Latest / Camp Classics / Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)

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Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) · Camp Classics

0:00
Get away from her you bitch. Classic.
0:05
He was in the Amazon of my mom when she was researching spiders
0:09
right before she died. No.
0:13
Hannah, you thought you become a prostitute or a dog at it.
0:18
I used to love doggy chow. I used to love doggy chow too.
0:23
I am a person of easy virtue. A purveyor of pulchritude.
0:30
A one woman. Sodom and Gomorrah, if you will.
0:34
A slimy Slytherin succubus. A concubine, A street Walker, A
0:39
tramp, A slut. Oh, and you're a cheap poor too.
0:42
I'm Crystal and I'm baby lame. And welcome to Camp Classic.
0:49
A thoughtful podcast about stupid movies.
0:52
God, we've really become a little double actor.
0:58
See if that makes the cut. See if you're.
1:01
Every two weeks, what do we do? We come here.
1:03
We talk about gay little movies we like.
1:05
Yeah, and I, I feel terrible, Crystal.
1:07
Before we go any further, I feel the Diane Keaton of it all.
1:15
Death to all of them. I.
1:19
Feel. Terrible.
1:21
Do you? There I was just talking trash
1:24
about her. Any opportunity in the pool, The
1:26
poor lady with an, you know, an extensive film career.
1:31
Was actively dying of. Course, don't say that.
1:35
Potentially the bad energy you put under to the universe is
1:38
what pushed her over the edge. OK, well let's if if I have that
1:41
power, let's really utilize it on my poor Diane.
1:45
I will avenge your death and use my powers to get bad people
1:50
killed. You didn't.
1:51
You didn't deserve to die, Diane, and I'm sorry.
1:54
This is just like like Spider Man's origin story where he's
1:57
like, oh, now I understand I have to use my powers for good.
2:00
Oh. Poor Diane.
2:04
She had a good life though, didn't she?
2:06
Can you work on like Gal Gadot or something?
2:09
Kalel No. Out of all the people you want
2:13
to go for in the world, that's. Oh sorry, I just assumed it was
2:16
only for. Actresses.
2:17
Oh, no, I just, I was thinking a bit more.
2:21
OK, we'll just start with bad actresses.
2:23
OK, Who else is on your hit list?
2:26
Bad actresses, yeah. Who do I never want to see like
2:30
another movie? So much so.
2:33
Yeah, I don't know who is like the biggest Zionist of them all.
2:38
Oh, it's hard to tell, isn't it, these days?
2:40
Yeah. I don't know, maybe what's her
2:43
face from willing Grace? But.
2:47
I think her career is over anyway.
2:49
What's her name? Oh, Debra Messing.
2:51
Yeah. Debra Messing's gone off the
2:53
fucking deep end. Do I wish you're dead?
2:56
I don't know. I think, I don't think I'm going
2:58
to go on the record wishing anyone dead.
3:00
Well, I'm now worried about if I do have these powers, about
3:04
another person that I've been really slacking off on this
3:07
podcast. NAV Campbell, Hello.
3:10
Sydney Yeah. So I'm like, God, OK, maybe I
3:14
need to say something nice about her.
3:17
Quickly, this is a great. This is a great opportunity.
3:20
Yeah. Let's hear your nice thing you
3:22
have to say about Neve Campbell. OK.
3:28
Well, you know, I think your new mental powers, it is fitting
3:32
because it is spooky season here at Camp Classic.
3:35
Headquarters season for the last.
3:37
Three months or the last 84 years?
3:40
Yeah, we've brought you witches, vampires, men with knives.
3:46
But today, we're here to scare you with the spookiest thing of
3:49
all, and that is female sexuality.
3:52
Oh my God, no. But before we get there, let's
3:59
give a shout out to our newest Gatreon members, Nina and
4:02
Darren, and also some secret new members who signed up on
4:06
Spotify. Yes.
4:08
They are all busy enjoying our recent episode on Nightmare on
4:12
Elm Street 2. Gay.
4:15
So fucking gay. When you say that's so gay, do
4:19
you realize what you say? Knock it off.
4:21
The gayest film we've done, I think isn't.
4:23
It yeah, yeah, and as well as our recent movies weapons, vamp,
4:29
barbed wire, we really covered some good movies over on the
4:31
gay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
4:33
Some would argue better than on the main.
4:34
Yeah. Yeah, but you can sign up
4:36
directly on Patreon, it's £4 a month.
4:40
Or you can sign up in your Apple podcast or Spotify feeds.
4:43
You just have to click the locked Episode I.
4:46
Mean it's easy, isn't? It and if you sign up on
4:48
Patreon, you can get a one week free trial, which I personally
4:52
love because I feel like I'm being edged and finding out
4:55
whether or not someone's going to follow through, commit, drop
4:58
their load, etcetera. Yeah, it's quite nice.
5:01
Oh yeah. You love that then, don't you?
5:02
Yeah. But if you don't want a bonus
5:05
episode, just remember to hit follow or subscribe on whatever
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platform you're listening on. And why not also leave us a
5:13
comment? We've had some new comments Baby
5:16
have. We oh, that's nice.
5:17
We have what people have been. Saying people, people are
5:20
following through. Oh.
5:22
Uj Subtract. Katie says tis the season for
5:26
Spooks. She's enjoyed our Scream
5:29
episode, Cara said This was such a fun lesson.
5:32
Thanks for the stellar episode and I agree with baby Lame.
5:35
House of Wax looks like Camp the house down boots and I've never
5:39
seen it either. So.
5:40
Oh, what? What?
5:41
Well, yeah, so can we, can we just put it in?
5:43
Well Cara, feel free to blame the general public.
5:47
We will get on it, we will get on it and wonderfully carried
5:51
away. Says this one's for you, baby.
5:53
Lame. This is quickly becoming one of
5:55
my fave lessons. You guys are so funny that it's
5:57
just a nice little boost on my day when I'm running errands
5:59
around town. Love you Queens.
6:02
Also, if you're looking for a camp classic, check out Hackers.
6:06
I went to a screening and wow. I think this movie only works
6:09
when in a crowd. The fits are fun and it's so
6:11
damn weird. Great.
6:14
Yeah, I Hackers has been on the list since at the beginning,
6:16
but. Yeah, I know.
6:17
I know nothing about it. I've seen it, but I saw it
6:20
probably when I was 10 or something.
6:22
And right in my head it's probably camp because I think
6:25
any movie based around the Internet in the 90s is
6:28
inherently kind of camp. Yeah, like the net.
6:31
The net. Is like, I mean, yes, I love, I
6:35
love looking back on technology and how.
6:37
Yeah, I think she orders a pizza on the Internet in like 95.
6:41
She like goes to likepizza.com. Our whole world is sitting there
6:45
on a computer. It's in the computer.
6:48
We've also had some suggestions on Instagram guys suggest sleep
6:51
away camp which actually believe it or not, was not on our list
6:54
somehow. Oh, no, that's a good one to
6:56
have on. That's a really good one, yeah.
6:58
And Terrible Daughter requests Original Sin with Angelina Jolie
7:03
and Antonio Banderas, which I'm not familiar with but.
7:06
No, but I do have a place. I've got a place in my heart for
7:09
Angelina Jolie as well. Very much Team Jolie, even
7:12
though obviously it's very toxic that I'm still referencing
7:15
something the media did of picking two women against each
7:18
other because obviously they can't coexist.
7:20
But I'm still very fancy Jennifer Aniston and I'm Team
7:25
Jolie. I mean, that's just like the
7:27
rules of feminism And she, I'm just mad she stole Brad Pitt
7:30
from her. And Jennifer Aniston will just
7:34
be lonely forever. The rules of feminism.
7:37
Careful what you say, your words have power.
7:44
Poor Jennifer Aniston, condemned to a life of solitaire because.
7:50
Of you, poor Jennifer Aniston with her life.
7:52
Listen, if we're going to talk about Jennifer Aniston, she's
7:54
very good friends with Ellen DeGeneres.
7:56
And I just have to question anybody that's a good friend of
7:58
Ellen DeGeneres. I I don't have a problem with
8:01
Jennifer Aniston. I've always found her absolutely
8:05
fine. You know she's not for the.
8:08
Gaze. It's such a read in itself,
8:10
isn't it fine? Yeah, but she's she is funnier
8:14
than like your. She's not a Neve Campbell.
