If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Rankin/Bass, of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer fame, decided to host a monster convention with a touch of Scooby-Doo logic and a side order of slapstick, well—congratulations, you’ve found it! Instead of reindeer and elves, this one delivers a ghoulishly goofy gathering of classic movie monsters, all wrapped up in a campy, colourful stop-motion adventure. This is the fever dream you’ve been waiting for. It’s a Mad Monster Party?
The story begins with Baron Boris von Frankenstein (Boris Karloff), the world’s most renowned mad scientist, in his eerie, Gothic castle on a remote island. After years of monstrous experiments, he has achieved his greatest scientific breakthrough—a formula capable of destroying all matter! “I’ve done it. Created the means to destroy matter. They must all know. Know that I, Baron von Frankenstein, master of the secret of creation, have now mastered the secret of destruction.” Realizing that his time as the head of the monster world is coming to an end, he decides to throw a grand party for all the legendary creatures of the night. His main announcement? His retirement, the reveal of his chosen successor and the secret behind his final discovery.
“This is better than a 401 (K).”
However, rather than passing the torch to one of his monstrous colleagues, the Baron makes a shocking decision—His choice? Not Dracula, not the Werewolf, not the Mummy, instead, he will hand his legacy over to his mild-mannered and painfully awkward human nephew, Felix Flanken (Allen Swift), a meek pharmacy assistant whose mother left the world of monsters years ago. Meanwhile, Francesca (Gale Garnett), who has devoted years to assisting the Baron and expected to inherit his power, is furious at being overlooked. And how does the Baron plan to make such an important announcement? Simple, he decides to invite all those he is passing over for a “Mad Monster Party” to give them the “good” news in person.
“I assume you are all wondering why I gathered you all here.”
Yeah, I don’t see anything wrong with this plan. Felix is the exact opposite of what anyone expected—he’s a nebbish, clumsy, and allergy-prone pharmacist, completely lacking in sinister ambition. He arrives at the castle completely oblivious to the horrors around him, sneezing at cobwebs and fumbling through introductions with the monsters. His nervous, awkward demeanour instantly makes him a target for the jealous creatures, especially Francesca, who feels betrayed by the Baron’s decision. She refuses to accept Felix as the heir and hatches her own plan to eliminate him, such as enlisting Dracula for help, also not a great idea. She uses feminine charms to manipulate him, hoping to lure him into a trap, but her plans keep backfiring spectacularly. Felix’s natural klutziness and dumb luck allow him to survive every attempt on his life completely by accident. That this particular set of monsters are completely inept also has something to do with his survival.
The Legion of Doom, they are not.
As the chaos unfolds, Francesca begins to develop unexpected feelings for Felix. At first, she is repulsed by his clumsiness and timid nature, but over time, she sees a certain innocence and kindness in him that is missing from the monstrous world she inhabits. When Felix saves Francesca from the murderous attempts of the other monsters – honour amount monsters is clearly not a thing – things get even more chaotic, but unbeknownst to the others, in a moment of spite, Francesa had sent out a last-minute invite to a creature known only as “It” (a giant gorilla and knock-off of King Kong) and when it arrives it proceeds to go on a rampage. Will the Baron be allowed to retire in peace? Does Felix have it in himself to become the leader of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters? And most importantly, can beauty kill the beast?”
This beast goes for redheads, not blondes.
Stray Observations:
• The screenplay was co-written by Harvey Kurtzman, one of the founders of Mad Magazine. That explains a lot about the film’s wacky humour.
•
After a long association with Frankenstein, this would turn out to be
Boris Karloff’s last monster role. However, he didn’t voice the Baron’s
singing parts—Allen Swift did those.
• While many of the characters’ designs were based on classic Universal Monsters, they had to be legally distinct since Rankin/Bass didn’t have the rights. That’s why Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Creature all look slightly off-brand.
• The design of Dracula in this film closely resembles later animated versions of the character, including Groovie Goolies’ Drac and even Hotel Transylvania’s Count Dracula
• The random sea monster that shows up? That’s actually an homage to 1962’s King Kong vs. Godzilla, specifically the giant octopus scene.
• The ending of the film is eerily similar to Some Like It Hot. A character dressed as a woman? A “nobody’s perfect” style joke? Somebody at Rankin/Bass was definitely a Billy Wilder fan.
