Customer Reviews

Elvira Mistress of the Dark [VHS]

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The lovely Cassandra Peterson dons her famous black dress and wig for the big screen in this hilarious 1988 cult-camp-comedy-classic, and the result is a good time for all! Well, maybe not ALL. Naturally, the humor can get a bit racy, though it's a far cry from today's downright shameless standards! In "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark," Cassandra reprises her legendary TV horror hostess role as the character comes to a turning point in her career. Frustrated with an unsatisfying job and blatant sexual harassment from her new boss, the always intrepid Elvira drops everything to pursue her dream of doing her own show in Las Vegas. She THINKS her agent has arranged everything, but gets a rude awakening when she discovers that SHE must come up with fifty thousand dollars to secure the theater. With perfect timing, a message arrives with news of Elvira's mysterious great aunt's sudden passing and requesting her presence at the reading of the will. Elvira's hope is restored, and she packs her bags and hits the road to Massachusetts!

Unfortunately, once Elvira arrives in the small Rockwellian town to which she has been summoned, she discovers that she has only inherited a house, a book, and a dog, none of which she has any use for. Things are only made worse by the fact that the local townsfolk do not want her around; that is, all except for the teenagers who admire her and the men who desire her. In-between fending off unwanted advances and worrying about how she can make worthless lemons into profitable lemonade, Elvira somehow finds the time to take the local kids under her wing and pursue the naive town beefcake as well. In fact, she develops one ingenious solution to bring all of her pet projects together: Putting on a late-night movie show for the kids at her beau's downtown movie theater! The forces seem to be against our heroine, however, in the form of the unfriendly locals. But, the danger of them ruining her show is the least of her worries! Little does Elvira know that her newly discovered Uncle Vincent is a villainous warlock with designs on acquiring her new spell-book, which Elvira thinks is nothing more than a book of exotic cooking recipes! If she's going to save the world, her dreams of stardom, and herself, Elvira will have to discover her true birthright as "Mistress of the Dark!"

"Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" is great campy fun in the true spirit of Cassandra Peterson's beloved television icon! The beautiful prima donna with gothic good-looks and a sharp, wicked, yet well-intentioned and sometimes surprisingly bubbly personality transfers successfully to the big screen thanks to the overflowing talent and charm of the stunning Miss Peterson, who effortlessly carries the film from beginning to end. No question about it, this film is ALL about Elvira, and that's a good thing! Familiar faces dot the cast, and the acting skills vary, but in a goofy, goodtime comedy like this, it all works well together! So, if you are a fond fan like me, or if you are just plain curious, pick up a copy to see this cult-classic for yourself! Great for viewing around Halloween or pretty much anytime! Personally, I recommend (and own) the double-sided DVD with "Transylvania 6-5000" on the flipside; Two great Monster comedies, practically for the price of one! That one includes trailers and a thorough, readable bio on Cassandra Peterson. Most likely, this version includes the same extras, though Amazon does not mention the trailers. Sadly, nowhere to be found is the short behind the scenes segment I seem to remember at the end of my old VHS version (which I no longer have). Nevertheless, this widescreen DVD is fantastic fun and you should pick it up right away! I can't think of anyone who would be more fun to party with on Halloween than Elvira, Mistress of the Dark!

Cassandra Peterson stars as everyone's favourite campy horror hostess Elvira, in her debut starring film ELVIRA MISTRESS OF THE DARK. Filled with the kind of cornball fun that only she can provide, the movie is a laugh-a-minute campfest.

Fired from her late-night Public Access television show, Elvira gets another chance at fame and fortune when her long-lost Great Aunt Morgana dies and leaves her as the sole heir of the will. It's off to the small G-rated town of Falwell (get it?!), where Elvira soon finds herself a duck out of water in a community full of dim-witted yokels, led by Chastity Pariah (Edie McClurg).

Can Elvira manage to save her skin--before the town morality leaders decide to burn her as a witch? And what the heck was the "secret ingrediant" in Elvira's casserole?!

ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK is full of the same fun and campy good humour that marked her appearances hosting "Elvira's Movie Macabre" on television. She has an instantly appealing comedy style and holds the entire film together with her zany character. The cast also includes William Morgan Shepperd, Susan Kellerman, Jeff Conaway, Daniel Greene and Pat Crawford-Brown.

The DVD from Anchor Bay includes a great new anamorphic print (with 5.1 Chace Digital sound mix); plus bonus Cassandra Peterson bio pages and trailers.

(Single-sided, single-layer disc).