8:15
She's not boring. She just seems nice.
8:18
I actually like her in that film.
8:20
Horrible Bosses. Yeah.
8:22
She's just like her sex. Best boss.
8:25
Like, go off. Yeah, quite like that.
8:27
We do need to get into today's movie though.
8:29
So baby, before we go any further, what, what, what, what?
8:33
What is a Camp classic? Well, I was actually thinking
8:36
about could she made me find some like jazzy showbiz music
8:39
for this? I just want to kind of step.
8:41
Up a bit? Sure.
8:42
And I could be more more like life is that yeah, more work to
8:45
do on this. It's something that a locks
8:47
queer joy. We want a wedding.
8:50
It's something that has an ongoing legacy and something
8:54
that informs pop culture. It's anti mainstream underdog
8:58
fuck lives that should be reclaimed.
9:00
Oh, and it should be stupid too. OK.
9:05
OK, that didn't work. I'm sorry but.
9:12
Beautiful gowns. Yes, it's very, very beautiful
9:15
gowns that I apologize everyone. I know, you know, I love it when
9:19
someone takes a big swing, and I think this podcast should be all
9:22
about taking risks and I celebrate whatever that was.
9:26
Yeah, OK, great. I do think we could use the
9:31
theme song, so you could you could get to work on that.
9:33
Sing one. OK.
9:34
Yeah, OK. It's.
9:36
Just, you know, you can take that offline.
9:38
Yeah, OK. You don't want to spend the rest
9:40
of the podcast and be workshopping.
9:42
If I get any ideas, I could just workshop them as we're moving
9:45
along. Perfect, SO.
9:46
Yeah, great, great. Camper camper camper classics.
9:50
No, just like. That was a crazy person and you
9:53
can't use that. You can't use that.
9:56
OK, that was a crazy person and you cannot use it.
9:58
Today, what are we doing? We're covering 1988 Elvira,
10:03
Mistress of the Dark. I'm glad that we are doing this
10:06
one because I forgot she has a sequel to this film and I
10:09
realized we hadn't discussed what we were doing.
10:11
So I was like, I hope. We watched the same yes,
10:16
Elvira's Haunted Hills. I've never seen it.
10:19
Yeah, I mean it's trash, but it's it's also a watch.
10:24
I'd say probably don't need to watch 2 both.
10:27
I wouldn't say you need to need 2 separate episodes on a
10:30
podcast. That's pretty much the same
10:32
thing I'd say. Got it, got it.
10:35
What's your history with this movie?
10:38
I don't really have a history with this movie.
10:40
I have seen it before, but it's not It's not.
10:43
I feel. I feel like I'm lying and I feel
10:47
like I'm inauthentic because I feel like I'm the type of person
10:49
that bangs on about Elvira as being one of my, like, biggest
10:53
inspirations. She's not really.
10:57
Oh. That really.
10:59
Really surprises me. I love her and I'd like
11:01
discovered her in like later years, but I didn't discover her
11:05
until I was probably like probably about 10 years ago.
11:08
Wow. I know, I know.
11:11
She's so you like in that sense of like a drag persona that is
11:15
like a separate character with its own world and back story
11:19
Like that is very your approach and.
11:22
Intrinsically linked to horror as well.
11:24
Yeah, yeah, so confusing to me but.
11:29
I really like her now, but I would be lying to say that I'm a
11:32
big hardcore fan of of history, because I'm not.
11:35
What about you? I grew up with her, like as a
11:38
known figure. I didn't really know who she was
11:41
or what she was. And then I think I watched this
11:42
movie for the first time when I was, yeah, in my early 20s and
11:47
loved it. And then I've, you know, seen it
11:49
a few times here and there. I have from probably watched it
11:52
in about 10 years, though, so it was really fun to revisit.
11:56
Yeah, it's great. And I also prepping for this
11:59
episode. I listened to You're Wrong About
12:02
episode on Cassandra Peterson slash Elvira and like.
12:07
Her Oh, I bet that was good. I really like that as a podcast
12:09
series. Actually, they're really good.
12:11
Don't. They it's fab, yeah.
12:12
So I'd recommend if you're interested in hearing a bit more
12:14
about her, it's a really interesting listen.
12:18
She's she's had like crazy life, hasn't she?
12:21
Right, yeah, She's had such a crazy life.
12:23
She was an underage go to go dancer at like a strip club when
12:29
she was like 14. Tick.
12:32
Yeah, that's one of three people I can think of who've had that
12:37
career path. Who?
12:39
The other. World Rose McGowan.
12:42
Great. And and Jake shears.
12:45
Oh I didn't know that about Jake Shears as well, but that.
12:47
Amazing he was an underage go go boy in like Seattle.
12:51
Because he's in that new Alexander Skarsgard film, isn't
12:54
he? The 8:24 it's like a factor she.
12:58
So basically it's about Alexander Skarsgard.
13:01
Is this like Dom gay guy? And then it's this geeky like
13:06
sub and it's like their relationship and it's like a
13:08
romantic comedy. And Jake Shears plays like the
13:10
other older bottom that gets jealous and stuff.
13:13
But it's just funny because I saw an interview with Jake
13:15
Shears and he was basically like, Oh yeah, the acting stuff,
13:19
you know, scary, horrible. Oh, out of my depth.
13:22
All the sex stuff, all the sex scenes.
13:24
Yeah, I'm a dirty stuff. So that's all easy.
13:25
And I was like, yes, Jake. Shears.
13:27
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's one of the good ones.
13:30
Anyone who's working as a go go dancer in a bar when they're too
13:36
young to be there. Yeah, I mean, and like and and
13:38
part of a fantasy show go review in Las Vegas.
13:40
I'm sorry. Yeah, you win.
13:43
Yeah, yeah. And also just her middle name is
13:45
gay. Her middle name is gay.
13:47
So I'm I'm I instantly like that is so perfect.
13:51
And I love that she's come out in more like later life as well,
13:54
because she's 74 now and she came out.
13:57
How long ago did she come out? I don't know, Maybe like. 1010
14:01
or 15 years? Yeah.
14:02
And it's just, it's really interesting actually watching
14:05
this movie, knowing that about her, because it's it's kind of
14:08
just adds a different edge to the entire film for me, that
14:11
she's a lesbian in it. Yeah.
14:12
Just because the character is so playing up to getting men's
14:15
attention, isn't it? It's just.
14:17
Yeah, yeah, it's so true. She but yeah, I mean, she was in
14:22
a like loads of heterosexual relationships.
14:25
She had sex with Tom Jones. She nearly had sex with Elvis.
14:28
It turns out Tom Jones is a absolute piece of shit, which
14:32
will surprise no one. He get he made her have to go to
14:34
the A&E to get stitches. Oh.
14:36
God. Yeah, yeah.
14:38
But she was like in straight relationships her whole life,
14:40
and then her lesbian friend moved in.
14:45
They always do. Yeah.
14:46
And then then like they just accidentally got together and
14:50
she's like, oh, I had no idea this was a thing for me.
14:53
So basically what we're saying is no one is actually straight.
14:56
They just haven't met the right person, the right queer person
15:00
to just that's it really, isn't it like.
15:02
I also think if you are somehow a heterosexual man listening to
15:05
this podcast, which I don't know how you found yourself.
15:08
You're gay. And you're in A and you're in a
15:12
heterosexual relationship with a woman.
15:13
Like watch out because you are lurking in that woman.
15:17
Yeah, and also, if you are a heterosexual man listening to us
15:21
talking about Elvira, you are gay.
15:23
You are gay. When you say that's so gay, do
15:32
you know what you say? Knock it off.
15:34
OK, well, let's get into the context of this movie.
15:36
So it was written by Sam Egan and Cassandra Peterson, Elvira
15:41
herself. It was directed by James
15:43
Signorelli. They wanted Tim Burton to do it,
15:46
but he got busy with Beetlejuice, nearly did it.
15:50
She's Elvira. I don't even know how to even
15:52
begin to explain Elvira, but she was at this point at the height
15:56
of her fame in the US as AB movie horror host on TV and it
16:02
become syndicated and become incredibly popular.
