Making it all-Elvira-all-the-time yesterday, we had our daughter's fifth birthday party in the afternoon, and we did it up Halloween style with costumes, full decorations and lighting down in the Basement of Extreme Little Girl Horror. Needless to say, key to the ambiance was appropriate musical accompaniment: we played Elvira's Haunted Hits straight through (three times) as the soundtrack to the party. It's an extremely well-curated (Mark Pierson) combination of standards and interesting surpises.
On the standard side is "Monster Mash" (the lasting popularity of which is attributable to a perfect combination of camp, monster lore, and backbeat rock 'n' roll), Jumpin' Gene Simmons' "Haunted House," Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters" theme, Sheb Wooley's "The Purple People Eater," Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell On You," and Vi Mizzy's "Addams Family Theme."
Surprises include the deadpan hilarity of "The Blob," Australian glam-pop greats Skyhooks with "Horror Movie," Oingo Boingo's (with Danny Elfman) wavey classic "Dead Man's Party," Lambert, Hendricks and Ross's jazzy, harmonic "Halloween Spooks," and "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" by the Cramps.
Long may the Mistress of the Dark reign.
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
I thought "Haunted Hills" was a great tribute to Roger Corman's Edgar Allen Poe movies, and Vincent Price.
I saw an interview with Peterson, and apparently the bra she wears was only made in the 50s, and she found a warehouse consignment of them, and bought them all, just to support her career longevity.
2 - Eric Olsen
thanks Jim - haven't seen Haunted Hills yet, that's a great story about the bras