Haunted

The audience for this rickety spoof is probably limited to three groups: diehard fans of Elvira, cultists of '60s horror (specifically the Edgar Allan Poe and Hammer offerings), and people who believe rim-shot, borscht belt humor ought to be brought back. The last group apparently includes Cassandra Peterson, the comedian who dreamed up Elvira; her fondness for vaudeville one-liners is either groan-worthy or infectious, depending on your tolerance for such things. Sample: "The village people say this castle is evil." "Ah, who listens to the Village People any more?" Ouch. Her Mae-West-meets-Vampira shtick wears surprisingly well at feature length (1988's Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is actually a pretty good time), although this movie simply runs out of material halfway through. Bonus: Rocky Horror genius Richard O'Brien contributes some amusing ravings as a mysterious Carpathian castle owner, pining away for a dead wife who suspiciously resembles our heroine. --Robert Horton