16:05
She was basically a household name for doing, like, this weird
16:07
kind of sticky TV show. Yeah, this movie was kind of
16:11
capitalizing on that fame, but she'd never done anything like
16:14
it. I think that she was in talks to
16:16
do a sitcom, but she really wanted to do a movie.
16:17
She'd always wanted to do a movie.
16:19
So they went for this route. It's so great that she that
16:21
someone like her and that kind of character even had that kind
16:24
of opportunity because I was sort of talking about this
16:27
earlier as you know, like people like Pee Wee Herman and stuff
16:29
like that. You just don't really get these,
16:31
like fictional characters anymore that are just that have
16:36
entire careers and entire personas like this is, yeah.
16:39
Well, I was thinking about that too.
16:40
That like idea of like creating a character and then like, they
16:44
are the, the, the star and like the person behind the character
16:47
is like hidden because like, Pee Wee gets billed as Pee Wee in
16:51
movies doesn't get billed as. And so people, you know, and
16:56
same with Elvira. No one knows her real name.
16:58
Like everyone in America has heard of Elvira, but they
17:01
haven't heard of Cassandra Peterson.
17:02
Yeah, it's quite interesting. But yeah, the modern equivalent
17:05
I would say is is, you know, drag Queens from Drag Race.
17:09
Oh, I guess so. Yeah, I guess I kind of blocked
17:12
all of them. Yeah, but it's kind of like it's
17:15
like the Trixie Mattel or whatever.
17:16
Like when you get yeah, yeah, you're like these people who are
17:20
known for the character. Anyway, this movie was box
17:24
office bomb on release. It had a budget of seven and a
17:28
half million, and it only took five and a half million.
17:31
And that was apparently because the distribution company, New
17:36
World Pictures were filed for bankruptcy right as it hit
17:40
theaters. And so it went from being in
17:42
like 2500 cinemas to 500 cinemas.
17:45
So basically just didn't have a chance to make any money.
17:48
It was doing really well, I think, but it just lost all of
17:51
its distribution. Yeah.
17:54
It wasn't like super well received.
17:57
I would say it's got 58% on Rotten Tomatoes and I'd say the
18:01
critics probably weren't that into it is kind of the the vibe.
18:05
Yeah, From that kind of perspective, it's probably
18:08
valid. I mean, it's not, it's not
18:11
changing the game, no. Yeah, let's get into the plot.
18:15
Well, you say plot, they say I love these kind of films because
18:22
this is very much just a vehicle for fun and games of this
18:26
character, isn't it? But the part is kind of
18:29
irrelevant the entire film. But yeah, let's go through it.
18:34
Yeah, they're like, we're going to need something, some stuff to
18:37
happen so that this character can be in situations.
18:40
Yeah. Yeah, I think we just described
18:42
most comedies. This one in particular, though,
18:45
feels like the plot is very much the afterthought of the.
18:49
Yeah, although do you think this movie inspired to Wong Foo?
18:54
Well, it's similar vibes, actually, yeah.
18:56
Yeah. Yeah, you're right actually.
18:59
Anyway, we open on buxom Los Angeles TV horror Hostess
19:03
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She quits her job at the TV
19:08
station after the station's new owner sexually harasses her.
19:12
Do we? Do we need to talk about
19:13
Elvira's look? Yes, of course we do.
19:15
Yeah. Wig, wig.
19:19
I know wig. I feel that already a good wig.
19:23
Great. Wig, great wig.
19:25
That wig is, you know, that style, everything about it, the
19:29
scale you see, that's something that's something that you
19:33
wouldn't normally see when it's kind of a non drag wig is the
19:37
scale of it, the height. Yeah, it's somehow both a
19:41
beehive and a mullet. Yeah, well, apparently they they
19:45
took inspiration from The Ronettes for it when they were
19:48
sketching out the character. Because she's definitely not
19:52
ripping off Vampiro. No, she's 100% not ripping off
19:56
Vampire. This is a very different
19:59
concept. Very, very different.
20:01
And it's not that they're just completely taking what Vampire
20:04
did and stealing it from her. Yeah, the creation of her
20:07
character was quite interesting too, because she basically
20:10
attended an audition to become Elvira, like the character.
20:14
It wasn't that she didn't put anything into the character, but
20:16
like, they were casting for that person to do a new vampire to
20:20
host that show. And then she came in and and did
20:23
it. And then she put her own spin on
20:25
it, ended up buying the rights to it, ended up owning the
20:27
character herself. But yeah, it was kind of, it's
20:30
interesting that like, imagine casting for a drag queen.
20:33
Yeah, You know, it's totally that and the way everyone would
20:36
come for that because they'd be like, that's inauthentic.
20:39
Yeah, there's no. But to be fair, with her, like,
20:41
yeah, it was all kind of constructed to start with, but
20:44
she, I mean, it's, we don't need to prove it.
20:47
She's taken that character and done so many amazing things with
20:49
it. Totally.
20:50
She had developed like Valley girl personas when she was
20:53
working with the Groundlings, which is where Pee Wee Herman
20:56
came from as well. And I think that people casting
20:59
were like, oh, this is really great.
21:01
Like Matt merging this gothic person with this, like, kind of
21:04
dits. Yeah, also I mean the breasts.
21:07
I can see a dirty fellow. How does how how does it?
21:12
I still don't understand how that no they're real.
21:16
No, of course they're real. But I've just like.
21:18
They are so spectacular though, aren't they?
21:20
Yeah. How do they, how do they sit
21:22
like that? I don't understand.
21:23
Are they real? I think so.
21:25
I mean, I'm not, I didn't stare at them long enough to kind of
21:29
get a sense of the jiggle. Well, actually, no.
21:31
But she does jiggle them at the end, doesn't she?
21:33
When she's seen the tassel twirling and there's it's a
21:35
good, it's a good natural jiggle.
21:38
Oh, God, it is the straight man podcast now.
21:40
Welcome back. I know we just outed you as gay,
21:42
but no, you are straight. We're talking about tits.
21:44
Yeah, we're. Going to be talking about tits a
21:46
lot today I think, yeah. Breasts, Mama, They're called
21:50
breasts. So where are we?
21:52
OK so Elvira has quit her job and she wants to open an A show
21:56
in Las Vegas. She wants to be a showgirl, but
21:58
she needs $50,000 for the project.
22:01
I was instantly triggered by this because it's basically like
22:04
anybody preparing a show for Edinburgh.
22:09
It's like, I want to do the show, but yes, it's going to
22:12
cost you. You can't just do it.
22:14
No one's going to financially bring you there.
22:16
No one wants you to do it. If you want to do it, it's going
22:18
to cost you 50,000 lbs. And I was like, I hear you,
22:21
Elvira. I feel your pain.
22:23
Well, you if only you had a great Aunt Morgana like Elvira,
22:28
who has just died. And Elvira learns that she's the
22:33
beneficiary of something in her will, so she has to travel to
22:36
Falwell, Massachusetts to claim the inheritance.
22:39
We've got a great road trip scene, just like a road trip
22:43
montage. Well, the great The car itself
22:45
is spectacular, the steering wheel made out of like metal
22:49
chains. A chain, yeah.
22:50
With like a leopard print interior.
22:53
It's just like, oh, whoever did the art direction for this film
22:58
is just so bang on. It's so fucking cool.
23:00
She's probably developed a like great team over her time working
23:04
on the on the TV show and like transferred a lot of those
23:07
people over. This movie was dedicated to her
23:10
friend Robert, who died of AIDS, like shortly before this movie
23:15
came out. And he helped create the look
23:16
for Elvira and he did the hair for her.
23:20
So that's kind of, that's really nice.
23:22
Anyway, this road trip scene, Yeah, she's got there's loads of
23:24
cameos. Joey Arias is that hitchhiker.
23:27
I didn't clock that. Oh my God, that's so cool.
23:30
I didn't clock that. And there's just lots of funny
23:32
little bits. There's like a gas station
23:34
explosion. Where, where where murder
23:37
happens. Yeah.
23:39
She's basically like, those things are going to kill you.
23:42
And then yeah. Oh, low.
23:43
Oh, my God, am I Elvira? The premonition of it all, the
23:47
Diane Keaton of it all. And then he goes up in flames
23:50
and she's just driving along. I really want to eat fries the
23:54
way she does. Just like on the dashboard while
23:57
you're having a drink. Yeah.
