Mad Monster Party (1967)

Rankin-Bass is the shop that in the 1960s brought us a handful of Christmas-themed animated TV specials using semi-creepy stop-motion puppetry. In 1967 they released their only feature-length film, which actually played in theaters. It’s not the Frankenstein story, exactly, but it features Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by none other than Boris Karloff himself). The movie is meant as a spoof of various monster pictures.

The Plot: Dr. Frankenstein (an undisguised Boris Karloff) is about to retire as “leader of the World’s Organization of Monsters.” He plans to turn over the position, as well as his various medical discoveries and formulas, to his nephew, whose voice for some reason sounds just like Jimmy Stewart. Dr. Frankenstein calls all the world’s A-list monsters to a party (hence the title of the show) to share the news. But Francesca (Frankenstein’s voluptuous redheaded secretary) has other plans, and plots with Count Dracula to kill the nephew and take over the organization themselves. Dracula ends up double-crossing Francesca, and somehow the Monster and his bride also get in on the action. Eventually, though a lame plot device, Francesca has a change of heart, falls in love with the nephew, and the two of them escape during a climax that mimicks the Empire State Building/planes scene in King Kong.

The Monster: It’s a dopey-looking and dopey-acting monster. He doesn’t get much screen time, either. Boris Karloff (as Dr. Frankenstein) is much more interesting here. In fact, Karloff steals the show.

The Atmosphere: The atmosphere in this movie is actually quite good…for a stop-motion cartoon from the 1960s. Much of the action takes place inside Frankenstein’s castle, but there are some other venues as well. Most of the settings are solid renditions of monster-movie cliches. The groovy 1960’s soundtrack (sounding somewhat like the Pink Panther theme at times) obviously clashes with the standard monster atmosphere, but somehow it works.

General Comments: In many ways, this is an unwatchable movie. It’s too long, awkwardly clunky, eye-rollingly corny, and generally pointless. It’s possible that kids in the 1960s found it entertaining, but kids today would probably hate it. All that said, the anachronistic 1960s elements are oddly captivating. I’ve already mentioned the jazz-influenced soundtrack. And it’s got a number of lame song-and-dance numbers, which at times make it feel like a network variety show. At other times, its bizarre setpieces and goofy visual jokes involving bandaged mummies and toothless vampires make the film feel like Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. Topping all this off, Phyllis Diller (yes, the Phyllis Diller) voices the Bride of Frankenstein character, who gets a surprising amount of screen time.

Somehow, each time I was about ready to turn off the movie, it sprung some surprise on me that managed to hook me for a few more minutes. Such as when Dracula tries to kill Dr. Frankenstein’s nephew. Or when Dr. Frankenstein improbably flies an early-20th century warplane. But the piece de resistance was when Francesca loses her dress and gets into a catfight in her underwear with Phyllis Diller. I’m not making this up.

It’s said that this movie inspired Tim Burton to do “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” That would explain a lot…

Tomorrow it’s back to Hammer’s Frankenstein series, with their fourth installment, Frankenstein Created Woman. I can’t find it online; the library is the only solution that I can find. But you can watch the trailers here.