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I enjoy the Elvira movies, no doubt about that. But "Elvira's Haunted Hills" does suffer under the 'curse' of being a sequel - that's being it fails to fully live up to the level of its predecessor "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark".

It does still have the same kind of dark comedy with undertones of sexual nature and just straight downright silliness. But this is, of course, what is part of the Elvira universe and character, and it is what the fans like, that and her in-your-face big, well, you know... charm and wits.

What puzzles me about the story in the 2001 movie "Elvira's Haunted Hills" is why it is set in 1851 Transylvania. Well, aside from the obvious B-movie reference to Dracula, of course, and for the Gothic backdrop, but other than that I didn't get it.

Storywise, then "Elvira's Haunted Hills" falters a bit compared to the 1988 movie "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark", both in contents and in progression. That being said, don't get me wrong, it is not a bad story, far from it. It just wasn't at the same level of the first movie.

Cassandra Peterson performs as to be expected, I mean, she is Elvira in the flesh, after all. But also Richard O'Brien (playing Lord Vladimere Hellsubus) and Heather Hopper (playing Lady Roxanna Hellsubus) really performed quite well in this movie.

The comedy in "Elvira's Haunted Hills" was a bit more subtle than the comedy in the 1988 predecessor, which was a shame, because it made it a tad less enjoyable. The scene that had me laughing the most was one of the last scene with the sinking castle, it was just such a wonderful spoof of Titanic.

All in all "Elvira's Haunted Hills" is an enjoyable movie, and a movie that any fan of Elvira should have in their movie collection. And while not embodying the same Halloween atmosphere as the 1988 movie, "Elvira's Haunted Hills" is still worth putting into a Halloween movie marathon just for the sake of it being Elvira!

I managed to catch a sneak-preview of this film, which is an entirely new feature, not a sequel, while it was still in post-production. For as wonderfully hysterical and charming as it appeared in its rough form, I can't wait to see the final result! A campy, lighthearted send up of the Vincent Price/Roger Corman/ Edgar Allan Poe/ Hammer horror movies from the 1960's, it follows true to both those films look and tone. Most of the film seems to take notice of THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, but there are bits spoofing other films, plus plenty of original material as well. Most delightful, in addition to Elvira's newest dance number, is the budding romance between the Mistress of the Dark and a hunky care taker whose voiced-over words (deliberately) never match his mouth. A hoot. Additionally, The Divine Miss E lets the boob jokes run wild as expected and you can just SEE how much fun the cast had making the movie. Demand to see it in theaters! It's worth it!

I always thought it was a shame that Elvira, Mistress of the Dark wasn't a success. It was a silly, dumb but very funny movie, one of those things like Scary Movie that everyone complains is tasteless and stupid but that I found wildly amusing.

So I always thought it was a pity that Casandra Peterson (Elvira, if you don't bother reading the credits) didn't have a hit so she could make another movie. But then I discovered that she did make another movie a few years later, Elvira's Haunted Hills, and alas, it is downright lame. Not unwatchable - Elvira is likable and some of the jokes are amusing - but this feels like a Saturday Night Live sketch stretched to an hour and a half. And not even a very good SNL skit. The acting is generally poor and the Roger Cormanesque parody script isn't funny enough to make up for being so trite and predictable.

Elvira! What can one say? Well for starters, this movie is a wonderful tribute to one of the Kings of horror and suspense films – Vincent Price. I think he would have found this tribute to be hilarious and well representative of the genre he so magnificently sharpened through the 40-70's.

This take was filmed in Romania on an admittedly `low' budget. Of course, ultimately, this is one of the things that make this movie a classic. Elvira is at the top of her game in this movie.

Having finally gotten a gig in Paris, Elvira and her maid (unpaid for quite some time and, showing the attitude of someone who hasn't been…) are on the way to Paris to open the act when they get sidestepped in Romania. To any fans of Vincent Price films, the rest of the story is a combination of such thrillers as `Pit & the pendulum' & `House of Ushers' with a taste of our heroine Elvira tossed in.

Check out the Herculean translation job used with the Fabio-like `Stable-Stud'.

