Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
“Elvira makes her Big Scream Debut in her Hot New Comedy.”
Synopsis
Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts to claim her inheritance, horror hostess Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals, including her sinister uncle Vincent.
Part of the Elvira Collection
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
How's your head?Official
Type: Featurette • Published 2026-07-21
Top Cast
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Cassandra Peterson
Elvira / Aunt Morgana Talbot
William Morgan Sheppard
Vincent Talbot
Daniel Greene
Bob Redding
Edie McClurg
Chastity Pariah
Susan Kellermann
Patty
Jeff Conaway
Travis
Ellen Dunning
Robin Meeker
Ira Heiden
Bo
Scott Morris
Sean
Tress MacNeille
Anchorwoman
Frank Collison
Billy
Kris Kamm
Randy
Lee McLaughlin
Earl Hooter
Kurt Fuller
Mr. Glotter
Larry Jenkins
Technical Director
Damita Jo Freeman
Associate Producer
Bill Cable
Cop
Hugh Gillin
Sheriff
Release History & Theatrical Window
September 30, 1988
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 1994
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$7.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$5.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.75x
-$1.9M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- James Signorelli
- Screenplay & Story
- Sam Egan, John Paragon, Cassandra Peterson
- Original Score
- James B. Campbell
- Original Title
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Budget
- $7.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $5.6M
- Production Studios
- New World Pictures, NBC Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
James Signorelli
Sam Egan, John Paragon, Cassandra Peterson
James B. Campbell
Hanania Baer
Battle Davis
Eric Gardner, Mark Pierson, Michael I. Rachmil
Department Leadership Roster
James Signorelli
Director
James B. Campbell
Original Music Composer
Eric Gardner
Producer
Mark Pierson
Producer
Hanania Baer
Director of Photography
Betsy Heimann
Costume Design
Battle Davis
Editor
John DeCuir Jr.
Production Design
Peter Donen
Visual Effects Supervisor
Sam Egan
Writer
John Paragon
Writer
Cassandra Peterson
Writer
Monty Cox
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Elvira: Mistress of the Dark about?
Arriving in the small town of Fallwell, Massachusetts to claim her inheritance, horror hostess Elvira receives a less than enthusiastic reception from the conservative locals, including her sinister uncle Vincent.
Who directed Elvira: Mistress of the Dark?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was directed by James Signorelli.
Who stars in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark?
The principal cast of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark includes Cassandra Peterson, William Morgan Sheppard, Daniel Greene, Edie McClurg, Susan Kellermann.
When was Elvira: Mistress of the Dark released and how long is it?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
What was the box office and production budget of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark had a reported production budget of $7.5M and grossed $5.6M at the worldwide box office (0.75 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was composed by James B. Campbell.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).