“You’re not a Republican, are you?”
The film employs Rankin/Bass’s signature “Animagic” stop-motion technique, giving the characters a distinctive, doll-like appearance. While the animation is charming, it’s not as smooth or polished as modern stop-motion efforts like The Nightmare Before Christmas or Coraline. This limited animation style makes some movements feel stiff, and lip-syncing can be off at times, but for 1967, it’s an impressive technical feat. But where the animation may falter, it more than makes up for it with the creature designs. Legendary cartoonist Jack Davis made each character into a playful caricature of their classic horror movie counterpart, with exaggerated features and expressive faces. The sets are beautifully crafted, with a gothic yet whimsical aesthetic that gives the movie its unique atmosphere. The island setting, in particular, allows for some creative backdrops, from Frankenstein’s eerie laboratory to a moonlit graveyard.
James Whale would have loved this place.
As for its wonderful voice cast? The film’s biggest asset is Boris Karloff as Baron Frankenstein; his voice performance is dignified, yet playful, making the character feel like a blend of the classic mad scientist and a doting old uncle. It’s a fitting role for Karloff, who had long been associated with the Frankenstein mythos, and it adds an air of legitimacy to the film. Then there’s Phyllis Diller as the “Bride of Frankenstein” character, who is inexplicably married to The Monster (not Baron Frankenstein), and it’s safe to say that her loud, grating comedic style you will either find hilarious or unbearable, depending on your taste. Gale Garnet, who voices the Baron’s red-haired assistant, is arguably the most visually striking character in the film. She’s drawn as a curvy, vampy femme fatale in the vein of Jessica Rabbit (years before Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Her voice performance is sultry and engaging, and she has one of the film’s standout musical numbers.
“I’m not evil, I’m just built that way.”
Lastly, we have Allen Swift, who provides voices for pretty much everyone else, including Dracula, the Invisible Man, and Felix. His voice work is energetic and distinct, though some characters (Dracula, the Mummy, the Werewolf, and more) sound like generic comedy impressions rather than true homages to the original films. Unfortunately, the film’s weakest link is also voiced by Swift. Felix Flanken, the film’s protagonist, is meant to be an endearing underdog, but he mostly comes across as bland and ineffectual. His awkward mannerisms and whiny voice make it hard to root for him, especially when placed alongside so many larger-than-life characters. Even if these versions of the classic monsters are not always on point.
“Wolfie, why do you never change back into a human?”
This being a Rankin/Bass Production, of course, there are musical numbers! The soundtrack is chock full of jazzy, lounge-style tunes and oddball musical numbers, a signature of Rankin/Bass productions, and some of the songs, like the opening theme “Mad Monster Party?”, set the mood perfectly, while others (like the love song “You’re Different”) feel a little out of place. On the other hand, Francesca’s sultry cabaret-style song “One Step Ahead” is a standout, adding a touch of 1960s sophistication. Not all the songs are winners, but they add to the movie’s oddball charm.
“Why didn’t we invite the Phantom of the Opera?”
The humour in Mad Monster Party? is a mixed bag, while there are plenty of clever visual gags and monster-related puns, much of the comedy is reliant on slapstick and corny one-liners. The film also indulges in a lot of pop culture references, which may have been funny at the time but feel dated today. The story itself is simple but stretched too thin as its 94-minute running time feels longer than it should be, with certain scenes dragging on or repeating the same joke multiple times. The pacing slows down significantly in the middle, making it a bit of a slog before picking up again for the finale.
The monsters won’t be the only ones groaning by the end credits.
In conclusion, Mad Monster Party? is a fascinating relic from a time when horror and animation rarely intersected, yet its influence would echo for decades. Its blend of spooky charm, tongue-in-cheek humour, and lovingly crafted stop-motion paved the way for later gothic comedies like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hotel Transylvania, both of which owe a debt to its monster-mash aesthetic. It’s visually inventive, boasts a great voice performance from Boris Karloff, and radiates a charmingly weird atmosphere. However, it’s also unevenly paced, overly long, and saddled with a weak protagonist. If you love classic Universal Monsters, stop-motion animation, or old-school Halloween specials, it’s worth a watch—especially as a curiosity piece. But casual viewers may find its slow pace and dated humour a bit of a chore.
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