Dispite what Leonard Maltin has to say about this film, Elvira's huge, uh, ratings proves that she is definately no slouch when it comes to making a great comedy. Weither you are young or old, Elvira is one person you just gotta love. A great send-up to old horror movies, and a few recent pop-culture favorites, this movie doesn't miss a beat. From Elvira's failed attempt at cooking to her standing ovulation Flashdance number, you just have to laugh. Starring as a bored Horror Hostess on a local syndicated network, Elvira soon discovers that she has an inheritance from a long lost aunt. She leaves her crummy job and sets out to find her fortune. Little does she know she's inherited more than she's bargained for. Like the knowledge that she's decended from a major mata-physical celebrity! From then on she must contend with an evil sorcerous uncle, a shy hunky local, a jealous girl named Patty and a nosey gossip who's catty, all while trying to keep up that gorgeous do! (Try saying THAT three times fast.) Watch this movie and you'll agree, Elvira is just too funny for words.

Camp is the best word to describe this film. Camp just oozes from every moment of Elvira's film debut. From the outrageous costumes, hilarious one liners and double entendras, simplistic characters and flimsy plot, this films greatest desire is to shock you into laughter. Thankfully, it succeedes in spades.

After only having a bad VHS copy for years I was amazed at how clear and crisp the image on this DVD is. I found myslef wondering if restoration had been done on the image since blacks are so deep and colors are so vibrant. Even the special effects seem more real. Thank goodness it's all presented in widescreen, so you can enjoy all the crisp images.

Bonus wise, the disk is pretty skimpy, but what's offered is great. The teaser and trailer are suprisingly thight and funny and I found the bio on Cassandra Patterson quite informative. Keep your eyes open for an easter egg or two!

If you like Camp, sexual plays on words and double entendras, you can't do much better than Elvira. Three cheers for her big opening!

I recently had the chance to see the movie Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. I was expecting pure camp but the camp had a ribbon of intelligent plot running through it. In the movie Elvira plays her television persona and takes it to the extreme.

After shooting an episode of her show Elvira meets the new station owner who provides a little harassment and drives her to quit on the spot. Elvira's dream is to perform in Las Vegas. She has the offer but finds out she has to provide fifty grand as insurance against the show's possible failure. She does not have the money. Then a telegram arrives informing her that a great-aunt out East has just passed away and she is named in the will. So off she goes to Massachusetts.

Once at her destination she finds she is in a small, straight-laced town of seemingly high moral standards. She is no more happy staying there than the town is. But when the will is read she finds she has inherited a house, a dog and a recipe book. There was no money and for some reason an uncle wants the book. Thinking the book is just a bunch of recipes she tries some out not realizing that she is casting spells. The book is actually the key to being the master of the dark. Her aunt had represented the side of good while her uncle the side of evil.

At the uncle's urging Elvira is convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to being burned at the stake. She manages to use her natural magic abilities to escape just in time to stop her evil uncle. The townsfolk thank her for what she has done and ask her to stay. As her uncle's only heir she gets the money she needs for her Vegas debut. The movie ends with her successful opening and the attainment of her dream.

The film is full of Elvira's style of camp, innuendo and double entendre. If you can accept that such a character could be then the plot makes plenty of sense. It was an enjoyable movie with a strong fish-out-of-water theme that has been successful in so many films. The film is also peppered with some great classic rock such as Screaming J. Hawkins's I Put a Spell on You thus making the an enjoyable framework for the action.

Arrgghh! How dare Amazon not have this great campy film in stock? Please check in by Halloween, which is the best time to see the film.

More hilarious and sexy than scary and ghostly, Elvira is a great fictional character that is a reviewer of bad b horror movies who just happens to find herself visiting a small highly moral town to see if she has inherited anything form a dead relative. Of course, the woman with big assets and a small dress causes wackiness to ensue as she gets a haunted house with an eerie book in the will along with a an evil uncle, an ultra conservative manic (played awesomely by Edie McClurg). Through in a love interest and a slew of teenagers that lovely the dark lady's campy shtick and you have got yourself a hell of a movie. The story is not an original at all and the witty comebacks give a chuckle or two, but it is the main character of Elvira that shines the brightest.

The movie is a funny little thing and is over the top at best. Elvira just is powerful on the screen and manages to make you fall in love with that weirdo that introduces bad horror movies on cable. A very funny film that can be enjoyed by all. Please check back close to Halloween because I'm sure that the film distributor will wake up and realize what a fabulous little thing they have sales wise here. Please give it a chance

By the way, I'm sure that you all no that Elvira is not real. Sorry. She is played by Cassandra Peterson, who is also one of the writers of those jokes. It is also wroth mentioning that there are videos of Elvira reviewing bad movies, which are incredible fun. Good night, boils and ghouls.