Fans of Mad TV will recognize Mary Scheer (Cabana Chat) as the the adulteress Lady Ema Hellsubus. The movie boasts a terrific - albeit short - musical number which tells the story of Elvira's past. It's a wonderful tribute to the Paris Can-Can.

Overall, this movie will be enjoyed by fans of Vincent Price or Elvira. You'll find yourself laughing, snickering and remembering those scary films of your childhood!

Elvira's Haunted Hills is the long awaited sequel to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, or not considering it's lacking in continuity and Elvira's back in 1851 where she sticks out like a couple of tomatoes in mashed potatoes. The movie might actually be a reference to her figure, though, as there's no haunts but a thick Hammer Movies-like atmosphere. Considering the modern references, it might just as well have happened in the present. Elvira is ageless in this and looks even more vampire-like with a black cape added to her attire. Mary Scheer from MAD TV is on hand in a limited role and Robert O'Brien ambles looking bored but having fun in this. (I hate The Rocky Horror show as should any horror purist, but O'Brien is still a respected actor none the less.) The movie exteriors were filmed on location around Sighisoara, Romania, the birthplace of Vlad Tepes for a matter of trivia, and the interior castle scenes are interesting enough for a second look. Dedicated to the memories of two great actors, Phil Hartman and Vincent Price, the movie does have a big budget look despite the actual low budget of the film, but its not as funny as I had hoped it would be. A more Mel Brooks/Monty Python direction would have worked. There's several funny lines and one-liners which Elvira rattles off effortlessly along with plot points and references stolen from other movies. Along the way, the movie just gets more surreal and turns into a parody of itself. In all, the movie is not as good as Elvira's first movie. Maybe her appeal has waned since the Eighties to anyone who is not a die hard fan as I am. I'd still want to see a third Elvira film and even more like to be able to have a hand in being in it as well.

Fans of Elvira shouldn't be disappointed. I used to watch Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira weekend afternoons in California hosting bad horror movies and loved her. The movie was good silly halloween humor. Many of the jokes didn't work, some did. Worth seeing just don't go in expecting the next great comedy. I enjoyed her first effort Elvira Mistress of the Dark better.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was sort of a cult classic around the house as I was growing up. It's not the greatest movie ever made, but it has enough charm that I will always remember it fondly. But I never got around to watching Haunted Hills until now.

Being produced a full on 13 years after the first movie, I guess I don't blame them for ignoring the story behind Mistress of the Dark, but I still think it's weird to take Elvira out of the present day and throw her back in time to 1800's Europe.

Especially when Elvira herself doesn't seem to be any different. She dresses the same, cracks the same kind of jokes, and is basically the exact same gothic valley girl she's always been. She feels really out of place, though only just barely, given a lot Haunted Hills feels sloppy, easy, and extremely low budget.

It's definitely going for a Mel Brooks type of farce. Shades of Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Young Frankenstein are felt, but with the production value of a 90's-era TV episode of Tales from the Crypt. A lot of the gags are cheap, and too many punchlines are "and then everybody screams." There is so much screaming in this movie.

There's also a musical number where Elvira sings, at length, about the time she was tied up and every performer in a music hall got to have their way with her body. Which is definitely... something. Especially as the song wavers back and forth on whether or not the whole ordeal was consensual.

I'd be lying if I said, sort of like with Mistress of the Dark, there wasn't some charm to Haunted Hills. I am still a fan of Elvira's corny sense of humor, but so many of the actors just don't do a very good job with the material. I get that on some level this is meant to be a parody of the vintage "dark old house" genre of horror, but this is a D-list production all around.

Even liking of Elvira's character created by Cassandra Peterson this picture stays miles away from his predecessor in many fields, firstly obviously the aged of Cassandra is perfect evident, the plot is facsimile of the countless Dracula's pictures, the far-fetched humor is another low point, Cassandra holds the picture in Elvira's trademark, your natural sex appeal, those white melons expose on entire picture grab the audience and fans, traveling on Transylvania Elvira and her maid the fat girl Zou Zou end up getting a ride by the Doctor Bradley to a hauting castle where live a mad Lord Vladimire Hellsubus and his unfaith second wife Lady Ema, as usually Elvira is a perfect clone of Lord Hellsubus's late wife, duly buried alive behind the wall previously, due she had committed adultery, all this summarized on a lot of scares and screams and some song sang by Elvira, the story and screenplay developed by own Cassandra, great effort to a small results, but whenever Elvira does is always supported by her natural charisma!!

