"Mad Monster Party?" (1967)

by Mike Imboden
Normally here at “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict”, both Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. However, here and there they will be taking the reins in a solo outing. For this installment, it’s Mike with a solo review of Rankin/Bass' Mad Monster Party?

Synopsis
On the Isle of Evil, the head of the "World Organization of Monsters" reveals his imminent retirement and that he has refined a formula for total destruction, only to be upset when the monsters try to steal the formula and kill his nephew.

The Good
Mad Monster Party? is a fun little movie. Boris Karloff plays Baron Boris von Frankenstein who has created a formula that provides "total destruction" and summons the monsters to his Isle of Evil where he informs them of his discovery and also that he is retiring as the head of the "Worldwide Organization of Monsters". Along for the ride are Count Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, a Werewolf, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame, the Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and others, including his assistant Francesca and his nephew, an ordinary human, Felix Flanken.  It’s cool to see the classic Universal horror monsters in the Rankin Bass stop-motion style that is always fun for all ages it could serve as a good gateway to the classic Universal monsters (although personally I think "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" makes a better entry point), with nothing scary or frightening about it.

The Bad
The main problem with Mad Monster Party? is that unlike, say, "Rudolph" or "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" which are timeless, it relies too heavily on humor that was funny and relevant in the late 60s, but falls on deaf ears of Gen X and the ensuing generations. Phyllis Diller? Great for that time, but her persona and schtick just don't carry on. Worst of all are the songs. Again, with the Rankin/Bass Christmas shows the songs are either already known or are catchy enough that you remember them. Not so here.

The Verdict
Certainly a product of its time, Mad Monster Party? tries hard to be for Halloween what the other Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated features are to Christmas, but doesn't quite deliver.
If you're a fan of the aforementioned Rankin/Bass features and have never seen this or, like me, you hadn't seen it in a few decades before buying the Blu Ray, you should still give it a watch.

Mad Monster Party?, from Rankin/Bass Productions, is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and on Blu ray and DVD.

Mad Monster Party?
Directed By: Jules Bass
Written By: Len Korobkin, Harvey Kurtzman, Arthur Rankin Jr.
Starring: Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett
Run Time: 1h 34m
Rating: NR
Release Date: July 26, 1967