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...

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

Elvira makes her Big Scream Debut in her Hot New Comedy.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Horror

---

Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Then-unknown Brad Pitt auditioned for one of the teenage boy roles, but Cassandra Peterson thought he was too cute and felt that Elvira would not be interested in Bob if Pitt was one of the teenagers trying to get her. On her casting notes of his audition, she wrote next to his name, "Yum Yum!"

---

Goofs

The signage at the bowling alley spell the character's name as Patti. However, the end credits and closed-captions spell her name as Patty.

---

Quotes

Elvira: [ringing the motel bell] I hate to interrupt this little episode of the Waltons. But can I have a room?
Mrs. Meeker: Okay, but it's cash up from. I know what you pinko heavy metal weirdos do to motel rooms. I read all about it in the Star.

---

Alternate Versions

The widescreen version is actually the regular full screen version but with the top and bottom blacked out. This is proven in the scene were the teenagers are watching Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! at the theater. For the scene were a woman with a shopping cart is running from an oversized tomato, the board with rollers the tomato is sitting on is cut off. As is the shot of Elvira's Elvis T-shirt when she suddenly sits-up from her nightmare. This is because the movie was shot in full screen, and matted for theaters. The extra space in the full screen version is dead space that was never meant to be seen.

---

Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: The Wasp Woman (2015)

---

Soundtracks

New World Symphony
Written by Antonín Dvorák (as Antonin Dvorak)
Performed by Pro Musica Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Hans-Jürgen Walther (as Hans-Jurgen Walther)

User Reviews

Elvira rocks

ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK (1988)

directed by: James Signorelli

starring: Cassandra Peterson, W. Morgan Sheppard, Daniel Greene, and Edie McClurg

plot: Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) quits her TV show and heads to the small Christian town Fallwell, Massachusettes to collect on her dead aunt's inheritance, hoping to make big bucks to open up a show in Vegas. Unfortunately for her, all she gets is a creepy old house, a poodle, and a magic cookbook. While in Fallwell, Elvira tries to make money, breathe some life into the teenagers, win the heart of a stud (Daniel Greene), avoid being burned at the stake, and keep the cookbook from her creepy uncle (W. Morgan Sheppard), who is planning to use the book to end the world.

my thoughts: I love both Cassandra Peterson and her alter-ego Elvira. She is a very successful, beautiful, and funny woman and as Elvira she's all that plus morbid and hilariously naive, not to mention she has an amazing pair of knockers. In this movie, her charms are put to good use.

I loved the whole 'fish out of water' feel to the film. You got Elvira, with her low-cut black dress, her big black hair, and her enormous 'twins', and she's in a Christian town where most of the girls aren't even allowed to wear makeup. This also makes her love story with Bob (Daniel Greene) a lot more entertaining.

W. Morgan Sheppard is equally great as Elvira's uncle/nemesis Vincent, out to steal the book to use it for evil. He has a lot of presence but still doesn't get in the way and steal scenes from Elvira.

What really makes the film is not the plot, but the many jokes. Everything from boob jokes to horror spoofing is here and makes me laugh a lot more than anything from a SCARY MOVIE sequel. I hear there are about 56 boob jokes in this film, and any fan of Roger Corman B-horror flicks will love the spoofing in this film.

If you love Elvira, you will love this flick. Also check out ELVIRA'S HAUNTED HILLS.

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