Cassandra Peterson originally created Elvira as the television hostess of late-night horror films, and when the character proved unexpectedly popular she suddenly found herself doing everything from beer commercials to spots on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She reached the peak of her popularity in the late 1980s, and the film ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK was the result.

The plot is flyweight. Television horror film hostess Elvira dreams of success in Las Vegas. When her great aunt dies, she travels to New England in hopes that the estate will provide enough money to back a stage show; she is disappointed to find she has inherited a rundown house, a poodle, and an old book. It happens that the town is puritanical beyond all description, and she provokes righteous indignation everywhere she goes. It also happens that her great uncle is secretly an evil warlock and very intent on laying hands on "the old book." Throw in a few teenagers, a stud muffin, and a hateful woman with falsies and there you go.

No one would accuse it of being a cinematic masterpiece, and it does drag now and then. But Cassandra Peterson demonstrates tremendous flair from start to finish: squirmy, sexy, and mixing lowbrow humor with flashes of sharp comedy, she dances through the film like a ringmaster in a circus of corny and often self-mocking jokes. From a FLASHDANCE disaster to witchcraft craziness, she is never less than wildly entertaining. It's a tremendous amount of fun, and the film's conclusion even manages to generate considerable suspense. Will Elvira best her evil uncle and save the day? Well, I don't want to give anything away, so let's just say you'll have a lot of fun finding out.

DVD quality is okay and there's little in the way of bonus material, but if you're in the mood for something silly this one is sure to answer the urge. And if you've never seen tassle-twirling, you're in for a treat. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Sure, the plot heavily relies on raunch and horror and at times comes across like The Addams Family meets Melrose Place, but Elvira emerges as an unlikely heroine for women in this film.

While much of her success has been written as stemming from her physical endowments, and this film also highlights them, it also focuses on her resourcefullness and her willingness to stand up for what she honestly believes in.

Passivity is not in her genes either as she displays her (admirable) attitude when faced with judgemental and bigoted people or defends herself against lecherous men who can't keep their hands to themselves.

There is no way she is going to let the town bigots rain on her parade and she is going to do her own thing regardless of whatever they want. Elvira even makes it a point to stand up for the rights of the repressed kids in the town and takes the granddaughter of a motel owner under her wing.

Finally, the link to her mother Davana and voice urging her to "use the power" to free herself from danger speaks of women's history, however jumbled. Elvira is really one link in a long string of the original powerful and independent woman--the witch!!

Sure, it's not the most realistic plot in the world, but Ms. Peterson's alter ego is a liberated woman who does not take garbage from any other character in the film and makes it clear that she is not subservient to men.

The magnetism radiated from Elvira, drawing her legions of devoted admirers, has a primordial quality. With her lengthy, well-toned figure, large-bust, innocuously mischievous attitude and grab-bag lexicon of me-generation valley slang, the character of Elvira has a universal and timeless appeal. As an aspiring folklorist and an individual deeply interested in the structure of storytelling, it is evident that the Elvira persona has certain archetypal elements that help to make the character more than the sum of her corny one-liners and large chest. As initiated from the manner in which the children of the town react to her, she represents the deep adolescent fantasy for an experienced woman whom can connect to them of their level: a strange mixture of one-dimensional romantic yearning, boyish sexual craving and the desire for non-threateningly lighthearted fun. She symbolizes an undeveloped ideal of womanhood perfected for the boys and a source of strength for the girls of the town. The other adults have trouble with her for the same reasons. In the end, however, her film cannot move pass its more campy ingredients. The end result is that while Elvira is infinitely interesting, her film is limited by how weak a showcase it is for her talents. Nearly everything is tailored to an adolescent mindset and although it is a straightforward comedy, only those who can still process information with the mind of a young person will be able to enjoy the nonsense. Fortunately, I have such ability and found the film to be a delightful charmer.

Best Quote:
Bob Redding: How's your head?
Elvira: I haven't had any complaints.

Don't listen to 'Old Man Maltin'. ELVIRA-Mistress of the Dark is a campy delight with it's tongue implanted firmly in cheek. Sure, Cassandra Peterson makes fun of her bust, but why fight the obvious? The staunchy small town citizens are equally hilarious with Edie McClurg and the woman that owns the motel (Shutup Lester!). Complete with a nasty arch-rival, and teenagers this is like a sexy Scooby-Doo movie, but unlike Scooby-Doo, this is good.