Customer Reviews

Mad Monster Party

5 star:		(72)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Aesthetically, the best Rankin/Bass "Animagic" flick of them all. Well worth watching, if for no other reason, just too see the fantastic in-the-round MAD MAGAZINE-like caricatures of the entire array of classic monsters. Those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s fondly remember seeing this classic on TV a few times around Halloween. And now, thanks to the cool folks at Anchor Bay, we can nostalgically relive that childhood experience over and over again--in more vivid color and with crisper images than ever before, as the DVD was digitally remastered (for the first time ever for home video) from a rare original 35mm print!

Unlike their other Christmas and Easter productions, this one-and-only Halloween flick from the Rankin/Bass team is not overly saccharin or maudlin. Not only did MAD MAGAZINE's Harvey Kurtzman and Jack Davis have their hands in the writing and the visual artistry, but the master of macabre himself, Boris Karloff, voiced the animated puppet version of himself as Baron Frankenstein! So you know that, like all Rankin/Bass works, it's a wholesome family movie, but you can also be sure that there is lots of funeral-parlor and gallows humor--and even a few scary moments.

If you enjoy claymation-type animation, you'll enjoy watching this film. If you laugh at the comedy of flicks like ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, you'll guffaw endlessly during this movie. And if you love to watch and collect the old classic monster movies, the DVD version of MAD MONSTER PARTY? is a must-own.

I was thrilled to come across this newly repackaged DVD version of "Mad Monster Party" - thank you, Anchor Bay!

Like other reviewers, MMP was a staple of my early TV viewing years. KTTV in Los Angeles used to show this program every year, around Columbus Day (I think), and it quickly became a holiday tradition. Then, and now, I don't think MMP ever got the respect it richly deserved. It dropped from the airwaves sometime in the late 60's.

This newly re-mastered DVD has captured the film in all it's colorful richness. The sound is what you'd expect, (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), but on my home theater it still looked and sounded great. And there were a few more surprises.

For example, I was surprised to find that the film is 95 minutes long - I guess it's a product of looking back through 30+ years, but I hadn't realized that this was intended to be a full featured theatrical release, competing with Disney's total dominance of the youth and family film market in the early 60's. I'd just assumed that this was a made-for-TV production, ala "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

For reasons not fully explained, when the film was released it was restricted to matinee showings and never had the wide audience distribution and success it could have achieved. Consequently, it didn't realize its' full potential and was soon in television distribution.

The history of MMP's ups and downs is documented in an accompanying, richly illustrated, 24 page booklet, "Mad Monster Party: The Complete History of the Classic Rankin/Bass Theatrical Release." This is a real gem with interviews, behind the scene photos, and production art. This could easily have been turned into a really slick video extra for the DVD set, but even in this "hard-copy" form it's very entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Also included are a set of postcard sized "lobby cards" with studies of the main characters: The Monster's Mate, Dracula, Fang, Uncle Boris, Nephew Felix, Yetch, and (of course) the over-the-top-sexy Francesca. (Is it just me, or does Francesca look like she could have been Jessica Rabbit's mother?) Maybe for copyright reasons (I'm just guessing here) Frankenstein's Monster is called "Fang" and King Kong is "It."

The animation is very much a child of the 60's from it's James Bond like opening theme to the red-wigged skeleton band. My 10-year-old thought the wigs meant that this was an all-girl group! I tried (unsuccessfully) to explain the significance of the mop-topped groups of the British rock invasion and she looked at me as though I was making it all up. But you and I know the truth and can nod knowingly at the corny musical numbers and strangely stilted dance moves of monsters trying too hard to be "groovy."

A truly great blast from the past, this DVD must be in any serious Halloween fan's collection, particularly if you have children or grandchildren who've never seen this holiday treat before - even my jaded Generation Y teens got a kick out of it. I give it five stars and highly recommend it.

Not too long ago, this lost Rankin/Bass puppet-animated feature film was virtually forgotten about under the pile of other holiday classics - including "RUDOLPH", "FROSTY" and "SANTA CLAUS" - from the same creators. Now, thanks to verification from Rick Goldschmidt (and his wonderful books about R/B) that this film really did exist and wasn't just a childhood dream, "MAD MONSTER PARTY" has acheived cult status with its own website, a CD soundtrack, several airings during the past couple Halloween seasons and is finally released in this gorgeous collector's DVD.

When Dr. Baron Von Frankenstein decides to retire from his long career as the head of the "Worldwide Organization of Monsters", he invites all of his creations - Frankenstein, The Mummy, Count Dracula, The Invisible Man, The Werewolf and many others - for one final bash to announce that his successor will be his long-lost nephew, a nerdy boy named Felix Flankin. This does not sit well with the monsters, who each covet the position, and so poor Felix is in big trouble!! Boris Karlof adds his eerie sound as the Baron, Phyllis Diller is an ingenious choice as the Monster's Mate, and Gale Garnett takes the cake as the most memorable character, Francesca, a curvy, buxom, husky-voiced sexy red-head with a mind just as sinister as the ghastliest of the monsters.

