Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Elvira (Peterson), a camp vamp modelled on Morticia Addams and all other screen vampires, is fired from her job with an LA TV station. A telegram arrives telling her a great aunt has died and she is named in the will, which could mean the $50,000 she needs to appear in Vegas. Hot-pedalling it to Massachusetts to collect her loot in her vampmobile, she upsets puritan locals with her appearance and outgoing charms, gains a house, a recipe book, and a familiar in the shape of a poodle called Algonquin, and falls foul of her great uncle, the warlock (Sheppard). Elvira realises that she, like her mother, has Powers, nearly ends up being burned at the stake, inherits more money, and opens in Vegas. A predictable plot and cheapskate effects deaden Elvira's occasional witty lines, while references to the horror genre make the film busy without going anywhere. Vamp high camp, where Elvira is more mistress of the dork.