
The 1986 comedy horror film Haunted Honeymoon was shot in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks. The film stars Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce. Wilder also served as the film's writer and director. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a financial flop, grossing just short of its $9 million budget.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Film Name | Haunted Honeymoon |
| Genre | Horror-Comedy |
| Year | 1986 |
| Runtime | 1h 22m |
| Rating | PG |
| Filming Location | London, Elstree Studios |
| Cast | Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, Jonathan Pryce |
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What You'll Learn

The film was shot at Elstree Studios in London
The 1986 American comedy horror film Haunted Honeymoon was shot at Elstree Studios in London. The film was directed by Gene Wilder, who also starred in it alongside Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce. Wilder and Radner were married in real life, and they celebrated their first wedding anniversary during filming in September 1985.
Elstree Studios has been a popular filming location for many years and has hosted the production of numerous notable films. The site has a rich history and has been an important part of the British film industry.
Haunted Honeymoon was filmed over 11 weeks, and Wilder described it as a "comedy chiller." The film is set in the 1930s, and Wilder aimed to "make a 1930s movie for 1986." To achieve this, he and the cinematographer used no primary colors and lit the film darkly.
The plot of Haunted Honeymoon centers on Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle, two radio murder mystery presenters who decide to get married. Larry, who is plagued by on-air panic attacks, undergoes a form of shock therapy and chooses to marry Vickie in a castle-like mansion that was his childhood home. Once there, they encounter the eccentric members of Larry's family, including his great-aunt Kate (played by DeLuise) and his cousin Charles (played by Pryce).
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It was filmed in 1985 over 11 weeks
The American comedy-horror film *Haunted Honeymoon*, starring Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce, was filmed in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks. Wilder, who also directed and wrote the film, said that his aim was "to make a 1930s movie for 1986". To achieve this, he and the cinematographer used no primary colours and lit the film darkly.
Wilder and Radner, who were married, celebrated their first wedding anniversary during filming in September. Jonathan Pryce recalled that the cast and crew of *Haunted Honeymoon* got along so well that "when there's a break and they’re doing the next setup and people usually go back to their dressing rooms, nobody went back to their dressing rooms".
The house where the "haunting" takes place in the film is Knebworth House in Herts, UK.
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Wilder aimed to make a 1930s movie for 1986
The 1986 comedy horror film Haunted Honeymoon was shot in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks. The film was written and directed by Gene Wilder, who also starred alongside Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce. Wilder aimed to "make a 1930s movie for 1986". To achieve this, he and the cinematographer used no primary colours and lit the film darkly. Wilder stated that the film was "black and white in colour". He wanted to create a believable 1930s setting, saying:
> "The fat lady in Akron, Ohio, doesn't have to know that. But she should feel that it's believable in the way that an old '30s film is believable."
Wilder's aim to make a 1930s movie for the 1980s was also reflected in the film's musical choices. The film includes a musical number by Dom DeLuise and Gilda Radner. Wilder said that the film was partly inspired by a song in the 1930 film Monte Carlo, which he watched with Radner. Radner was moved to tears by the song, and Wilder said:
> "I'm always looking for some emotional spine to what I'm doing... It was so sweet and innocent. Like little children. And I thought that's what this [Haunted Honeymoon] is about."
The film's setting in the 1930s is also reflected in its plot and themes. Haunted Honeymoon follows Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle, two radio murder mystery presenters who decide to get married. Larry, who is plagued by on-air panic attacks, undergoes a form of shock therapy and chooses to marry Vickie in a castle-like mansion that was his childhood home. Once there, they meet the eccentric members of Larry's family, including his great-aunt Kate (played by Dom DeLuise in drag) and his cousin Charles (Jonathan Pryce). The film explores themes of werewolves, deception, transvestism, and jealousy.
Despite its ambitious blend of comedy and horror, Haunted Honeymoon was a critical and commercial failure. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed just short of its $9 million budget. However, it has since gained a cult following, with some viewers praising its quirky humour and entertaining performances.
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The film's lighting was dark, with no primary colours
The 1986 comedy horror film Haunted Honeymoon was shot in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks. The film's writer and director, Gene Wilder, and cinematographer chose a lighting setup that used no primary colours and was overall quite dark. Wilder himself described the film as "black and white in colour". This was done to make the film feel more like an old 1930s movie, which was the aesthetic Wilder was aiming for.
The lighting setup in a film is used to guide the audience's eye to a specific actor, prop, or part of a scene. It also reflects the psychology of the characters, with the amount, size, colour, and harshness of light surrounding a character being adjustable to match their emotions. The lighting setup also helps to define and support the genre of the film.
In Haunted Honeymoon, the dark lighting and lack of primary colours were used to create a "comedy chiller" atmosphere, as described by Gilda Radner, who stars in the film alongside Wilder, Dom DeLuise, and Jonathan Pryce. The film follows Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle, two radio murder mystery presenters who decide to get married. Larry, plagued with on-air panic attacks, is treated with a form of shock therapy and subsequently chooses to marry Vickie in a castle-like mansion that was his childhood home.
Despite the impressive cast and comedic genre, the film received negative reviews from critics and was a financial flop, grossing just short of its $9 million budget.
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The haunting takes place in Knebworth House, Herts, UK
The 1986 comedy horror film Haunted Honeymoon was filmed in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks. The film was written and directed by Gene Wilder, who also starred in it alongside Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise and Jonathan Pryce.
In the film, Wilder and Radner play Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle, two radio murder mystery presenters who decide to get married. Larry, who has been suffering from on-air panic attacks, undergoes a form of shock therapy and subsequently chooses to marry Vickie in a castle-like mansion that was his childhood home. Once there, they encounter the eccentric members of Larry's family, including his great-aunt Kate (DeLuise) and his cousin Charles (Pryce).
The cinematography in the film was deliberately dark, with no primary colours used, to give it a "black and white" feel reminiscent of 1930s films. Wilder said: "It's black and white in colour. The fat lady in Akron, Ohio, doesn't have to know that. But she should feel that it's believable in the way that an old '30s film is believable."
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Frequently asked questions
The film was shot in London at Elstree Studios in 1985 over 11 weeks.
The run time of the film is 1 hour and 22 minutes.
The main characters in the film are Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle, played by Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.
Gene Wilder, who also stars in the film, is the writer and director.
Haunted Honeymoon is a comedy horror film about two radio murder mystery presenters who decide to get married.



