The DVD is nothing short of stunning, with a beautiful, crystal-clear digitally restored picture and lots of extras including trailers, stills, original artwork, cool animated menus and a 24-page booklet included inside the DVD. A special thanks to ANCHOR BAY who have also promised to release 2 other Rankin/Bass features "WACKY WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE" & "THE DAYDREAMER" later this year.

Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass having definitely produced an affectionate "Monster Mash" with MAD MONSTER PARTY, thus providing another fantastic addition to the traditional Holiday classics so many of us die hard classic film revisionists have come to cherish over the years.

There is no live action, all stop-motion animation as Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff - even animated to look exactly like Boris Karloff) is hosting a retirement party to announce his successor after discovering the secret formula capable of destroying all matter. The Horror Genre ghoulies are all invited as Monster and the Bride (delightfully voiced by Phyllis Diller), the Doctor's very lovely and very buxomy assistant Francesca, Count Dracula, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Creature From the Black Lagoon, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the Peter Lorre-like servant Yetch all arrive to attend the party. Among other memorable characters included are the Skeleton Band variation of the Beatles, the Zombie Bellhops, Chef Mafia Machiavelli, and the little singing critters. Brief appearances from the Fly, the Blob, and Aurora of Little Shop of Horrors also are at hand, as well as King Kong (strangely referred to as "IT"). Enter Felix Flanken, Boris' nerdy nephew and a Drugstore Pharmacist, who loves soda pop, has allergies, wears fancy suites, and talks like James Stewart. It's going to get very ugly with the Monsters discover Felix is the Successor-to-Be.

I must say, it's been a long wait for this DVD, and after a recent viewing on AMC several years ago, this delightful Horror Comedy is now back and better than ever. DVD has great picture quality, and extras include:

Theatrical trailer
Production Art Gallery
Poster and Still Gallery
24 Page Booklet by Rick Goldschmidt

All in all a great treat for die hard fans of the classics Horror films. Who after all could not see this film and instantly fall in love with Francesca? Gale Garnett gives a delightful performance as her voice. Gale around that same time had a hit single with "We'll Sing In the Sunshine". She makes Francesca effectively more than your average Femme Fatale, she is beautiful, seductive, clever, treacherous at times, and simply unforgettable.

In closing, do buy this DVD it will look great on your shelf of Holiday classics alongside HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, and Rankin and Bass' other classics RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and FROSTY THE SNOWMAN.

I TOO, RECALL SEEING THIS MOVIE IN MY CHILDHOOD AND SEARCHED RELENTLESSLY THROUGH THE TV GUIDE FOR A LISTING OF THIS FILM. IT IS NOSTALGIC, FUNNY AND DATED BUT, IF YOU REMEMBER SEEING IT AS A KID, IT STILL HAS THE SAME MAGIC. I AM GLAD I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO REMEMBERS THE MAD MONSTER PARTY. I FOUND MY COPY AT SUNCOAST VIDEO AND IN OCTOBER THE MOVIE WAS FINALLY SHOWN ON TV ON THE AMC CHANNEL AS A HALLOWEEN SPECIAL. MY SIX-YEAR-OLD LOVED IT BUT, MY 14 YEAR OLD THOUGHT IT WAS A CORNY RELIC (SHES BEEN RUINED BY TECHNOLOGY). AS FOR MYSELF, I WAS MESMERIZED BECAUSE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IT WAS FINALLY ON TV !

This is a much sought after title by horror fans who grew up with the UNIVERSAL CLASSICS in the 60s & 70s. No FREDDY, JASON or MICHAEL here just good clean fun. TNT used to show this until there copy was stolen from there video archives & the film hasn't been seen on TV in several years. The movie is a RANKIN/BASS production (famous for their CHRISTMAS movies) from 1968, with monster designs by top "MAD MAGAZINE" artist JACK HARRIS. Originally BORIS KARLOFF was not to play himself but after he saw clips from the film he joined the team of creative talent behind the first true HALLOWEEN (""Animagic") cartoon. It's a classic tale of suspense, love & skullduggery with a lot of cornieness thrown in to boot. Hey it was made in the 60s! The plot involves DR. FRANKENSTEIN (who it just so happens has recently created the most deadly chemical compound to date) planning his retirement party. He along with his beautiful assistant FRANCHESSCA invite all the old gang (the old gang just so happens to be all the CLASSIC UNIVERSAL MONSTERS) to his island retreat in the middle of nowhere & also his normal human(?) nephew FELIX gets an invitation. FELIX of course has no clue what his UNCLE does nor who he keeps company with. The quirks of his shipmates goes completly unnoticed by him as he bumps into them one by one on the journey to DR. FRANKENSTEIN's castle. All goes well until DR. FRANKENSTEIN reveals who he's going to entrust his duties to upon his retirement. What ensues is a murder attempt on the unsuspecting heir by those that feel they should recieve DR. FRANKENSTEIN's duties. PHYLLIS DILLER gives a top notch-over the top performance as THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN as only she is capable of. DRACULA, THE WOLFMAN, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, FRANKENSTEIN, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, A ROCKIN' SKELETON BAND, KING KONG (oddly enough refered to as IT...maybe to keep him a surprise or possibly avoid copyright infringment), ZOMBIES, DR.JECKYLL & MR. HYDE & even a nod to PETER LORRE as portrayed by the love struck-head loosing butler YETCH this movie has it all! It even has a TWILIGHT ZONE ending & big explosions. The trip to the island, the party scene & the sleeping arrangements are classic scenes not to be missed.

