Elvira, Mistress of the Dark: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
 
(11 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
{{quote|'''Perry:''' ''Elvira -- Mistress of the Dark!''
{{quote|'''Perry:''' ''Elvira -- Mistress of the Dark!''
'''Jimmy:''' She's a little scary to me, boss.
'''Jimmy:''' She's a little scary to me, boss.
'''Perry:''' Not to me, son. She's the reason I've seen ''[[The Return of Godzilla|Godzilla]]'' [[Saw Star Wars 27 Times|a hundred and sixteen times.]] |''[[Lois and Clark]]'', "Fly Hard"}}
'''Perry:''' Not to me, son. She's the reason I've seen ''[[The Return of Godzilla|Godzilla]]'' [[Saw Star Wars 27 Times|a hundred and sixteen times.]]
|''[[Lois and Clark]]'', "Fly Hard"}}


When you hear the name 'Elvira' only one person comes to mind... quick witted [[Valley Girl|valley-girl]], Halloween icon, and quintessential symbol of all things spooky: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
When you hear the name "Elvira" only one person comes to mind... quick witted [[Valley Girl|valley-girl]], Halloween icon, and quintessential symbol of all things spooky: '''Elvira, Mistress of the Dark'''.


Back in 1981, Elvira became the first nationally syndicated horror host and has emerged as one of the most original and outrageous characters in popular culture, resulting in a large cult following. The movies featured on Elvira's Movie Macabre, her first show, were always B grade (or lower) and Elvira often enjoyed interrupting the movie to lampoon the actors, the script, and the bad editing.
Back in 1981, Elvira (portrayed by actress Cassandra Peterson) became the first nationally syndicated horror host and has emerged as one of the most original and outrageous characters in popular culture, resulting in a large cult following. The movies featured on Elvira's Movie Macabre, her first show, were always B grade (or lower) and Elvira often enjoyed interrupting the movie to lampoon the actors, the script, and the bad editing.


Elvira's reign as 'Queen of Halloween' has now{{when}} spanned over thirty years and includes two feature films, an IMAX film and 2 motion control rides. She has appeared in National ad campaigns for Pepsi and Coors, recorded 5 music CDs, published 4 books and licensed over 400 products, including 2 Bally pinball machines, BC Rich guitars, 3 comic book series, Elvira’s ‘Night Brew’ beer, ‘Evil’ perfume and a slot machines from IGT. Elvira also boasts the best selling female costume of all time.
Elvira's reign as "Queen of Halloween" has spanned four decades (as of 2021) and includes two feature films, an IMAX film and 2 motion control rides. She has appeared in National ad campaigns for Pepsi and Coors, recorded 5 music CDs, published 4 books and licensed over 400 products, including two Bally pinball machines, BC Rich guitars, three comic book series, Elvira’s ‘Night Brew’ beer, ‘Evil’ perfume and a slot machines from IGT. Elvira also boasts the best selling female costume of all time.


----
----
Line 16: Line 17:
== Mistress herself: ==
== Mistress herself: ==
* [[Absolute Cleavage]]
* [[Absolute Cleavage]]
* [[Actor-Role Confusion]]: Peterson wrote in her memoirs that this happens to her more than she'd like.
* [[Annoying Laugh]]
* [[Annoying Laugh]]
* [[Beehive Hairdo]]
* [[Beehive Hairdo]]
* [[Catch Phrase]]: "Unpleasant dreams!"
* [[Catch Phrase]]: "Unpleasant dreams!"
* [[Captain Ersatz]]: The show was originally going to be a remake of a similar show with a similar host named Vampira, who was played by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maila_Nurmi Nurmi] (whom she herself claimed was based on [[The Addams Family| Morticia Addams]]); Nurmi worked on the new project for a while, but quit when the producers hired Peterson to play the role rather than the actress Nurmi recommended. Since Nurmi still owned the rights to Vampira's name and likeness, the character was altered into, well, Elvira. Nurmi would later go so far as to file a lawsuit against Peterson claiming plagiarism, which was eventually dropped.
* [[Captain Ersatz]]: The show was originally going to be a remake of a similar show with a similar host named Vampira, who was played by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maila_Nurmi Nurmi] (whom Nurmi claimed was based on [[The Addams Family|Morticia Addams]]); Nurmi worked on the new project for a while, but quit when the producers hired Peterson to play the role rather than the actress Nurmi recommended. Since Nurmi still owned the rights to Vampira's name and likeness, the character was altered into, well, Elvira. Nurmi would later go so far as to file a lawsuit against Peterson claiming plagiarism, which was eventually dropped.
* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Part of her humor was giving snarky commentary on the movies she was hosting, predating a similar routine on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' by several years.
* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Part of her humor was giving snarky commentary on the movies she was hosting, predating a similar routine on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' by several years.
* [[Did You Just Romance Cthulhu?]] Denies worshipping the Devil, but admits to dating him once.
* [[Did You Just Romance Cthulhu?]]: Denies worshipping the Devil, but admits to dating him once.
* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]: Especially the men in her movies.
* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]: Especially the men in her movies.
* [[Double Entendre]]: Constant references to pumpkins was a [[Running Gag]].
* [[Double Entendre]]: Constant references to pumpkins was a [[Running Gag]].
Line 29: Line 31:
* [[Hot Witch]]
* [[Hot Witch]]
* [[Ms. Fanservice]]
* [[Ms. Fanservice]]
* [[Not Using the Z Word||Not Using the V Word]]: Oddly, nobody on the show ever referred to Elvira as a vampire, even though the general depiction is obvious. She even famously did a poster where she posed reclining in a coffin.
* [[Not Using the Z Word|Not Using the V Word]]: Oddly, nobody on the show ever referred to Elvira as a vampire, even though the general depiction is obvious. She even famously did a poster where she posed reclining in a coffin.
* [[Ornamental Weapon]]: The dagger; she has used it in one scene in one movie, and even then simply to scare someone who hit on her - it proved to be a prop with a retractable blade.
* [[Ornamental Weapon]]: The dagger; she has used it in one scene in one movie, and even then simply to scare someone who hit on her - it proved to be a prop with a retractable blade.
* [[Perky Goth]]
* [[Perky Goth]]
Line 38: Line 40:
* [[Strange Girl]]
* [[Strange Girl]]
* [[Valley Girl]]
* [[Valley Girl]]
* [[Vampires Are Sex Goddesses]]: Seriously, just look at her!
* [[Vegetarian Vampire]]: Famously appeared [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzBmZ_bt59w in a commercial for PETA], attempting to persuade a flesh-eating zombie to avoid meat.
* [[Woman in Black]]
* [[Woman in Black]]


