Ep 258 Haunted Honeymoon

We’re off to pretend to be American in Stevenage, with a trip down memory lane for 1986’s “Haunted Honeymoon”.

A film which deals sensitively with the plight of the hard of hearing; demonstrates the moose elevation method of dealing with snakes; and takes an unflinching look at the devastating repercussions when a family member is “hairy all over”.

Gene Wilder’s last film as director and, tragically, Gilda Radner’s last film, “Haunted Honeymoon” was a box office and critical flop. It did, however, get embraced by a generation who found it on video, as part of a steady diet of Gene Wilder’s work, usually with Mel Brooks and Richard Prior. Wilder’s homage to both the Golden Age of Radio and comic chillers like “The Old Dark House”, it boasts one hell of a cast of mostly British actors; a number of familiar faces all giving an expectedly great performance, with Bryan Pringle as the butler Pfister a real standout. Dom DeLuise (another frequent Brooks/Wilder collaborator) gives a, for him, restrained performance, which is both hilarious, but oddly, inessential within the plot. With an understanding of the tropes of the classic horror/mystery genre, and a loving attempt to follow the look and effects of a 1930s production; “Haunted Honeymoon” deserves a far greater appreciation, and genre fans who like a nice dose of silly should find a lot to love here.

Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.