23:58
Yeah, she's eats them like she's never eaten a French fry before
24:01
in her life. Yeah, she let the hot dog
24:05
falling on her tits. That's.
24:06
Great. She loves that, doesn't she?
24:07
She's yeah, but instantly, right.
24:10
I know we'll get into this, but instantly it's such a weird
24:14
experience to see so many like, you know, hammy tit jokes and
24:19
like, essentially through the male gaze.
24:21
But I never feel like I am looking at it through the male
24:23
gaze. It's just no weird contrast,
24:26
isn't it? Yeah, there's a bit where she's
24:28
washing her windscreen and the cameras under the windscreen,
24:31
and she's just pressing her breasts against that screen and
24:35
it's just squeegees noises as she's like squeaking up and
24:38
down. And yeah, I don't know, maybe
24:42
maybe we've just reached a point in 2025 where we get to say
24:45
boobs can be funny. I'm going to.
24:46
Yeah, well done. Everyone something something
24:49
bold and controversial, but I'm going to say it.
24:50
Boobs are funny if they're being objectified by the woman.
24:56
For her. Own amusement.
24:58
I think, I think we are both in agreement that we don't find it
25:01
funny when someone is wearing a huge breastplate and punching
25:04
them because that, yeah, that doesn't, that doesn't quite
25:07
tickle me. I know, I know, some people find
25:09
it funny, but I'm like, oh God. Yeah, no, that doesn't work for
25:11
me. It's.
25:12
A real red flag if someone does that just to.
25:15
Me like that doesn't work for me and like I'm not obviously
25:19
endorsing lad culture talking about drugs, but if a woman
25:24
enjoys her tits and likes to make fun of how great they look,
25:29
more power to her I. Mean.
25:30
That's just like the rules of feminism.
25:33
So yeah, Alvira turns up in Massachusetts, and she attends
25:37
the reading of the will and learns that her inheritance
25:40
includes a mansion, a recipe book, and Morgana's pet poodle,
25:44
Algonquin. Benny, Benny.
25:49
Who's Benny? Benny is a gonk the dog.
25:52
Oh OK, that dog is really giving your dog.
25:58
Satan, OH. Baby has a dog named Satan.
26:02
Yeah, which, again, I can't believe you're not an Elvira
26:05
fan. Well, I am now.
26:08
I'm just saying I don't have a history with her.
26:10
I am very much a fan now. But yeah, listen sister, if I
26:14
want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you.
26:17
So Elvira's gotten this recipe book and she does not know it's
26:20
actually a spell book. In Falwell, though, Elvira's
26:26
look and attitude is really turning the Conservative town
26:31
council against her. You most certainly don't fit in
26:34
this town, but you don't even fit in that dress.
26:37
Now, I think a lot of queer people can relate to this
26:39
scenario because I I too, was like fantasizing.
26:43
This is what it's like whenever I go and visit family.
26:46
Things in mind. I don't think I make quite the
26:48
impact that Elvira does, but there is, there's real
26:52
relatability about that, isn't it, of everyone being like
26:56
they're touching their pearls, Yeah.
26:57
Yeah, Yeah, it's, you're so right.
26:59
And actually it's actually quite cathartic because she is just
27:04
totally unfazed. She'd be.
27:07
Yeah. Because like, I think maybe if I
27:09
was in drag, I'd be able to do a bit of that too.
27:12
But like out of drag, you know, if I got that reaction I would
27:15
just wither. Yeah, of course.
27:17
You just shrink, wouldn't you? But she just does not.
27:19
She just like goes bigger. She does not give a shit.
27:22
It's so satisfying. Yeah, it's really good.
27:26
Yeah, I liked this line. A person like that comes to town
27:29
and the next thing you know, they're teaching sex education
27:31
in the schools. But again, do you like all of
27:36
the like hammy 1 liners? There are like very smart lines
27:40
in this movie and that's one of them.
27:42
That's a great line, isn't it? That's.
27:43
Yeah, yeah. They're like, politics of this
27:45
movie are actually really spot on, despite all the boob jokes.
27:50
Yeah. I also love how she gets, like,
27:52
an electric guitar riff when someone sees her.
27:55
Like, she's just standing there and like, someone, some
27:58
conservative town person clocks her.
27:59
And then there's just this like. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
28:04
The soundtrack is great anyway, isn't it?
28:06
It's kind of that, like Punky kind of.
28:09
Yeah, yeah, I'm really into it all.
28:12
Elvira befriends theatre operator Bob and some local
28:16
teens, but cheap bowling alley owner Paddy is interested in Bob
28:22
is. That Kanecki in Greece.
28:27
Is it? Yeah, I think it is.
28:30
Oh, So what? He's one of like the hench men.
28:32
Yeah, Jeff Conway. He is, he is.
28:37
Oh, right, that's a real step, step down in a role for him,
28:40
isn't it? Yeah, yeah, he just popped out.
28:43
Yeah, yeah. So right.
28:44
He's one of the sleazebags that kind of sexually harasses her at
28:46
the bowling alley. And we also meet Paddy, who has
28:52
big tits. Yeah, also has big tits, but
28:56
hers are very erect. Very erect, Yeah.
29:01
I'm erect. Why aren't you erected?
29:04
And she also likes Bob. And so she decides to plot
29:08
against Elvira. Elvira is hosting a midnight
29:12
movie screening. Again, very huge.
29:16
I think what I'm trying to say is I'm trying to underplay how
29:18
much I'm ripping her off. Basically I'm like, oh, I've
29:21
never heard of this Elvira person.
29:23
Before. Sure, Jan.
29:26
There's a great sight gag where Paddy is waiting in the movie
29:32
theatre to like plot against her and it like you see her feet
29:34
under the under the curtain and then it pans up and you just see
29:37
her two hard tits poking through the curtain.
29:41
It's very good, but she succeeds in humiliating Elvira by tart
29:45
and feathering her Carrie style. Yeah, that was a that was a
29:48
satisfying thing for someone that's got connection to horror
29:51
films. That was a satisfying moment,
29:53
wasn't it? Yeah.
29:54
Although to be fair, if I would have seen someone perform the
29:56
ACT, I wouldn't have been like, oh, that shit.
29:58
I would have been like great ending.
30:00
Yeah. Oh, totally.
30:02
I. Was I was here for the lighting
30:03
setup in that performance, I know it was meant to look like,
30:05
oh, it's a bit crappy, but I was like great, well done Elvira.
30:09
I loved her. I mean, she's there's some
30:11
really fun psych gags there too, I've heard, like doing flips and
30:14
it's just very comedically clearly not her doing it.
30:17
Yeah, they do a, they do a great job of leaning into that.
30:20
She does a, a full flash dance routine.
30:22
It's great Elvira is fixing up her house so that she can sell
30:28
and depart for Las Vegas, but she is unaware that her uncle,
30:33
Vincent Talbot, is actually a warlock who is obsessed with
30:37
obtaining Morgana's spellbook. He's plotting to kill Elvira and
30:41
take over the world, and he has been fueling the townspeople's
30:46
hostility against Elvira I. Mean it's high concept, but
30:49
sure. Can I just ask a quick question,
30:51
just rewind slightly, How do you feel about child labor?
30:56
I guess I'm broadly anti unless it's like a gaggle of helpful
31:00
teens. Oh, OK, because helping.
31:02
Helping me montage style. OK, yeah, because that's what it
31:06
is. Because I was thinking if
31:07
they're like really privileged and why I'm probably OK with
31:11
child labour, I think. Yeah, yeah.
31:14
And that's. So I was kind of there.
31:15
Yeah, I think. I think it's OK that she's not
31:17
paying them and they're just having to renovate her house.
31:21
Well, she's paying them and letting them look at her ass,
31:24
yeah. Yeah, it's like she's doing a
31:27
lot of that. She's and drinking like ice cold
31:29
water with her tits out and sort of letting it drip down.
31:32
Yeah. So she's giving them like a
31:34
little something something. OK, great.
31:36
I'm really glad we cleared that up.
31:38
Thank you. Thank you.
31:40
Back to the. Warlock Well now, now Elvira's
31:44
trying to impress Bob, so she's making him a home cooked dinner
31:47
and she uses the cookbook that her aunt left but she doesn't
31:51
know it's a scalp spell. Because she's clearly dyslexic,
31:54
you know, You know, that's another thing about her that,
31:56
you know, people can relate to. She's a dyslexic queen and she
32:00
can't read casserole. So it's like fine.