Resume:

First watch: 2008 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 6.25

Her creation of the bouffant-haired, wise-cracking, and sexed-up "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" put Cassandra Peterson on the map, and she's had a memorable career playing the character in more venues than you can count. But where her first big-screen effort ELVIRA MISTRESS OF THE DARK was a truly funny film with a good script, good cast, and good production values, ELVIRA'S HAUNTED HILLS is pretty much a bust from start to finish--and I don't mean Peterson's justly celebrated figure.

HAUNTED HILLS is, in theory at least, a send-up of Roger Corman's so-called 'Edgar Allen Poe Films'--a series of ultra-cheap 1960s flicks very loosely suggested by various Poe stories and poems. But sad to say, HAUNTED HILLS is not even as good as the films it pokes fun at. The production values are ultra-cheap, the cast is largely no-name and noticeably untalented, and the script has all the comic effect of roadkill.

But the major attraction here, of course, is Elvira herself. Sad to say, the camera man and the lighting designer seem to go out of their way to catch Peterson from angles and in unflattering light that shows her advancing years--but even so, Peterson continues to wear the character extremely well; when well-photographed her face retains considerable youth, no one could ever argue with her physical charms, and the gets more than you might expect out of this extremely lackluster script. Richard O'Brien (of ROCKY HORROR fame) also scores a few chuckles as one of the several suspicious characters that plague Elvira during her stay in the mysterious castle. But even so, it's all very, very thin stuff, a disservice to both Peterson and the character she has created. Recommended for hardcore Elvira fans only.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) is traveling through the Carpathian Mountains in 1851 with her servant (Mary Jo Smith). They're on their way to Paris when they're invited to spend the night at the creepy Hellsubus castle by a physician (Scott Atkinson). Richard O'Brien plays the tormented lord of the manor while Mary Scheer appears as his dubious wife. Heather Hopper is on hand as their cute niece, the poster child for catalepsy.

"Elvira's Haunted Hills" (2001) is the follow-up to "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" (1988), the latter of which was a fun flick but failed at the box office due to its main distributing company going under just before it was scheduled to be released (it was supposed to show at 2500 theaters, but only made it to 500). Cassandra couldn't get studio funding for this prequel and so she & her then-husband put up $1 million with an additional $500,000 from relatives. As such, this movie cost 6 times LESS than the previous one from 13 years earlier (factoring in inflation).

While there's a 13 year gap between these two films and Cassandra was 49 years-old during shooting, you wouldn't know it by her fit form & all-around animated beauty. Another plus is the authentic Transylvania locations with a real castle (although the indoor scenes were obviously shot on studio sets).

Despite the gross lack of funds compared to the prior movie, this one proves to be colorful and entertaining if you appreciate the eye-rolling goofy humor associated with Elvira. While the former flick is technically better due to having way more funds to work with, I like this one more as far as all-around entertainment goes. I suppose it's because I favor the setting, which parodies 60's horror flicks, like "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1961), "The Terror" (1963) and "Dracula, Prince of Darkness" (1966). It recalls horror send-ups "The Fearless Vampire Killers" (1967) and "Young Frankenstein" (1974), but I actually prefer this one despite the much lower budget and lack of 'stars.'

The film runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Transylvania, Romania, with studio work done in Bucharest.

GRADE: B-

I recently watched Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001) on Shudder. The story follows Elvira, who's at risk of losing her show and decides to head to Paris in hopes of finding the resources to save it. Along the way, she stops at a mysterious castle for the night-one that just happens to be haunted and in need of her help to break a curse... if she can survive it.

This film is directed by Sam Irvin (Oblivion) and stars Cassandra Peterson (Elvira's Movie Macabre), Richard O'Brien (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Robert Paulsen (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Scott Atkinson (Windtalkers).

