As a part of their “61 Days of Halloween” lineup, Shudder is bringing the Mistress of the Dark herself back to the small screen. That’s right, Shudder has announced that, to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of late-night horror icon Elvira, they will be host a one-night, four movie marathon event: Elvira’s 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special Special. The special is set to debut on September 25 for the United States and Canada, before being made available on-demand on all Shudder platforms.
Similar to the way Elvira (also known as Cassandra Peterson) got her start doing late-night commentary on Elvira’s Movie Macabre, the anniversary special will feature the horror maven lending her own special blend of witty commentary to four films: Messiah of Evil, The City of the Dead (starring Christopher Lee), House on Haunted Hill (featuring horror icon Vincent Price), and even her own 1988 film, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark.
“It’s always tough turning 40,” said Elvira in a statement, “But what better way to mark the occasion than a one-night stand with Shudder, the spookiest of streamers? It’s going to be the ultimate Hallow-anniversa-ween bash, and you don’t want to miss it.”
Elvira’s Movie Macabre premiered in 1981, Peterson’s chance to skyrocket to cult fame after working as a Las Vegas showgirl and a small-time extra in various films. Originally intended for Maila Nurmi as a reboot of The Vampira Show, the show that laid the groundwork for horror hosts everywhere, Peterson flipped the role of hostess on its head, sounding uncannily like a California “Valley girl” despite her gothic image. Her sarcastic wit and dry humor quickly gained her popularity, enough to produce two feature films, three novels, a series of comic books, and an upcoming autobiography.
“Elvira is a legend who’s been lighting up our screens and delighting fans for 40 years,” said Craig Engler, GM of Shudder, “and we’re honored to celebrate the 'Queen of Halloween's' fantastic career milestone with her new ‘very special’ special, the perfect treat for Shudder members this Halloween season.”
Elvira’s 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special Special will debut live via the Shudder TV feed within the Shudder app on September 25 at 8 p.m. ET. Fans outside North American can also look forward to marathoning the special throughout the Halloween season once it is available on-demand on all Shudder platforms (including the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand) and AMC+ on September 27. Check out Shudder's announcement video below: