Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

Elvira, a television host known for presenting horror films, learns she has inherited her late Aunt Morgana's estate in the small Massachusetts town of Fallwell. What she receives turns out to be an old house, a small poodle and a cookbook, and the conservative locals give her a chilly reception. Her uncle Vincent is determined to get hold of the book, which is not a collection of recipes but a volume of magic spells tied to Elvira's family history. When she refuses to sell it, he turns the town's moral campaigners against her.

Cassandra Peterson, who also co-wrote the screenplay, plays both Elvira and Aunt Morgana Talbot. The cast includes William Morgan Sheppard as Vincent, Daniel Greene as Bob Redding, Edie McClurg as Chastity Pariah, Susan Kellermann as Patty and Jeff Conaway as Travis. James Signorelli directed, between Easy Money in 1983 and An SNL Valentine in 2015.

Made by New World Pictures and NBC Productions, the film had a budget of about 8 million dollars and took roughly 6 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.6 out of 10 from around 24,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.7 from far fewer votes, while critics gave it 5.3 from 26 reviews, so audiences have been more favorable than reviewers.