Haunted Honeymoon is a 1986 American comedy horror film starring Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise and Jonathan Pryce.
The film flopped by grossing just short of its $9 million budget, whilst it received negative reviews from the critics.
Larry Abbot and Vickie Pearle are performers on radio's "Manhattan Mystery Theater" who decide to get married.
Larry has been plagued with on-air panic attacks and speech impediments since proposing marriage.
Paul decides to treat him with a form of shock therapy to "scare him to death" in much the same way someone might try to startle someone out of hiccups.
The pre-wedding party becomes a real-life version of Larry and Vickie's radio murder mysteries, werewolves and all.
"[1] Wilder and Radner fell in love while making Hanky Panky (1982) and he decided to revisit the project as a vehicle for them both.
"I always thought that Gilda has been one of our most brilliant television comediennes, but now I think she's becoming more than very good as a comic movie actress, which is a very, very different thing", said Wilder.
Since I didn't wear a gown when Gene and I got married, I asked the 'Haunted Honeymoon' photographer to make me a wedding album!"
“With agreeable people like Mr. Wilder, Gilda Radner and Dom DeLuise (relatively restrained in the role of a dowager aunt) on call, a few laughs are guaranteed, but there just aren't enough of them amid the intentionally creaky creakings,” wrote Walter Goodman of The New York Times.
[10] Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune was negative of Wilder and many of the cast, criticizing the movie for "lamebrained, old-fashioned thinking behind every joke, character, set-up, plot device and even the set.
"[11] However, some leading periodicals were more complimentary of the movie, with Variety noting, “Pic provokes a few chuckles along the way, but no guffaws,”[12] and the Los Angeles Times calling it “an amusing, bouncy horror comedy that has fun with not only the old-dark-house genre but also those corny but beloved scare shows of the Golden Age of Radio.”[13] Although “it may be slight," noted reviewer Kevin Thomas, "it does put a smile on your face and keep it there."
[14] Dom DeLuise won the Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for his performance in drag.
Alex Stewart reviewed Haunted Honeymoon for White Dwarf #83, and stated that "Amid Wilder's overindulgence in timid, repetitive gags, it's hard to sort out who's plotting with whom to bump off who else, and harder still to care.
Only an admirably unpredictable performance from Dom DeLuise as wacky old Aunt Kate puts any kind of edge on the silliness at all.
"[16] The movie was a financial flop, grossing only $8,000,000 in America, entering the box office at number 8, then slipping to 14 the following week.
The movie represents the last feature film appearance for Radner (prior to her diagnosis and death from Ovarian cancer) and the last directorial role for Wilder.
While Radner was struggling with cancer, she wrote the following about the film: On July 26 [1986], Haunted Honeymoon opened nationwide.