Elvira Mistress of the Dark 4K (1988) Review
This November, ARROW presents ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK – horrorland’s hostess with the mostest played by Cassandra Peterson – as it finally busts out in a brand new 4K restoration!
Campy, quirky, and stuffed to the brim with more double entendres than your average CARRY-ON movie, the 1988 film helped solidify the Elvira as a major pop culture icon, here owning every inch of the screen with her quick wit, sass, and of course, that rather enhancing gown!
Having just quit her job as a Los Angeles TV horror hostess, Elvira receives the unexpected news that she’s set to inherit part of her great aunt Morgana’s estate. Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts to claim her inheritance, Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals – amongst them, her sinister uncle Vincent, who, unbeknownst to Elvira, is in fact an evil warlock secretly scheming to steal the old family spell book for his own nefarious ends…
Directed by James Signorelli horror comedy ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK was the first big screen outing for Cassandra Peterson playing her successful persona horror-goth Elvira from TV’s MOVIE MACABRE. Peterson co-wrote the screenplay with John Paragon and Sam Egan, and its slight tale is a showcase for the actor to do what she does best, jiggle her ample cleavage and make snarly quips and double-entendres.
Receiving mixed reviews from critic and disappointing at the box-office the film still went on to have a belated sequel fourteen years later, ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS. Peterson was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actress and paradoxically also received a Razzie Award for Worst Actress (you missed the point of her performance there Razzie-award nominators), losing out to Liza Minelli for the godawful combo of ARTHUR 2: ON THE ROCKS and RENT-A-COP.
Whilst ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK does not always get the intended laughs; it still endears itself to you buoyed along by Peterson’s kooky charm. It’s good-natured and it’s fun and fun is not something that is abundance in any form of late so revisiting this made for a welcome return to when life was simpler, and the world felt less confused. Edie McClurg, so good in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF and PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES, clearly relishes playing the town meanie and Daniel Greene, as hunk Bob Redding, nails the naivety that the role calls for, as well as providing eye candy for those so inclined.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is available on ARROW and in Limited Edition 4K UHD from 11th November.