Unfortunately, the movie struggles to find direction or deliver effective comedy. It's a shame, because the castle setting, costumes, and overall gothic aesthetic are spot-on. But the writing falls flat-feeling more like a bargain-bin version of Clue. The jokes are cheesy, the timing is off, and most of Elvira's signature one-liners don't land. The narrative lacks energy, and it's hard to care about the characters or what's happening. It's a significant drop-off from the first film.

In conclusion, Elvira's Haunted Hills is let down by weak writing. Even the iconic Cassandra Peterson can't salvage this one. I'd give it a 4/10 and only recommend it for hardcore Elvira fans.

It seems that all of the negative comments about this film are based on the fact that most of the jokes are old. That's the point, isn't it? Elvira is supposed to be campy, and so is this movie.

This movie shines because Peterson's performance is, as always, superb. Her timing and gleeful delivery make the film impossible for anyone with an appreciation for the subject matter to resist. The only possible complaint that a fan may have is that, by placing the character out of the ordinary, she becomes somehow less extraordinary, and feels almost normal in comparison to her surroundings. Even then, though, she's hilarious.

As for claims that it was too bad for a major studio, well, that's really an impossibility, isn't it? The films Elvira hosts are nearly always major studio releases. The problems with shopping this movie around to studios and distributors is that the movie is completely built around the character, but the industry would likely only have been able to pay Peterson as an actress and writer, in spite of the fact that her copyrights are the basis of the film.

If you are a fan of Elvira then you might just get a kick out of this movie. It was a long over due sequel. it might have had better success if it was released closer to the original Elvira movie. or if they had mad a fuss about it and re released Elvira Mistress of the Dark. If you were a fan of Elvira when you were a kid and saw the original Elvira movie and the TV show you might have been waiting a long time for the Elvira sequel. you might be disappointed by the story line but you will not be sad about the was Elvira still looks okay is was alright ill recommend it. Ilke give it a 7 out of 10. if you liked Elvira then watch it but i still recommend the first movie she did more then this one.

love yours truly also you can email me at dakota_loves_it@hotmail.com

ELVIRA'S HAUNTED HILLS is a follow-up to 1988's ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK, starring Cassandra Peterson as the TV horror host turned movie star. Peterson certainly looks the part - she's all Morticia wig and barely-concealed bosom - but sadly the quality of jokes in this would-be affectionate spoof of the horror genre is awful, which really drags things down a lot.

The story is set during the 19th century and sees Elvira and her maidservant arriving at a spooky old haunted castle, where the crazed inhabitant is searching for the spirit of his lost love. The only part of this I really appreciated is that it's a spoof of the old Roger Corman/Poe cycle, in particular THE TOMB OF LIGEIA, with Richard O'Brien occupying the Vincent Price role. There are also many nods to the likes of THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, but instead of genuine wit and warmth the viewer subjected to endless pratfalls and goofy jokes. It overstays its welcome after about fifteen minutes and takes a very long time to end.

Well, I must admit I was eagerly anticipating this release. I was especially psyched to see Richard O Brien making an appearance as Lord Hellsubus.

I thought that the first movie surpassed Haunted Hills, however, the more I watch Haunted Hills, the more it grows on me. I was so happy to see that Elvira is as beautiful as ever---truly an icon. I really like noticing more and more Poe references each time I watch-- Ligeia (Elvira/Elura), Morella (buried alive), House of Usher (castle's demise), the Black Cat/Cask of Amontillado (being walled up), and of course, the Pit and the Pendulum. I really loved the musical number "Life Is a Music Hall" (and i thought Elvira sang better in this one than in "Here I am").

Oh...and I recommend buying this movie...Cassandra Peterson financed much of it herself!!!

Elvira's still got it!

This movie had such potential as a spoof/satire on old horror movies and stories, but it flops miserably. The Elvira character audiences came to love as being sexy though slightly naive and always involved in situations full of double entendre while staying just on the "safe" side of it all is gone and replaced with an over-sexed, bawdy Elvira who acts more like she is in perpetual heat. The former Elvira was the "victim" of those with dirty minds and intentions - now she is the willing assailant.

The innocent aspect of the humor also is missing and replaced with cheap gags and blatant sex jokes that simply are not funny and wear thin quickly.