32:03
Yeah, yeah, and she accidentally summons a demon creature that
32:07
attacks them from the casserole. I love that.
32:10
I love that scene so much. Yeah, this puppet is great.
32:13
It's really fun, it's gross, it's cool.
32:16
And then putting it down the drain thing, the machine and it
32:19
blitzed it up. It was just brilliant.
32:21
It's like, and there are some good bits of horror in this.
32:24
It doesn't, it doesn't forget that that's where she's from.
32:27
It could have very easily just been like, no horror at all.
32:30
But they kind of still lean into that, don't they?
32:33
Yeah, That night, Elvira discovers a letter that reveals
32:36
the magical prowess of her mother, great aunt and uncle, as
32:40
well as herself. And she also finds, no, she
32:42
doesn't find a magical ring. She's got the magical ring all
32:44
along. Isn't that an important thing to
32:46
take home as well, to just remember you've got a magical
32:49
ring? Again, one of those affirmations
32:52
I should say to myself in the morning, in the mirror every
32:54
morning. Yeah, just bent over, looking at
32:57
myself through my legs. You've got a magical ring.
33:00
Yeah, Yeah. I really would like to see you
33:02
do that. Yeah, I would like to watch you
33:04
do that. The the act of it, yeah.
33:06
Yes, she realizes that she's been handed down a magical ring
33:09
that can be used for protection. I was that sorry, I know I'm
33:14
jumping. Is that the bit where we see the
33:15
baby in Elvira drag? Yeah, I think so.
33:18
And it's going back and like, yes.
33:20
And it's like she's just there. And it's like, it's the 80s.
33:24
That kid fuck knows what makeups put on that kid, but it's a full
33:28
face and the baby should not be wearing it.
33:31
But I'm here for it. Babies in drag is, you know,
33:34
great. It is so funny, I know.
33:37
Is it OK? I guess that is also child
33:39
labour when you think about it. True, yeah.
33:43
Yeah, that baby I don't think could consent.
33:47
I, I imagine being that baby and being in such like a queer film
33:52
and like growing up being like and maybe being MAGA, like
33:57
having surprised that from everybody you're part of.
34:01
Hopefully if you get put in drag as a baby by Elvira, you turn
34:06
into a drag queen. Yeah, hopefully.
34:08
I want some That was 88. So that person could be.
34:12
For all we know, that person could be Trixie Mattel.
34:15
Wouldn't that be so glorious? Like Elvira retiring and finding
34:21
the baby drag and being like you are the next in line?
34:25
Wouldn't that be? That would be really poetic.
34:28
Beautiful beautiful Alvira is now plotting against the
34:32
morality club and so she decides to re conjure that cookbook
34:36
demon and give it to them at their picnic.
34:40
But she prepares the spell incorrectly and instead
34:44
accidentally makes some kind of slut potion.
34:47
Which I'm it made me think of some of your summer garden
34:51
parties, quite frankly. I was like, I feel like you've
34:58
used that slap potion at one of your garden parties before.
35:01
Yeah, she basically gives them all ecstasy.
35:04
Elvira gets them all hopped up on East and everyone starts to
35:09
fuck and. I mean, totally.
35:12
It takes quite a leap, doesn't it?
35:13
Because it's that guy with the hot dog and then the woman's got
35:16
the bun and it's like putting the hot dog into the bun.
35:19
It's like OK. No, she's holding a Taco shell.
35:23
Oh, it's Taco. Shell.
35:24
So yeah, that is worse because everyone knows you don't put a
35:26
hot dog in a Taco shell. What?
35:29
Are they doing? How high are?
35:32
These so good. Watching someone hold a Taco
35:35
shell and say remind you of anything is is calm.
35:43
It's comedy gold. It's such a good line.
35:47
Also, it's like, of all of the things you would want to
35:50
associate with an orifice that could accommodate a penis.
35:53
Dry. Crispy.
35:55
Taco shell. Oh my God, that's so funny.
36:03
I'm going to start holding anything.
36:05
I just, yeah, I just want to find I'm going to carry around
36:09
some Taco shells that just go randomly to people, remind you
36:13
of anything. I think we don't say remind you
36:16
of anything about inappropriate things often enough.
36:21
Bring it back and bring it back. But yeah, she was everything.
36:24
I mean, what scene stealer? I loved her.
36:28
Also, Edie Mcclurg, who's playing the head of the morality
36:32
club. I think her name's Chastity.
36:34
She's amazing. Yeah.
36:35
There's a bit where she's like, she sits on a man's face in real
36:38
slow motion and. Again, it's like, it's quite
36:43
like, how did that get in? Because it's not alluding to
36:46
like, cheekiness. It's like, oh, you're going to
36:49
eat me out now. Yeah, and and then later that
36:54
man is like, you were riding me like a mechanical bull.
36:58
I love that for Ed. Yeah.
37:00
Brilliant. Yeah.
37:02
There's also a confrontation here where Paddy confronts
37:04
Elvira and Elvira punches, somehow punches her top off and
37:10
that's when we realized Paddy is actually flat chested and she's
37:13
been wearing a padded bra. And this is this is probably one
37:16
of the only negative things about Elvira, that she's a flat
37:20
chest shamer. Yeah, she's body shaming, Paddy.
37:22
Yeah, yeah, that's the worst, isn't it?
37:24
Not flat chest shamer, that common phrase used by lots of
37:30
people. But anyway, this spell, this
37:32
magical orgy that Elvira has done has causes the townspeople
37:37
to turn against her. And Vincent, her uncle, leads
37:40
them all in a resting Elvira for witchcraft, and they decide to
37:44
burn her at the stake. I didn't remember any of this,
37:47
and I thought it was a fun little.
37:49
Yeah, It really raised the stakes, if you will.
37:51
Oh, yeah, yeah. She's tied to the stake and the
37:54
fire is lit, but she uses Morgana's ring to summon a
37:58
rainstorm, which douses the flames and she escapes with Bob.
38:03
Then she's getting chased by her uncle, who's like turning more
38:06
demonic. He's really evil.
38:08
He's an evil warlock. There's lots of fights.
38:11
He chases her through a cemetery, she's locked in with
38:13
some chains and she uses her boobs to.
38:17
Breakthrough yeah OK not only are tits funny they are useful,
38:22
the rules of feminism wonderful psychic wildly close close up as
38:26
well on them it's like OK let's just do it then yeah she also.
38:32
Dresses like Rambo at one point for some reason and then they're
38:34
they end up at the mansion and Elvira and Vincent engage in a
38:38
magical battle that sets the house on fire.
38:43
In the final showdown, Elvira successfully kills her uncle,
38:47
but everything is destroyed in the fire.
38:49
The next day, Elvira prepares to leave town because she's now
38:52
homeless. All the townspeople turn up and
38:54
she thinks they're there for like Round 2 a burning at the
38:58
stake. But they apologize for their bad
39:00
behavior and ask Elvira to stay. Now I don't understand why these
39:04
people have changed their mind about Elvira.
39:07
Doesn't really make any sense. I mean, she's like, I mean,
39:10
she's wreaked havoc on their shitty little.
39:13
Yeah, yeah, but as her uncle's soul living relative, Elvira has
39:19
inherited his entire estate, which means she's now got enough
39:23
money to open her Vegas show. And we cut to her in Vegas
39:29
doing. It's it's up there with
39:31
Showgirls in terms of a performance.
39:34
Yeah, it's so wonderful. I literally everything about it
39:39
is incredible. I wrote down Is this the best
39:41
ending to a movie I've ever seen?
39:43
Yes it is is the answer. Yes it is.
39:47
I love she was doing because it's a very popular thing in
39:49
like 90s comedies in soundtracks to have rapping and I feel like
39:54
she. OK, no, I didn't.
39:56
That's that was not OK. That was not OK.
40:07
The only people of colour in this movie appear in the final
40:09
scene and they are her backup dancers as she does the whitest
40:13
rap you have ever seen. But OK, no, in that context.
