Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (film)

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
A woman dressed in black is tied up and about to be burned at the stake
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJames Signorelli
Written by
Produced by
  • Eric Gardner
  • Mark Pierson
Starring
CinematographyHanania Baer
Edited byBattle Davis
Music byJames B. Campbell
Production
companies
Distributed byNew World Pictures
Release date
  • September 30, 1988 (1988-09-30)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$7.5 million[1]
Box office$5.5 million[2]

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli, starring Cassandra Peterson as eccentric horror host Elvira. The film's screenplay, written by Peterson, John Paragon, and Sam Egan,[3] follows Elvira inheriting a house nestled in the heart of an overtly prudish community.

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with Peterson nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actress as well as a Razzie Award for Worst Actress.

The film marked Elvira's big-screen debut, having previously gained notoriety on the Movie Macabre television program. The character subsequently returned to theaters in the 2001 film Elvira's Haunted Hills.

  1. ^ Counts, Kyle (1989). "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  2. ^ Elvira, Mistress of the Dark at Box Office Mojo
  3. ^ Thomas, Kevin (1988-09-30). "'Elvira' Matches Films She Introduces on TV". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-24.