The characters are poorly written and most of the actors over-play their roles to the point that their deaths (and thus removal from the story) are welcomed. Those who recognize themes/plots of The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Cask of Amontillado and other horror stories and expect them to be given a Young Frankenstein-ish treatment will be saddened to see those stories reduced to back drops used only as an excuse for Elvira to show off her cleavage. The sets are reminiscent of those in the old Universal and Hammer films, but these sets really look like movie sets rather than castle interiors.

Were it still in production, Movie Macabre no doubt would feature this movie.

Horror movies deserve their own separate rating scale than "regular' movies. This was a good 7 for me. If you like comedy, horror or Elvira, any of those will get you in the door. Cassandra Peterson is a scream. The movie is dedicated to Vincent Price and his gothic Poe movies, it also owes lots to Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Scarey Movie series, and all obvious horror flik clichés. Sexy, clever, silly, farcical, never missing an opportunity for a gag, and like I said, Elvira has incomparable assets. The production values are as good as necessary for a spoof of gothic, dark, shadowy flicks.

While most people like Elvira, her fans will be disappointed in this movie, which seem dull and not funny or scary at all. It is like all the B-movies she hosts on TV that she scoffs and pokes jokes at. It's like Elvira is laughing at her own jokes. Not something enjoyable enough to watch over and over. This movie really needs to be redone better. It lacks the kind of quality a fan would expect from Elvira and any regard for her vampire side, which should of been developed more; there's just absolutely nothing for fans to follow. At least in Elvira Mistress Of The Dark we got to see something interesting than just her beautiful assets... her vampire looking car.

I was all set to be disappointed by this movie, based on all the negative reviews. I saw the first Elvira movie, "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark," in the theater when it originally came out and have enjoyed it a few times since. "Elvira's Haunted Hills" just isn't as prevalent on T. V. or streaming as "Mistress of the Dark," so I had not gotten around to seeing it until Shout Factory recently released it on Blu-ray. I actually really enjoyed it! I laughed out loud several times and was amused throughout. (The Shout Blu-Ray has a new introduction with Cassandra Peterson that is plain hilarious, and she looks like she hasn't aged one bit.) The movie really benefits from the change in the setting and time period. I think it would have been a mistake to make this a direct sequel to "Mistress..." and to retain the same characters, setting, etc. Because that would have been simply more of the same. It is fortunate that Cassandra Peterson again enlisted her writing partner and fellow Groundling, John Paragon to work on this film; according to her memoirs, Mr. Paragon (rest in peace, brother) most unfortunately suffered a fall from a horse and was unable to see this project through to its completion. Nevertheless, "Haunted Hills" is its own entity and I think it stands really well as a companion to "Mistress of the Dark."

I was intrigued by Elvira when I saw the IMAX 3D feature. So I hurried to buy her films available on DVD. Mistake!

It was a pain to watch Haunted Hills. The acting is terrible, the script boring, the humor absent and worst of all the dialog is pitiful. It consists entirely of clichés hip to 10 years old children. The plentiful affected attitudes are also extremely childish. And why it is considered funny to scream whenever someone opens a door, sees an animal or turn towards another person is a mystery.

I started out 100% positive so is there nothing good to be said. I'm sorry, no! What a mess, oh dear, oh dear ...

This movie is interesting in various ways. It combines cartoon like humor with a quite sinister story behind it.. Add Elvira the voluptuose yet bad acting heroine of darkness and you are left with a pretty strange movie. It is entertaining, yet only as a nice 'background' movie. The typical character that is Elvira is comical to say the least!

There is a great contrast when comparing Elvira to the rest of the entire movie, it's along the same lines as other comedies where you are just eshamed of the main actor for strange behaviour.

It's nice for a cheap rent, but don't expect too much of it.