40:16
But do you not appreciate like, like the Addams Family had a rap
40:19
soundtrack? Like I feel like it was just a
40:21
real thing for like, like Super Mario Brothers movie had a rap
40:25
song. It was just a real yeah, it
40:27
didn't matter. What in the Blondie rapture is
40:30
going on here? I mean, she doesn't need it
40:34
there, does she, to be honest? No, but then it cuts to the
40:37
tassel twirling and she shows that she's she knows how to
40:41
tassel twirl. She does them in each direction
40:43
and simultaneously. And that is how the movie ends.
40:45
And it is. Like she wrote this movie, she
40:47
Co wrote it, so there must have been a conversation, right?
40:49
How are we going to end it? And she's she's like, wait,
40:52
guys, listen up. We're going to do a close up of
40:57
me shaking my tits and I'm going to twirl those tassels and that
41:00
is going to be the end of this movie.
41:02
Look, if there's one thing I know, it's that you got to get a
41:04
gimmick. And yeah, and I would end my
41:09
movie with an angle grinder. But also.
41:11
Got to do it. I would I would pay so much
41:14
money to go to Vegas to see the Elvira showgirl show that I just
41:20
like. It's incredible.
41:21
Absolutely. Like like that is like drag that
41:24
is drag, burlesque, everything that is like so perfect.
41:29
It's the costume is so stunning. She's got this real like Bob
41:35
mask Mackie esque cut out dress that's just all like silver
41:41
fringing and beading and rhinestones, but it's barely on
41:45
her. It's like, how is this actually
41:47
attached to you? And then this huge spider
41:51
backdrop that's all like looks like ostrich feathers spider.
41:55
It's so gorgeous. It's so gorgeous.
41:58
And I also just think that how great that this is where she
42:00
comes from as well. Like she is a vague, she's a
42:03
Vegas show girl, she's a stripper.
42:05
So it's it's so authentic to have this in in the film as
42:08
well. It's not just like, oh, I'm now
42:10
going to be this. It's like, no, this is actually
42:12
part of her story. So I think that's.
42:14
Totally. And I read a fact that the
42:17
studio didn't want this to be the ending.
42:19
They just wanted it to end with her, I think, staying in town.
42:22
So they left it open and they showed the studio the movie.
42:25
And we're like, the studio liked enough to pay enough to get her
42:30
to shoot that. So they shot it a month later in
42:32
a sound studio so that they could like, end the movie how
42:34
Elvira wanted. And also relatable because she
42:36
can't really sing. And I was just like, yeah, see,
42:39
it doesn't matter. Don't let that stop you.
42:42
And I was like, yes, again. Another another thing I've got
42:45
in common with Elvira. Yeah, she Can't Sing, she can't
42:48
dance. She's just got good tits.
42:50
And so, you know, I've got something in common with her
42:52
too. Tell him I was more than just a
42:56
great set of boobs. Incredible pair of legs.
43:01
Well, that's the movie. Gosh, I don't know where to go.
43:05
Oh, I OK, so something I find interesting about Elvira as a
43:09
complete concept is she's obviously this like bawdy, no
43:14
nonsense broad, isn't she? That's kind of I know that her
43:18
origins of valley girl as an idea, but she's you know, she's
43:21
a wise, quick talking, smart ass isn't.
43:23
She may well Mae West. With an answer for everything.
43:25
And I yeah, I love it in that. But I where do you sort of sit
43:30
with this representation of women in films?
43:32
Because obviously it's empowering and she's she's part
43:36
of it and she's decided that. But do we just think that these
43:39
kind of characters are, you know, a response to the times
43:44
and that that she still has to be hot.
43:46
So this is how she's sort of just dealing with it.
43:48
Do you think it's reductive being abroad or do you think
43:51
it's still kind of a cool thing is my question?
43:54
Excellent question. It's hard because, yeah, the gay
43:59
in me is just so happy to see it whenever you see it, like the
44:03
Mae W the poison, the Uma Thurman Poison Ivy.
44:05
It's like it's so fun. But obviously it needs to exist
44:10
in a context where there are different kinds of roles for
44:13
women as well. And like, I don't know, I think
44:17
I give this movie a pass because it's it's so clearly she's so up
44:21
for it. This is what she wants to do.
44:24
It's like her agency is just all over this movie.
44:28
And so I'm like, well, it doesn't matter.
44:30
Like. But it doesn't need to.
44:32
I feel like the scene where she gets in the bit of the bar brawl
44:36
and the guys, oh God, it's that thing I hate in this era of
44:40
films where it's like the dodgy guys basically imply they're
44:43
going to rape someone. It happens all.
44:45
It's just what you always see in those setups, you know, they,
44:48
they make a move, she pours the drink on them and then they're
44:51
literally like, right, I'm going to show you.
44:53
It's just always. But yeah, I guess it's
44:55
interesting because in this, in that scene, she doesn't take
44:59
part in any of the other violence, does she?
45:01
Or anything, or the fight? She just kind of is there being
45:04
hot and just kind of bouncing around.
45:06
And normally I'd be like, oh God, that's such a weak way of
45:09
doing it. But because it this is her
45:11
character and because she is part of it, it doesn't bother me
45:14
as much as it normally would. Yeah, I'd be like, why aren't
45:17
you getting involved as well? But she's just kind of there
45:20
being, yeah, fabulous isn't. She, I think Elvira exists as
45:23
like part of wonderful representation.
45:27
Like if this was the only media that we had with women in it,
45:31
then yes, maybe there'd be a problem.
45:32
But like, you know, I'm not looking to Elvira to be perfect
45:35
representation for women. And I I actually think she does
45:38
a really good job of not only doing the sexy so that people
45:43
like want to watch the movie because sex does so and she
45:45
knows that, but then also, like you say, subverting it and like
45:49
bringing an actual real feminist ideas, bringing in like queer
45:54
subversion, like challenging heteronormativity.
46:00
That's basically what this movie is all about.
46:02
It's like, Teach showing people that it's better to be a freak
46:06
and a weirdo and fabulous than to, like, try and live up to
46:10
some kind of weird Christian morality.
46:13
Yeah. And like, OK, it's not the
46:15
world's most unique idea to do that kind of movie.
46:18
Like, we've seen lots of movies kind of with that sort of
46:20
premise. Bad kid comes to town and
46:23
changes people's minds. But it's still really fun to
46:26
watch and it's satisfying. And like, she was this movie.
46:31
We existed at a time like the Satanic Panic was a really big
46:34
thing. And she's she's basically saying
46:36
like, fuck the hat. Like look how stupid you all
46:38
are. Yeah, and it gets it's imagine
46:41
being like a little queer kids stumbling across this as well.
46:44
Is there's so much to kind of take away and to discover?
46:48
Blow your mind. Because this is it's built, this
46:51
movie is built, it's a Halloween movie.
46:53
It's built to be watched every year, right?
46:55
It's so light that you could just watch it every year.
46:58
And it's it's got that sort of like this is a tradition, a
47:00
Halloween tradition. We watch this movie.
47:02
But yeah, I think the more and more you watch it, there's more
47:06
to kind of take about, as you said, about like representation,
47:09
about being different, like kind of flying your freak flag high
47:14
and just it's yeah. So it's got it does a lot of
47:16
really good stuff, I think this film.
47:18
Yeah. I also think like any criticism
47:21
of Elvira as like an overly sexualized person or like the,
47:26
like, idea that, you know, she's relying too much on sexy or it's
47:30
kind of problematic that she has to be sexy in order to get that.
47:33
It ends up making you sound like one of the women on the morality
47:37
club in the movie. And I think it's really smart
47:40
because I'm sure Elvira got that all the time.
47:43
And so it's she basically puts her critics in the movie.
47:47
And it's like, look how stupid you actually sound like I'm
47:50
having a great time and I fucking love my body.
47:53
And so do lots of other people. And like I find it fun to show
47:57
it off. Yeah, totally.
47:58
Like and yeah, I get paid for it.
48:01
Lucky me. And but yeah, but and then and
48:03
then also on top of that, you know, as we've said a few Times
48:07
Now, she's she's one of the writers on this as well.
48:09
She's has complete agency in in everything she's doing, which
48:13
is. Great.
48:14
What I would say about like, her broad sort of style humor is
48:17
like, I'd say only 50% of the jokes in this movie land.
48:22
And like when they're bad, they're like, oh, this is really
48:24
corny. And it's like dad jokes.
