lawyer / Game Show Host
Sharon Hays	...	Game Show Girl
Bill Cable	...	Cop
John Paragon	...	Gas Station Attendant

Storyline

When a chauvinist millionaire buys the television network where the sexy Elvira is the horror hostess of a late show, she quits her job with the intention of producing her own show in Las Vegas. However, the producers demand 50 thousand dollars from her and Elvira does not have the money. Out of the blue, she receives a telegram informing that her great-aunt Morgana died and she has an inheritance to receive. Elvira drives to the uptight town of Fallwell, Massachusetts, where her convertible breaks down. While repairing her convertible, Elvira inherits an archaic mansion, a recipe book and a poodle. Her great-uncle Vincent Talbot proposes to buy her book, but the poodle hides it in the sofa. Meanwhile, the conservative council of Fallwell feels uncomfortable with Elvira's clothes and behavior and does not let her find a job. But cinema owner Bob Redding and the local teenagers help Elvira. When she decides to cook a dinner to impress Bob, she uses Morgana's recipe and finds that it is...

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Plot Keywords:

inheritance | hostess | black comedy | small town | magic | 

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Taglines:

Here's something you'll want to pick up!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

The comic book that Billy reads is "The Amazing Spider-Man" #299 (Dated April 1988) titled, "Survival of the Hittist!" [sic] Written by David Michelinie and pencils and cover art by Todd McFarlane. At no point in the comic does anyone try to kill Spider-Man with plutonium, the plot actually involves Spider-Man tracking down a secret arms shipment.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the Flashdance sequence, Elvira is wearing high heels, but during the dance, she's clad in flat shoes and standing on her toes.

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Quotes

Elvira: Bloody Mary.
Bartender: No hard liquor served past eight o'clock. Do you want a virgin?
Elvira: Maybe, but, ah... I'll have a couple of drinks first.

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Alternate Versions

Along with the television version, many international theatrical and video versions cut out Elvira's magic trick during the Las Vegas musical number.

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Connections

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

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Soundtracks

I Put a Spell on You
Written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (as Jay Hawkins)
Performed by Joanna St. Claire

User Reviews

The cup(s) of horror runneth over with titillating humor

This movie is simply the best horror-film parody ever made. And it's also just one darned enjoyable flick. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure. True, it is pure cornball, but I have grown to love it, and I watch it regularly every year around Halloween, since (naturally) several channels on TV routinely feature it as part of that select batch of Halloween pictures that just scream for annual broadcasting.

Extremely well filmed (IMHO), I am always really amazed at how nice it is to see it again each year – it holds up well and looks fantastic even today, after 13 years.

From a physical perspective, Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) - with that showgirl figure and that over-the-top tight-fitting black costume - just grabs your attention with both, um, *hands*, from the get go, and never lets go. But there's much more to revel in here than just her physical assets: her acting, her ditzy charm and irreverent risqué sense of humor will just have you lapping it up. In short, you'll just love Elvira from top to bottom (unlike the townies in the story, many of whom decidedly did not take kindly to her sudden arrival in their up-tight little burg in Massachusetts).

This movie is just busting out all over with titillating, slightly off-color humor (or: off-colour humour for those of you on the other side of the Atlantic) from start to finish. There are many funny and memorable lines in this movie of the double-entendre variety; it's hard to keep abreast of them all. (I'd list a few of my racier favorites here, but in the interest of not offending the delicate sensibilities of anyone reading this who is NOT into that sort of humor, well, it might be best for you to just go watch the movie and compile your own list).

I can't say anything bad about this movie at all, except that sadly it does end, and you are left wanting more (of Elvira). LOTS more. Alas, c'est la vie.

Details

Official Sites:

Elvira's Official haunting ground on the Web.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 September 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

Filming Locations:

Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch Mansion - 637 South Lucerne Boulevard, Windsor Square, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,660,041, 2 October 1988

Gross USA:

$5,596,267

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,596,267

Company Credits

Production Co:

NBC Productions, New World Pictures, Panacea Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1