If you are familiar with House of Usher by Edgar Alan Poe you might be surprised at the similarities ;)

First of all I have to say that I was previously not familiar with Elvira, I have seen her standout look before but I have never watched an actual movie with her character and I generally didn't know anything about her. But going into this movie I realized pretty early on that this has to be aimed towards a younger audience even though this movie is filled with adult jokes and seeing that it has a PG-13 rating proves that statement. The humor is bizarre and the jokes are really hit or miss. From other reviews I've heard that this is the way Elvira has always been and that's fine. Still the comedy for me personally didn't do anything and also you could not speak about horror in this movie. There are the usual horror aspects to it but this movie is definitely not scary. However Cassandra Peterson did a great job and the acting overall is pretty decent even though it's very over the top but I think that adds to the charm of the movie. [4,6/10]

On the surface this is a spoof of the films made by Roger Corman and other directors who worked in the genre during the same period. There are direct references to "The Pit and the Pendulum" and "The House of Usher" as well as less direct references to films such as "The Raven" and "The Comedy of Terrors". The overall "look" of the film resembles those films and the work that came out of Hammer Studios during the same period but does so without looking like an imitation of them. With its rich textures and lush colors its appearance is never less than striking.

The performances from most of the supporting cast are all way over the top. Scott Atkinson is hilarious in the role of the doctor, Bradley Bradley. Everything he comes out with seems as if it's sucked from his chest and thrown at the camera. The way his accent changes as his role in the proceedings becomes more defined is a brilliant touch. Mary Scheer performs her role as the adulteress as if she were a classic comic book villain, the type whose passion burns most brightly when she's manipulating everyone around her to the max. Elvira's character makes an excellent foil for her. Heather Hopper's portrayal as the sickly Roxanna (part whooping cough, part "Night of the Living Dead" stiff and full time punching bag for the rest of the cast) is a howl. The notion of dubbing in the dialog spoken by Gabriel Andronache (who reportedly speaks next to no English) was a brilliant one. The first scene between him and Peterson is one for the books. Richard O' Brien has a role that that demands all the pork from Ham Central, and it's one that he appears to have relished playing. The scenes he shares with Peterson appear to have been a joy for both of them.

The excesses of most of the performances are balanced by the understated work from Peterson and Mary Jo Smith. Smith is absolutely adorable as Zou Zou, Elvira's much-abused maid. She plays the role with a combination of dry wit, self-depreciation and vulnerability that can't help but strike a chord. Peterson plays the "Elvira" character with her usual flair. That mix of impish playfulness and canny intellect combined with sweet innocence, brazen sexuality and doltish buffoonery that made the character a cult classic is wholly intact. Her comic timing remains razor sharp.

There's far more to the film though. It goes past the obvious to address (and skewer) a variety of topics. Richard O' Brien's soliloquies put the most overblown passages of Shakespearean Theatre to shame. The dubbing in foreign action films takes a hit or three. The way the use of accents is often bungled by actors and filmmakers is harpooned in a way that's wonderfully original. The "special effects" used for the cataclysmic moment of the film look as if they were intended to be worse than things Ed Wood would've come up with (though it doesn't quite hit that mark). Aging women who cram killer bodies under thick layers of paint (makeup) and thin layers of tight clothing spend parts of the film taking one hit after another.

There's no doubt the reigning Queen of Vamp Camp is showing her age. But she's using it to great advantage. The character seems older. Her sexuality is more overt. She has less patience for playing at being coy. She works too hard to be the center of attention. She doesn't miss any chances to show her "assets". The camera captures the physical side of things. One of the most revealing of them highlights the ways gravity works on an aging figure regardless of how well it's been taken care of, and it happens early in the film as if to make sure all the viewers take note her of age. Peterson is far too intelligent not to have noticed it but she left it in.

If anyone is the right person to be spoofing the foibles of aging vamps it's Cassandra Peterson. She's old enough to be one of those characters in day-to-day life and she would look great in any of the outfits they pour themselves into. More importantly, she understands any subject matter she touches thoroughly, addresses it without meanness or cynicism and applies a measure of balance to it in the process. She jabs Zou Zou for her looks but makes sure that character is the first to light a fire under somebody's libido. The man with the dubbed-in-lines may look silly because his mouth doesn't match his words but he gets the girl. The aging vamp may fall in holes because she's wearing heels instead of runners the way those vamp wannabees would but the male characters still can't keep their hands off her. It all works because of Peterson's charm and because of the balanced overview she brings to the subject matter.

