Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (4K UHD Review)
- Review Date: Oct 29, 2024
- Format: 4K Ultra HD
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Director
James SignorelliRelease Date(s)
1988 (November 12, 2024)Studio(s)
NBC Productions/New World Pictures (Arrow Video)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: A-
- Audio Grade: B+
- Extras Grade: B+
Review
Critically panned upon release but quickly embraced by an eager fan base thereafter, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark suffered at the box office, partly due to the competition (Die Hard and Gorillas in the Mist), but also because of the impending collapse of New World Pictures. Today, it’s looked upon fondly by many as a quirky and tongue-firmly-in-cheek comedy, as well as a surprising window into modern day feminism and the pros and cons of being an outsider.
After quitting her job, the titular (pun intended) Elvira learns of an inheritance from a distant relative in Massachusetts. Upon her arrival, she spooks the older townspeople while drawing the attention of the younger people, particularly the men. Hellbent on disposing of her is Vincent (W. Morgan Shepphard), her great uncle who’s attempting to acquire a book of spells in Elvira’s unwitting possession in order to become the “Master of the Dark.” As she attempts to find a way to make some quick cash and fund her dream of performing in Las Vegas, her devious uncle and the town’s straight-laced undercurrent are all trying to either take advantage of her or get rid of her entirely. Other cast members include Edie McClurg, Daniel Greene, Susan Kellerman, Kurt Fuller, Jeff Conaway, Frank Collison, Ira Heiden, Pat Crawford Brown, and William Duell.
Looking at Elvira: Mistress of the Dark from the outside in, many might assume it to be a poor attempt at cashing in on the character. At this point, Elvira was quickly becoming a name unto herself through the success of her movie-hosting TV show, talk show appearances, and various commercials. She was a mainstay in the horror community and a hastily cobbled-together quickie of a movie could easily have been produced. However, the proposed project was given careful consideration at every step of the process, from the writing to the casting, and the eventual post production. Above all else, it’s a romp, never fully taking itself seriously, yet never resorting to outright parody (outside of a memorable nod to Flashdance). In fact, it’s almost G-rated outside of a couple of mildly tawdry moments, and an ending that will leave you spinning.
The story also sees a strong, sexy, and independent woman overcoming obstacles to achieve her dreams, while also being a human being and having flaws and desires. It also shows that the ostracized members of any community have merit too, even if they don’t conform to societal norms. Obviously, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is not a film that’s aiming for anything that highbrow, but even though it’s a goofy comedy, it has more to it than what’s on the surface. Due to that and the long-lasting popularity of the character, it remains a classic in certain circles.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was shot on 35mm film by cinematographer Hanania Baer with Ultracam 35 cameras and lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Arrow Video debuts the film on Ultra HD with a 4K 16-Bit restoration of the interpositive, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, encoded by David Mackenzie of Fidelity in Motion, and presented on a triple-layered BD-100 disc. Arrow’s 2K restoration via Blu-ray was quite the step up in 2020. Their UHD release tops it only just so, mostly in terms of detail and color. Bitrates consistently run between 90 and 100Mbps, jumping above that range often. As this restoration isn’t taken from the original camera negative (which is likely lost), expectations should be lowered. Grain, though heavy, is handled well, only appearing clumpy during opticals, which are the least-appealing aspect of this presentation visually. As the film is loaded with a variety of colorful visuals, hues are often bold and fine detail is abundant. From the interiors of Elvira’s new house to the exteriors of the small community to the glitzy and glamorous show-stopping closer, everything comes through robustly. The HDR grades offer a moderate boost, but greatly improve contrast, especially in the shadows. Outside of a random line running through the frame for a couple of scenes in the first reel during the opening credits, it’s a clean and stable presentation. Even with the added visual data, the film retains its appreciably 1980s look.
The soundtrack is presented in the original uncompressed stereo, English 2.0 LPCM, with optional subtitles in English SDH. Released theatrically in Dolby Stereo, this isn’t a soundtrack that takes major advantage of the dual speaker soundscape, yet the various elements are potent as a whole. Dialogue exchanges are clear and precise, as to be expected, but the track really shines in regards to sound effects and music. They have real muscle behind them, coming through without issue. Though the track lacks major ambient or surround activity, it represents the film well.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark on 4K Ultra HD sits in black Amaray case with a double-sided insert, featuring artwork by Sara Deck on the front and the original theatrical artwork on the reverse, as well as the 36-page insert booklet Here Comes Elvira containing cast and crew information, a foreword by Sam Irvin, The Evolution of the Living Dead Girl: Elvira and the Women Who Made Her by Kat Ellinger, More Than Just a Great Set of Boobs... by Patterson Lundquist, restoration information, and a set of production credits. Everything is housed in a slipcase featuring the same Sara Deck artwork. The following extras are also included, all in HD:
- Introduction by James Signorelli (1:09)
- Audio Commentaries:
- Audio Commentary with Cassandra Peterson, Edie McClurg, and John Paragon
- Audio Commentary with James Signorelli and Tony Timpone
- Audio Commentary with Patterson Lundquist
- Too Macabre – The Making of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (97:04)
- Recipe for Terror: The Creation of the Pot Monster (22:12)
- Image Galleries:
- Production Stills (88 in all)
- Behind the Scenes (31 in all)
- SFX (67 in all)
- Original Storyboards (32 in all)
- New York Premiere (7 in all)
- Miscellaneous (9 in all)
- Trailers:
- Original US Theatrical Trailer (1:48)
- Original Teaser Trailer (1:06)
The first commentary with Cassandra Peterson, Edie McClurg, and John Paragon is a lighthearted affair as the actors all discuss the film while watching it. Unfortunately, the film is slightly ahead of them at times, but they keep up as best as they can. The second commentary with James Signorelli and Tony Timpone is a slight Q&A session as Timpone interviews Signorelli while watching the film. The third and final commentary with Patterson Lundquist, who is the webmaster of the film’s official fansite, offers occasional insight, but goes quiet a bit too often. The feature-length documentary Too Macabre and it’s companion piece Recipe for Terror speak to most of the main cast and crew, including Cassandra Peterson herself, about the making of the film. Tidbits of information include the fact that Peterson really wanted Vincent Price to be in the film but he turned it down, Brad Pitt was almost cast as one of the teenagers, and the film’s Las Vegas ending was scrapped by NBC during filming and later shot during post production. All of the participants speak highly of their experiences and the segments themselves are all put together well. The rest of the extras consist of several image galleries and a pair of trailers for the film. It’s worth nothing that various Blu-ray releases from around the world feature a number of additional vintage extras that haven’t been included here.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark had a strong cult following almost immediately upon its original home video release, but it’s not always had the best of treatment on home video. Arrow Video’s 4K UHD tops their previous Blu-ray release with a fine presentation and an entertaining and substantial extras package. In other words, it’s more than just a great set of...
- Tim Salmons
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