Elvira: Mistress of the Dark-Sassy ’80s Fun
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a fun watch with a few surprisingly creepy moments. There is minimal blood and gore, but the double entendre and double, uh, other things abound.
The Premise
Elvira(Cassandra Peterson) has dreams of performing in Vegas. But Vegas costs money, and that’s one thing Elvira hasn’t got.
Enter her late relative, accent on late. He has left her his house, and Elvira soon leaves for Fallwell, Massachusetts to claim her inheritance.
The Town
Fallwell was named after televangelist Jerry Falwell, and with good reason. The town is filled with uptight citizens who hate Elvira based solely on her looks. Jerry was no picnic with people unlike himself, either.
There are a few good folks, especially the teens that look to her as a liberating force from their overly oppressive parents.
There’s also local theater owner Bob(Daniel Greene), who is forced to only play rated G movies by the moral squad. He’s hunky and naïve, just Elvira’s type.
Get yer head outta the gutter! She’s holding the other E from Matinee!
Photo credit: Image Entertainment
And then there’s Chastity Pariah(Edie McClurg). She’s the leader of the town’s moral majority type group, and she would give Dolores Umbridge a run for her money.
Bad Uncle and the Cookbook
Elvira’s evil uncle Vincent(William Morgan Sheppard) wants what she thinks is just a cookbook. It’s actually a book of spells and potions that will render him all powerful and immortal. He offers her fifty dollars for it, and she agrees. Luckily Gronk the dog knows what’s up and hides it until Elvira realizes what it really is.
Photo credit: Image Entertainment
When Elvira does realize its true identity, she uses the cookbook to get revenge on the townspeople. This culminates in her arrest and subsequent sentence of being burned at the stake.
Elvira escapes, but what about her uncle? Will she ever get to Vegas? And what kind of casserole was that?
A Fun Watch, Especially for ’80s Fans
Photo credit: Image Entertainment
This movie parodies a few ’80s tropes, and has a cast of who’s who of ’80s character actors.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is available on streaming services, DVD and Blu-ray.