48:26
And there's something where she laughs at her own jokes but I
48:30
find quite grating. I know it's, it's a style of
48:33
comedy that is like, yeah, I think you either love it or you
48:37
don't. Like it's, it's not the it's not
48:39
the draw for me in this film. Like some of the lines are
48:42
funny, but I'm not, I'm not laughing at every single one
48:45
liner. And it's so just like trophy
48:47
comedy. It's just like but.
48:50
But then what? But then a line cuts through
48:52
that just really surprises you. And like I I was surprised how
48:55
much I actually genuinely burst out laughing watching it.
48:58
Also, it's like when it's funny, it's funny.
49:01
And then some of it's like, oh, that was.
49:03
Like really like. Cringe.
49:04
Things like remind you of anything that's not like a bad
49:08
joke that is just fucking funny. It's like, and it's not and it's
49:13
not even accidentally funny. Like they have had the
49:16
discussion about should it be a hot dog role?
49:19
And then they're like, no, that's too obvious.
49:22
Get the dried corn tortilla. So good.
49:30
There's just little bits throughout this movie that like,
49:33
really did get me. Well, one of those cheesy one
49:35
liners I liked as well and I think it's because she's
49:38
delivering it and obviously it's not like a man delivering it,
49:41
but do you want a virgin? I'll have a couple of drinks
49:44
first so. Good, so good.
49:49
Obviously, this movie also gave us How's Your Head?
49:51
Of course, yeah. Which like, I didn't find it
49:54
funny watching this because it's just become such like a cliche,
49:58
but I was watching it with my friend Anna and she's not a drag
50:01
racer and she's like lol that's so funny.
50:04
Like it is a really, really good.
50:06
Line. Yeah, I don't mean it's, it's
50:07
had legs, hasn't it? That's like it's so, yeah,
50:10
totally. Yeah, there's another one.
50:12
Here's to my big opening. That's a That's a real Drag Race
50:16
line. Yeah, but I mean, it's perfect,
50:18
isn't it? It's great.
50:20
It's great. All of this is so funny that
50:24
people have issues with women being like doing drag.
50:29
Do you know what I mean? When we've got this amazing
50:33
example of someone doing drag, everything about it is, is she
50:38
is like the queeniest of drag Queens.
50:40
Like she's got the funnies, she's got the amazing looks,
50:44
she's got this charisma and presence.
50:46
And I mean, it's, it's just wild that anybody could debate women
50:50
doing drag successfully. It's like she's got it.
50:53
No, you're so right. Like, obviously it's taken so
50:57
long for the drag community writ large to kind of recognize that
51:02
women can and have been doing drag for ages.
51:06
And especially when you've got franchises that like play on
51:09
Elvira jokes and you're like. Yeah, I mean, like, drag is so
51:13
inspired by Elvira it's crazy. Yeah.
51:16
What a what an icon? Yeah, what an icon, what a
51:18
career, what a career she's had. And like she's done some really
51:22
good stuff and like what an achievement to like be so
51:26
sexual, but to kind of still have like family audiences.
51:31
Like, you know, she does her Halloween screen parks.
51:35
She used to do like hosting that.
51:37
And she's like on the cusp of being like quite Disney.
51:39
But like, again, what an what an amazing example of someone that
51:43
can do adult material but then can also show different sides
51:47
that doesn't affect anyone. Like she is the antithesis of
51:50
what her character is seen as in the in the film.
51:53
She's completely universal. And it's just, it just shows
51:56
that you can, you don't need to dull down a side of you to kind
52:00
of appeal to lots of different people.
52:01
It's really amazing. Yeah, and like, the ability to
52:06
create such a sexy sex forward character and then also still
52:10
retain so much agency. And to do that in the 80s were
52:14
like, I'm sure people were constantly trying to, like,
52:17
control her, tell her what to do, take her power.
52:21
And yeah, that like, she's come out on top with it all as the
52:25
one in charge. It's very Dolly Parton.
52:27
Yeah, actually very, very Dolly Parton.
52:30
And again, it's just it's still, I love it when it's like people
52:33
sort of I don't think when I say they move quietly, they've
52:36
obviously been very successful and they are very sort of public
52:39
facing. But I just kind of really
52:41
appreciate performers that are true to themselves and just kind
52:46
of carry on and are resilient and just successful.
52:50
It's just so brilliant to see. Do you know what I mean?
52:52
Like it's, it's almost like she's just got kept her head
52:55
down and just kept on plowing on and it's just gone against it
52:58
and it's just carried on being successful.
53:00
And it's like, wow. Yeah, she's had ups and downs.
53:02
So, like, I think she had to remortgage her house in order to
53:05
finance the second movie. I think she's been, like, in
53:07
pretty dire straits at different points in her career.
53:09
And I think she's just constantly like, oh, now I'm
53:12
having another resurgence. Now I'm like, and, you know,
53:14
making it work. And that's also quite, I don't
53:18
know, inspiring as someone in showbiz.
53:21
She just didn't just get success and then it stay there.
53:23
She had to keep riding the wave and finding new ways to make it
53:26
work. And I think part of like the
53:28
problem with where we are today isn't it?
53:30
It's just we just see everybody portraying perfect lives and oh,
53:35
everything's going really well and we're only putting the good
53:37
stuff forward facing. It's really hard to kind of
53:40
remind yourself, especially if you work in entertainments or
53:42
art or anything that's creative, that there are like huge ups and
53:47
downs and it's, and if you lots of, lots of people like her sort
53:51
of age range have all had huge highs and then really, really
53:55
bad lows. So it's, it's really
53:57
inspirational. I, I felt like that I watched a
53:59
documentary about the Rocky Horror Picture show recently and
54:03
that started off as like 20 people watching it.
54:07
It was so small in the theatres when they first started
54:10
performing it. It just, it was so, so tiny and
54:13
then obviously it became a beast and then it became a film.
54:18
And it's just, it's really lovely to kind of to see things
54:20
that you admire so much and just remind you that like normal
54:23
people start with it. I mean, I don't think it
54:27
happened. It doesn't happen to many people
54:28
though, the huge success. But it's, it's a nice thing to
54:31
kind of glimmer onto, isn't it? Well, even with this podcast,
54:34
it's like, it's a slow build, but like I actually do feel like
54:38
we're building something and like building people who like
54:42
listening to us. And it's like really satisfying
54:44
to keep plugging at something that you enjoy and just be like,
54:47
no, I'm going to just keep doing this thing I enjoy and the
54:49
people will come. I agree.
54:50
I agree with that. Keep on plugging at something
54:52
you enjoy. Just grab a tool and start.
54:57
Start banging. That's a great guy.
55:02
I really. Enjoyed that line.
55:05
The the other thing I I really enjoyed in this movie, at the
55:10
end of the movie she's fighting with her uncle and she takes off
55:13
a shoe and throws her stiletto at him and it impales him in the
55:15
head. And we have seen our diva Pamela
55:19
Anderson in Barbed Wire kill a man in the same way, and I just
55:23
love that legacy. It's yeah.
55:25
And it's just, you know, it's a creative way of using footwear,
55:29
I think. And so, yeah, it's.
55:32
Yeah. And it should.
55:33
It's like, again, if it's if that is done by a woman without
55:37
agency, you're like, this is really annoying, misogynist way
55:41
that a man would think a woman would fight.
55:43
But when it's done by a woman who's in charge, you're like,
55:46
great, yes. Yeah, and it yeah.
55:49
And it's also like it's with someone like Elvira, you're
55:52
like, oh, she knows she could use some another weapon.
55:55
No, I'm going to use my high heel on you.
55:57
I'm deciding this. Yeah, definitely.
56:00
It's I also thought this movie was interesting thinking about
56:03
in the context of barbed wire, which is another like, you know,
56:08
boob forward movie with like, I don't know, like that B movie
56:14
quality to it that like trading on sexuality.
56:17
They're obviously very different because one is purposefully camp
56:20
and the other one I would say probably isn't, but.
56:24
Oh, I thought you were going to say, well, one's got blonde hair
56:27
and one's got black. Hair.
56:29
And I was like that, too, the two kinds of women.
56:34
Yeah. But yeah, it's just, it's just
56:36
fun to watch like different women navigate being a sex icon
56:42
in their different ways. Yeah, I agree.