Doctor Baron Von Frankenstein has discovered the secret to total destruction, and, after previously discovering the secret of life, he now feels it is time to retire as head of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters. But who will be his successor? The Baron keeps it a secret that he intends to bestow that honor on his nephew, pharmacist/soda jerk Felix Flankin. He soon invites all his Monster friends to his secluded island home for a Monster Convention where he will reveal their new leader. Dracula, the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, the Creature, the Mummy, and plenty of others show up for the wild event, including the level-headed young Mr. Flankin. All seems to be going well for the Baron, but little does he know that his trusted assistant, the lovely Miss Francesca, is conspiring against his wishes. She wants to be the one who inherits the Doctor's position and all his secrets!

"Mad Monster Party" was one of Rankin/Bass's rare theatrically released Animagic feature films. While it doesn't quite have the charm or timelessness of their better known productions, such as the sacred Rudolph and Frosty classic specials, "Mad Monster Party" is still an entertaining treat, especially for R&B fanatics and classic monster lovers. The film is often mistakenly regarded now as a Rankin/Bass Halloween Special that somehow got lost, along with all those other classic Halloween Specials, until recently. But, while the film was not made as an annual TV treat and makes no mention of Halloween, it certainly could be enjoyed as such. The DVD is excellent, especially for the price, including some nice extras on and off the disc. As for the cast, Boris Karlof is outstanding as always, and so is everyone else. But, while I sometimes do enjoy Phyllis Diller, I have to admit that I found her performance as the Monster's Mate a wee bit annoying, especially when she bursts into song early on. Some of the songs are as good as the beloved Rankin/Bass Christmas fare, but a couple didn't sit quite well with me, and Diller's was one of them. Aside from that, it's all great Monster fun and I highly recommend it to those feeling nostalgic for R&B or some classic monster comedy! And, if this one isn't enough for you, look for Rankin/Bass's "Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters!" Made a while later, and sort of a "Mad Monster Party" prequel, it tells the story of the Monster's wedding to his newly created Mate in traditional R&B 2D animation. Currently, it can be found only on VHS.

Who remembers this classic?!?!?!?! This movie is hilarious! They show it every year on AMC and now there is a new restored print. This dvd will put the long out of print vhs to shame. Here's the description from our friends at Anchor Bay! Nice job Anchor Bay!!

Baron Von Frankenstein, voiced by the legendary Boris Karloff (DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS), holds a special convention of The Worldwide Organization Of Monsters to discuss his retirement. When he announces that his successor will be his nerd nephew Felix, the world's major monsters are mortified. Now The Creature's Bride (voiced by Phyllis Diller), Count Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde and more must all scramble to steal the Baron's ultimate secret during one wild party packed with cool monster music and outrageous monster madness!

The mad monster classic you loved as a kid is now better than ever! Filmed in the revolutionary stop-motion of "Animagic" by Rankin/Bass (creators of such holiday TV classics as RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and FROSTY THE SNOWMAN), MAD MONSTER PARTY has now been spectacularly restored for the first time ever from original 35mm elements and is loaded with tons of exclusive mad monster extras!

Includes a 24-Page Collector's Booklet with liner notes and rare photos by Rankin/Bass Historian Rick Goldschmidt

Starring: Ethel Ennis, Boris Karloff, Phyllis Diller, Gale Garnett Director: Jules Bass Producer: Arthur Rankin, Jr.

Features

* Full-Frame Presentation
* Production Art Gallery
* Theatrical Trailer
* Poster And Still Gallery

Well done tale of just about every monster in the horror genre made into clay animation (animagic). Not as enjoyable as most of the Rankin/Bass holiday animagic specials, but still quite a delight. It's pretty dark, similar to Nightmare Before Christmas, with some heads coming off and stuff. Not for the very young.

The DVD is much better than the video released a few years ago. That video's colors were very dull and the DVD has livened things up. We need more Rankin Bass on DVD!!!

Believe the words of my fellow reviewers: the transfer of this dvd is beautiful beyond belief. I always heard that the original negative of this movie was ruined, but somebody did SOMETHING to make this flick look as good as it did in 1967. So, throw out those awful video cassettes you have, because this version blows 'em all away.

Now for those of you not in the know about this movie, I encourage you to get it today. If you're a fan of Universal monster movies, or "Rudolph" or "Nightmare Before Christmas," then this is for you. It would especially make a good gift for a fan of those kinds of films, so think about that, too.

So what's it about? Well, Dr. Frankenstein decides to retire, and calls all the monsters in the world together to his evil island to pass on the torch, as it were. And of course Dracula, the Werewolf, the Mummy, etc., begin fighting over the honors. It's a delightfully campy, tune-filled extravaganza. How'd you like to see Phyllis Diller as a singing Bride of Frankenstein? Only in Mad Monster Party.