This is a picture that may find its wider audience in years to come. It's played as camp in a way that may alienate a lot of viewers and there's no doubt a lot of the jokes are lame. But that's all done intentionally. Essentially, it's a good movie that's made to look as if it was bad. Don't be fooled. There's a lot there to stimulate thought and enough light fun to make it easy to keep going back for another look. Today's dog (though it's anything but one) may be one of tomorrow' classics.

Thanks Cassandra. This was worth waiting for.

ELVIRA'S HAUNTED HILLS (2001)

directed by: Sam Irvin

starring: Cassandra Peterson, Richard O'Brien, Mary Scheer, and Scott Atkinson

plot: Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) travels with her maid Zou Zou (Mary Jo Smith) through Carpathia in 1851 on her way to a show in Paris. Along the way, they decide to take refuge at a castle belonging to Lord Vlademiere Hellsubus (Richard O'Brien) and his wife Ema (Mary Scheer). Also in the castle are Vlademiere's doctor (Scott Atkinson), niece (Heather Hopper), and stable master (Gabriel Andronache), who Elvira can not keep her hands off of. Ten years ago, Vlademiere's wife Ellura supposedly committed suicide and he believes her ghost is haunting him, but Elvira discovers that there is much more going on.

my thoughts: I could not wait to see Elvira's follow up to her first film ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK. Elvira is definitely my favorite celebrity and she never fails to amuse me with her look and her sense of humor.

This time, instead of spoofing Roger Corman witchcraft movies, HAUNTED HILLS spoofs 50's hammer horror films, mostly starring Vincent Price and taking place in an old dark castle in England. This film does a very good job at that, making the film look cheesy yet dark and atmospheric, even though the castle looks fake.

The jokes are hilarious - we got boob jokes again, Richard O'Brien hilariously over acting, and a lot of references to modern times which are only funny because Elvira is in 1851. The Village People are among many references to the times where Elvira is really from. We also have a foreign character with very bad dubbing, on purpose of course.

The supporting cast is perfect. Richard O'Brien purposely over acts to make his character even funnier, it worked; Mary Scheer is great at playing the bitchy wife with something to hide; Scott Atkinson is very over the top and it works; Mary Jo Smith is slightly amusing as Elvira's maid but her character is kind of pointless; Heather Hopper does good as the 'catalepsy poster child'; and Gabriel Andronache's bad dubbing and funny face expressions are hilarious.

But then the final 20 minutes focuses way too much on the story over the jokes and the entire climax is way too overlong. At least we get some pit and pendulum fun and a funny little TITANIC joke.

If you're an Elvira fan, check this out. If not, don't bother. I personally love Elvira and don't see how anyone couldn't.

Haunted Hills comes thirteen years after her previous movie, Mistress of the Dark (1988), but Elvira's still got it. And by 'it', I mean an impressive rack (it's amazing how they've not aged when the rest of her clearly has). Unfortunately, unlike her breasts, Elvira's ability to make us laugh seems to have gone south: her schtick is tired, predictable, and desperately unfunny.

The plot consists of a load of gothic horror clichés borrowed from various Roger Corman's Edgar Allen Poe classics, strung together with plenty of lame jokes. It's 1851, and Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) and her servant Zou Zou (Mary Jo Smith) are en route to Paris when they accept an invitation from Dr. Bradley Bradley (Scott Atkinson) to spend the night at a creepy castle, where the owners - the Hellsebus family - have fallen under a terrible curse.

What could have been a lot of ghoulish fun in the right hands is rendered totally embarrassing thanks to the stale gags (no longer double entendres, just blatant crassness, plus lots of crap pop-culture references), godawful performances (worst offender: Richard O'Brien as Vladimere Hellsubus), and the cheapness of the whole production, which was filmed in Romania on a very unconvincing castle sound stage. At the end of the film, when the castle sinks into the ground (a Titanic gag, four years after Cameron's film), Elvira breaks the fourth wall to remark on the impressive special effects. No, Elvira, it looks terrible, just like everything else about this film (except for your cleavage, of course).

2/10 - that's one point for each of the reasons to watch this mess.