Elvira is having a moment and we could not be more excited. Only a few weeks ago the iconic horror hostess celebrated her 40th anniversary with a “very scary, very special” special thanks to the good folks at Shudder. This follows the thorough examination we gave her big-screen debut Elvira, Mistress of the Dark last year when it was given a lavish new Blu-Ray. Now, the team over at Scream Factory are making all of our dreams come true with the Blu-Ray debut of her follow-up feature Elvira’s Haunted Hills featuring a stunning new 4K restoration. This cinematic excursion took over a decade to get going after the original 1988 feature. With no studios beating down the door, Elvira star Cassandra Peterson and company scraped together to independently produce this throwback tale in the appropriately creepy Transylvania. While it was able to play a few festivals in 2001, it ultimately was relegated to a straight-to-video title in 2002. This film has always been underestimated, but it is about time for it to get the respect it has always deserved. You simply do not ignore the Mistress of the Dark.
While the original Mistress of the Dark found the titular figure in the modern era, Elvira’s Haunted Hills takes a decidedly different approach. We first find Elvira and her maidservant Zou Zou (Mary Jo Smith) in 1851 in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. In typical Elvira fashion, she is in a tight spot as a fearsome innkeeper is violently attempting to collect some money they simply do not have. The two are attempting to make it to perform in the Parisian Revue “Yes I Can Can,” and they just narrowly escape before soon landing in another cauldron of hot water. Never taking the advice to not ride in strange carriages, they soon find themselves “rescued” by Dr. Bradley Bradley (Scott Atkinson) who takes them to stay at Castle Hellsubus. It does not take long for Elvira to learn she bears an uncanny resemblance to the long-dead wife of his Lordship the Count Vladimere Hellsubus (Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Picture Show). Of course, there is a family curse, and some untrustworthy residents, which threaten her mortality, but Elvira may just have all of the (um) assets to keep her alive.
The first thing you see when the credits start rolling is a dedication to the late, great Vincent Price. This movie was made specifically as a lighthearted love letter to the Edgar Allan Poe adaptations from Roger Corman and Vincent Price such as The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tomb of Ligeia and House of Usher. While the jokes are dealing in Elvira’s high-camp register, the respect Peterson and company have for these films is no laughing matter. With a budget of only around $1 million dollars, it is quite incredible how accurate the set design, costumes and recreations of iconic sequences are to the original material. Like the great Mel Brooks before him, director Sam Irvin films these sequences as if he was back in the 1960s with the big personality of Elvira thrown into the mix. Although, she is not the only big personality in the picture; straight men are hard to come by with a very French maid, a constantly shrieking Lady of the Castle (Mary Scheer), a similarly fainting woman (Heather Hopper), and a handsome stable hand whose inability to speak English is used to hilarious effect. This is a film turned up to eleven.
Does every joke land? Absolutely not! The sheer ferocity with which jokes are hurled at the audience can be a bit overwhelming, but that is part of the film’s intentionally cheesy charm. You know when you come to an Elvira film that you are going to get an endless series of boob jokes (direct references, pratfalls involving a man burying his face in her cleavage, visual gags, etc). Peterson punctuates these moments with the knowing patter of a seasoned Vegas comedian. There are plenty of self-referential gags such as maintaining a family friendly rating which will elicit a few chuckles. The film is not a laugh riot by any means, but it is a good deal of spirited fun which will hit home especially with those who love the classic films to which they are paying homage. If you know Elvira, you know she is as broad as they come. If you love her style, this film utilizes it very well and serves as a worthy addition to her feature output. There is always a need for more enjoyable Halloween fare to add into rotation.
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Scream Factory rescues Elvira’s Haunted Hills from the land of standard definition with a stunning new 4K scan of the original camera negative in an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The film has a very pleasing grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the classic production design of the castle. The practical effects of some of the shenanigans hold up well under the scrutiny of high definition. The digital effects employed in the film can look very dated by today’s standards, but it is accurate to the original look of the film. Skin tones look natural with a nice amount of details even in medium shots. Colors pop off the screen nicely, especially in the reds of the curtains. Black levels hold up pretty great with some admirable depth to the image. Scream Factory has done a great service for fans of the film with this impressive new transfer.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that opens up this world in a pretty pleasing way sonically. Each new scene employs distinct sounds that radiate through the surrounds to provide some excellent ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately placed so that nothing ever feels off. Dialogue sounds perfectly clear without sound effects or the score trouncing on important information. The exaggerated sound effects stemming from kinetic sequences are given the appropriate weight within the mix. The subwoofer is given a subtle workout with more of a presence in the climactic set pieces. The soundtrack comes through forcefully without trodding over the other more subtle elements. This is a well-done, balanced mix.
Special Features
- Introduction by Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark: A new five-minute introduction from Elvira welcoming you to this new disc while cracking some of her typical jokes. This plays automatically with the film while also being available under the Bonus tab.
- Audio Commentary: Actors Cassandra Peterson, Mary Scheer, Mary Jo Smith And Scott Atkinson, And Director Sam Irvin deliver a very fun and informative commentary track. Throughout this they discuss their experiences developing the picture, shooting in Romania, various allergies, inspirations from other films, the shooting locations, dangerous stunts, scenes they wish they would have removed from the film and so much more. The participants are having a blast which makes it a joy to listen to.
- Transylvania Or Bust: A vintage nearly 29-minute featurette in which the cast and crew reveal all of the secrets about the film including the challenges of independently producing it, finding a crew in Transylvania, finding the right director, the unique process of casting the feature, the bonding on set, embracing the non-English speaking cast members for laughs, memories from the production and more.
- The Making Of Elvira’s Haunted Hills: A 22-minute vintage featurette which drills down more into the production including the construction of the lavish sets, the special effects, scenes that did not go quite as planned, the perils of getting too close to the pendulum and more.
- Elvira In Romania: A 47-minute vintage featurette in which Elvira is followed around Romania while being interviewed and visiting some tourist spots to interact with some of the locals. There are a lot of protracted moments of moments being set up, but there are some amusing things included here.
- Interview with Co-Star Richard O’Brien: A six-minute vintage featurette in which O’Brien discusses the unique place that is Transylvania, the dialogue in the film, the inspirations for the story, his character and more.
- Trailers: Two trailers totaling four minutes are included here.
- Outtakes: A minute-long collection of flubbed lines that are pretty amusing.
- Still Gallery: Two minutes of behind-the-scenes photos are included here.
Final Thoughts
Elvira’s Haunted Hills is not for everyone, but those who share a soft spot for the iconic horror hostess are sure to have a blast with it. The film is full of cheesy gags and one-liners, but it is pulled off with a knowing wink and a playful energy that is infectious. Most of all, the film will warm the hearts of those who know and love the gothic 1960s horror tales from the great Vincent Price to which this film owes its existence. Scream Factory has released a Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and some cool special features all in a sturdy slip box that is stunning in person. This is the perfect addition to your Halloween rotation. Highly Recommended
Elvira’s Haunted Hills (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