56:47
I will say something else I really enjoyed as well as I
56:49
think sometimes when we talk about these kind of movies from
56:53
the 80's, the comedies and they are lightweight that we are, we
56:58
can sometimes just get bored just because there's not a lot
57:00
to kind of process and it it can just be a bit like yada, yada,
57:04
yada, get to the end. Well, you know, it's a mediocre
57:07
film. It was mediocre camp.
57:09
Like it's almost like why are we doing?
57:10
It's really nice for me to be able to see something in this
57:13
genre and be reminded that actually a good film is a good
57:16
film and it kind of doesn't need to have a lot of weight to it.
57:21
Sometimes the things that have come together in this film that
57:24
have given it sort of a stronger identity and like have made it
57:29
more. I know, and I just think that's
57:31
interesting. I know.
57:32
Exactly. I mean, I think this movie is so
57:33
much better than it has any right to be because yeah, I
57:37
think it's a it's quite a bad movie that is somehow good.
57:41
But again, it makes so much sense that it does have those
57:44
beam, beam qualities because that's where she started with.
57:47
And it's like, it just, it fits in with the theme of like it's a
57:51
bit. Yeah.
57:52
Because it's they're the kind of movies that she would have been
57:54
hosting on satellite. Yeah.
57:57
So yeah. Yeah, it's so fab that way.
57:59
It's quite meta, but you're so right.
58:01
Like I actually I found I was maybe the 1st 20 minutes.
58:05
I was like, I don't know if actually I'm going to enjoy this
58:08
one this time, like I really hope I do, but the something
58:11
about the cheesy jokes being delivered at the start, I was
58:14
like, I don't know if I'm going to if it's going to live up to
58:18
my memory. And by the end I was like, that
58:21
was great. That was so great it.
58:23
Yeah, I I was the same. It went down so easy.
58:26
Yeah. And then I was just kind of
58:27
like, there was something just very comforting about it.
58:29
It was. It's just really enjoyable.
58:31
And like, yeah, it's, as I said, it's just one of those films I
58:34
think you can just watch every year and just enjoy and just
58:38
kind of take it for what it is and just have a nice time.
58:41
And it's so visually, like, pretty.
58:43
And it's like, it's got lots of kind of like, as bad as the
58:45
special effects are, they're kind of pretty special effects,
58:48
like, you know, laser zapping. They're all very like,
58:51
aesthetically enjoyable I'd say. Yeah, yeah, it's got a real
58:54
like, like strong sensibility. I Oh yeah.
58:57
I love that scene she's having. I think she's having a
58:59
nightmare, but she's laying in bed and her hair is like all
59:04
laid out on the bed. Oh my God that shot is stunning.
59:09
It is so good she looks. Incredible.
59:13
Yeah. There's so many details like
59:14
that that are just really, really quiet.
59:17
They're not straights. Couldn't do it.
59:19
Sorry. Yeah, you're not capable.
59:20
Well, if you're straight, I'm sorry you're not capable.
59:23
Well the the head bitch in charge was a lesbian, so.
59:26
Well, yeah, so there we go. And what's a lesbian?
59:29
What a lesbian. I mean, we could talk for yeah,
59:32
we could talk forever. I think, feel like about Elvira.
59:34
And I would really recommend people, yeah, go and learn more
59:39
about her because her life is so, so interesting.
59:41
But I think we've, I think we've covered Mistress of the Dark.
59:46
I think we should rank this movie.
59:47
I think we should as well, yeah. OK, so we need to give it a
59:50
score on our patented campometer.
59:52
We're giving it one to 10 Merrells for the quality of the
59:56
movie and one to 10 Elizas for the camp factor.
1:00:01
Let's start with Merrells. Bit tricky.
1:00:04
Yeah, it is tricky. Oh, I don't know.
1:00:08
I could talk myself. I could talk myself in either
1:00:10
direction with it basically. Yeah, but I do agree.
1:00:12
But like essentially it's it's like a lazy, it's like a lazy
1:00:16
template of a comedy, isn't it? And then they just filled in the
1:00:20
gaps and made it spectacular via that.
1:00:22
But like that side of it. But then, oh, I don't know.
1:00:25
But then I I was about to then go but then I love the set
1:00:28
design. Yeah.
1:00:30
I love all of the music I love. I love loads of the humour.
1:00:34
Yeah, right. Loads of the performances are
1:00:37
quite are quite bad characters are thin.
1:00:39
The plot, yeah, is thin, but I don't yeah, again.
1:00:44
But the the end result is this picture that I really really
1:00:47
enjoyed. And surely if that's if you
1:00:49
enjoy that, that means it's a good film, doesn't it?
1:00:52
Yeah, I don't. There are lots of like
1:00:54
technically well made films that I think are just wanky and shit,
1:00:59
but then it's not it's not good because action.
1:01:02
Also, sorry Meryl, you're not the most important person in
1:01:05
this podcast. So yeah, OK, I'm going to give
1:01:07
it. I'm going to give it, I'm going
1:01:09
to give it 5, right? I'm going to give it 5 because
1:01:13
it's like there's great stuff and then there's terrible stuff
1:01:15
and it's I'm in the middle. Yeah, great.
1:01:17
OK, I'll meet you at A5. I was thinking of four, but
1:01:20
you're right, you're right. When it's good, it's good.
1:01:22
When it's bad, it's bad. It is AB movie through and
1:01:24
through. Yeah, it's not.
1:01:26
It's not trying to be a 10 Merrill movie and so therefore
1:01:29
we have no business giving it 10 Merrills.
1:01:31
What about Lizas though? How camp is this movie?
1:01:36
I'm going there. Yeah, it's it's.
1:01:38
A tent. She's up there.
1:01:39
Yeah, it's a tent. She's up there with Lindsay.
1:01:42
She's up there with Pamela. She's up there with Faye
1:01:44
Dunaway. We would be doing a disservice
1:01:46
to not only ourselves, but the entire.
1:01:49
Camp Community. Camp community.
1:01:51
If we didn't identify this film as a camp classic, what a woman.
1:01:55
And like, you know, this might be her highest accolade, but I
1:01:58
think this is a bona fide camp classic.
1:02:02
Absolutely. I can't think of a movie that
1:02:04
was more designed for queers to love and enjoy than this movie.
1:02:10
It's just if. God, don't say that.
1:02:13
I feel like AI is going to find your voice saying that.
1:02:16
And now they're going to like, go, oh, we've got the final
1:02:19
recipe. Now, but yeah, this is it ticks
1:02:24
all of the boxes. It's such a a joy to watch.
1:02:28
What else could it be except 10 lies?
1:02:30
I've got a wetty right now. Yeah, a wetty.
1:02:32
Yeah, I am sitting in a puddle that my dry Taco is slowly
1:02:37
absorbing. I think that I think you just
1:02:42
have to end it there. Just that's it.
1:02:46
Happy Halloween. Thank you for being here.
1:02:49
It's been one year of Camp Classics, actually, so thank you
1:02:51
for being. Here.
1:02:52
Oh, and we. And we're out on a high.
1:02:55
Yeah, yeah, one year. And what a wonderful movie to
1:02:58
celebrate a year anniversary with.
1:03:01
Brilliant. Perfect.
1:03:02
Thanks for being here. I guess this is the end of
1:03:05
spooky season, but but yeah, we'll be back in two more weeks
1:03:07
with another camp classic. Will we be doing Christmas
1:03:10
movies? Is this something you're going
1:03:11
to insist upon? Well, I was wondering about
1:03:13
Carol. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:03:15
OK. So we are going to probably be
1:03:17
doing a Christmas season. We could also do Batman Returns.
1:03:22
Oh yeah, OK. There are actually quite a few.
1:03:24
OK. Yeah, they are right.
1:03:26
They're. Open to it.
1:03:27
Yeah, yeah. Cool.
1:03:29
If yeah, if you've got any Christmas movies you'd like to
1:03:31
hear that you think are camp, let us know.
1:03:33
Well, I don't know about you Crystal, but I am starving after
1:03:38
that chat and I've got a Taco shell that needs stuffing so.
1:03:44
Bye. Get away from her you bitch.
1:03:49
Classic. He was in the Amazon with my mom
1:03:53
when she was researching spiders right before she died.
1:03:56
No, hang on you. Thought you become a prostitute
1:04:03
or a dog at it. I used to love doggy chow.
1:04:07
I used to love doggy chow too.