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Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for Elvira, Mistress of the Dark PG-13 1988 1h 36m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
58% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The cult-movie TV hostess (Phil Rubenstein) inherits an old New England house, a poodle and a black-magic cookbook.
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Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

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Critics Consensus

A gothic, campy, raunchy comedy elevated by Cassandra Peterson's iconic persona yet driven off course by one-note jokes, this isn't the best — or worst — introduction to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

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Critics Reviews

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Anton Bitel Little White Lies 12/11/2018
Elvira is all sarky, smutty sex positivity, making a prominent display of her two best assets: her verbal wit, and her ability to laugh at everything and everyone including, first and foremost, herself. Go to Full Review
Time Out 01/26/2006
A predictable plot and cheapskate effects deaden Elvira's occasional witty lines, while references to the horror genre make the film busy without going anywhere. Go to Full Review
Caryn James New York Times 05/20/2003
2/5
There are only a couple of fresh and funny moments. Go to Full Review
Kat Halstead Common Sense Media 11/13/2024
It may fall into the "so bad it's good" category—it even won a Razzie—but this cult horror comedy is smarter than it first appears. Go to Full Review
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast 11/03/2022
4/5
Utterly delightful, with a very committed Cassandra Peterson delivering an all-time-great goofball performance. Go to Full Review
Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast 11/02/2022
4/5
A hilarious and witty send-up of small town puritanical values with stand-out performances by Peterson and MVP McClurg. Elvira is a sex-positive feminist icon and this film deserves way more credit in horror comedy circles. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Ian N Aug 22 Such a classic, loved watching it again. I was into it when I was younger, but now with a bit more maturity it hits even better. Super funny and a blast to watch. Honestly, it kind of shaped my personality. See more Nick O May 26 Feels like Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, except darker, sexier and with way more monsters! Elvira is still to this day the reining goddess of late night movie hosts and this flick just cements that into horror history. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Apr 6 Filme bacana, o roteiro é bacaninha, as cenas são bacanas, a história é bacaninha, o elenco é bom, e alguns ajudam a melhorar o filme, principalmente a Elvira que melhora o filme, os personagens são bons, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores, o filme ainda colocou um pouco de sexualização, que foi bom para o filme, com tudo isso, eu recomendo esse filme. See more Melissa M Mar 29 Some moments in the movie that are LOL. is when Chastity Pariah has her morality picnic & Elvira unknowingly makes a devilishly delicious dish that turns the picnic into dirty dancing. And when Elvira does a parody of Flashdance. It's very cheeky. The movie has some originality to it. For instance : Elvira's familiar is a dog & not a cat. In most cases it's usually a feline. When Elvira is going to be burned at the stake & she uses her ring to start a rainstorm to put the fire out. When the local kids in town help her to fix house she inherited. When it's finished it looks like something Rainbow Brite would live in. The explanation of Elvira's family heritage. There are some parts that have been done dozens of times before: Like the part with the exploding gas station. It's one of the few films where the soundtrack is as good as the movie. This film is definitely a fan favorite. And the perfect movie for those who are just discovering Elvira. Unpleasant dreams. See more Ralph R 11/30/2024 Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a hilariously campy comedy that doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s what makes it so much fun. Cassandra Peterson shines as Elvira, delivering sharp one-liners and an unapologetically bold performance that carries the film. The story of Elvira shaking up a small conservative town is filled with outrageous humor, cheesy effects, and a good-hearted message about staying true to yourself. It’s silly, self-aware, and endlessly entertaining. Perfect for anyone looking for a lighthearted, laugh-out-loud good time. See more Jonathan O 10/13/2024 This is Elvira's huge 😏 horror comedy moment and is really funny she acts very well and funny and great special effects and tongue and cheek to old horror films and if you love Elvira and Elvira's restaurant at Claremont California y'all gonna love it. See more Read all reviews
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

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Movie Info

Synopsis The cult-movie TV hostess (Phil Rubenstein) inherits an old New England house, a poodle and a black-magic cookbook.
Director
James Signorelli
Producer
Eric Gardner, Marc Pierson
Screenwriter
Sam Egan, John Paragon, Cassandra Peterson
Production Co
Queen B Productions, New World Pictures, Panacea Entertainment, NBC Productions
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.1M
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
Surround
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