Elvira’s Descendents, Part 2: A Few More Horror Hostesses
So Stray and I kind of got on a kick from that last post and dug around YouTube for some more late-night femme fatales who have a taste for slutty clothes and relentless puns.
Somebody who really belonged in that last post, but I didn’t find this clip until afterward…
Vampira! Here’s the intro to her 1954 show. Her fog-covered hallway is something out of a beautifully bad dream, and I’m dying to see what the rest of her set looks like – she alone holds the honor of a genuinely eerie atmosphere, a gorgeous black and white erotic doom melted over in future decades by a relentless downpour of cheese. Not that the vampire Velveeta of the 80’s isn’t tasty, but it’s wonderful to see it all back when there was a bit of horror artistry to it.
The clip from Ed Wood where Ed begs her to be in his movie. The hair, the dress – TO DIE.
I completely forgot about Elvira’s reality show that was on, ah, three years ago. Which is actually quite a little primer on what makes for a good horror hostess – it may look like a skimpy dress and bad jokes are the only job requirements, but this flock of strutting hopefuls demonstrates how you can miss the mark in all kinds of ways. A stupid outfit – rushed and robotic delivery – letting someone else steal your limelight – playing dumb a little too well – anybody looking to get in front of the midnight camera would be well-advised to watch this show for a solid dose of Do’s and Don’ts. Here’s all four episodes on Hulu.
Here’s an vamp from Kansas City, whose show ran throughout the 80’s – Crematia Mortem, whose name just prompted me to Google “horror hostess name generator.” (Of which there appear to be none.) Love the echo on her voice, and if that trick she’s doing with her eyes towards the end of the clip is not the work of special effects, then this is an individual who truly earned her b-movie queen crown.
Here’s Midnite X, “The Supernatural Sista of Horror.” Her show is “Midnite Screams” – unfortunately, there’s not a lot of info on this one, other than it came out in 2008. She is fab, considering it looks like she’s working with just a blue screen. Somebody get this woman a red velvet fainting couch! Love her cute little updated blood-countess outfit, and in true horror hostess tradition, she targets flicks from a couple decades past – which means her turf is the 80’s. More, more!
Lastly, the intro to 1983’s “Creature Feature,” from Channel 56 in Boston. Which actually looks a lot more 70’s, IMO – very prog-from-hell with the SF-novel font, polarized monsters, agitated bass, and slavering announcer. LOVE it.
As always, clips of a similar nature are always welcome on this blog. Feel free to send in your own dark, weird, and low-budget treasures, dear readers.