Line 43: Line 47:
=== Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) ===
=== Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) ===
* [[Absolute Cleavage]]
* [[Absolute Cleavage]]
* [[Acting for Two]]: Peterson plays both Elvira and Elvira's aunt.
* [[Action Dress Rip]]: Happens offscreen.
* [[Action Dress Rip]]: Happens offscreen.
* [[Agony of the Feet]]
* [[Agony of the Feet]]
Line 48: Line 53:
* [[An Axe to Grind]]
* [[An Axe to Grind]]
* [[Barrier-Busting Blow]]
* [[Barrier-Busting Blow]]
* [[BFG]]
* [[Big Freaking Gun]]
* [[Bookcase Passage]]
* [[Bookcase Passage]]
* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]
* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]
Line 64: Line 69:
* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]
* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]
* [[Dramatic Thunder]]
* [[Dramatic Thunder]]
* [[Drink Order]]: Bloody Mary, of course. Unfortunately, the bar she enters doesn't serve hard liquor after 8PM.
* [[Drop What You Are Doing]]
* [[Drop What You Are Doing]]
* [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]]
* [[Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette]]
Line 77: Line 83:
* [[Green-Eyed Monster]]
* [[Green-Eyed Monster]]
* [[Grievous Bottley Harm]]
* [[Grievous Bottley Harm]]
* [[Groin Attack]]: Non-violent - though humiliating - version: Elvira's method of saying "No" to two mashers who hit on her in a bar is to take their beer and pour it on them there.
* [[Groin Attack]]
* [[Helping Hands]]
* [[Helping Hands]]
* [[Henpecked Husband]]
* [[Henpecked Husband]]

Latest revision as of 02:42, 29 October 2023

/wiki/Elvira, Mistress of the Darkcreator
"Unpleasant Dreams"

Perry: Elvira -- Mistress of the Dark!
Jimmy: She's a little scary to me, boss.
Perry: Not to me, son. She's the reason I've seen Godzilla a hundred and sixteen times.

—Lois and Clark, "Fly Hard"

When you hear the name "Elvira" only one person comes to mind... quick witted valley-girl, Halloween icon, and quintessential symbol of all things spooky: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Back in 1981, Elvira (portrayed by actress Cassandra Peterson) became the first nationally syndicated horror host and has emerged as one of the most original and outrageous characters in popular culture, resulting in a large cult following. The movies featured on Elvira's Movie Macabre, her first show, were always B grade (or lower) and Elvira often enjoyed interrupting the movie to lampoon the actors, the script, and the bad editing.

Elvira's reign as "Queen of Halloween" has spanned four decades (as of 2021) and includes two feature films, an IMAX film and 2 motion control rides. She has appeared in National ad campaigns for Pepsi and Coors, recorded 5 music CDs, published 4 books and licensed over 400 products, including two Bally pinball machines, BC Rich guitars, three comic book series, Elvira’s ‘Night Brew’ beer, ‘Evil’ perfume and a slot machines from IGT. Elvira also boasts the best selling female costume of all time.

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark provides examples of the following tropes:

Mistress herself:

The films have the examples of:

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)

"How's your head?"
"Well, I've never had any complaints..."

Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001)

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Elvira,_Mistress_of_the_Dark?oldid=2036065"