Eric Stevenson Rankin Bass became famous for the stop motion Santa Claus specials they did in the 1970's. Normally, those kinds of people go for movies later on but this is actually before their most famous works. Their later stuff is obviously much better. While by no means awful, this wasn't that good. For a film titled "Mad Monster Party?" it actually barely features a party at all. Still, the stop motion effects are pretty good.I actually did end up liking the main character, Felix. I admit the ending is kind of too weird and seemed like a cop out, but it's still not bad. The voices were quite good, especially Boris Karloff's. Now I can fully go into Book Month with the end of this year. The monsters probably needed more personality. They just seemed to be causing trouble for no reason. **1/2

ExplorerDS6789 We open on the infamous Baron Boris Von Frankenstein, who has just perfected his latest and greatest experiment: a formula that can destroy anything it touches...except for glass vials. The baron feels that the time is right and so he sends invitations to all the monsters to assemble for a convention at which he will make a very important announcement. Invitations are sent via messenger-bat all over the world to such ghoulish folks as Count Dracula, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, The Creature (from the Black Lagoon), the Hunchback (of Notre Dame), The Werewolf (not the Wolf Man), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Another invitation finds its way to Felix Flanken, a nerdy pharmacist, and Dr. Frankenstein's nephew. For you see, the baron plans to turn over everything to Felix, as opposed to one of the monsters whom he couldn't trust as far as he could throw them. He reveals this plan to his secretary, a voluptuous, sultry, femme-fatale red-head named Francesca. Naturally she's miffed that someone other than her will be the baron's heir. Meanwhile, all the monsters, and Felix, have boarded the same steam ship bound for the Caribbean, except they won't go directly to the Isle of Evil, so at midnight they all jump ship and make their way to the island in their own unique methods. So they all arrive and the meeting can get underway. Dr. Frankenstein announces his plans to retire and turn over everything to an unnamed heir, and only Francesca knows who it will be. She conspires with Dracula, the most cunning and deceptive of the other monsters...as well as the horniest, so he was willing to listen to her. Unfortunately, it isn't long before Frankenstein's Monster and his wise-cracking, cackling mate get involved and the result is a big dining room brawl. Heads literally roll.The next day, while the ghoulish gang sleep off their hangovers, Felix arrives and eagerly greets his Uncle Boris. Before they can get into any technicalities, Francesca agrees to take the baron's nephew on a picnic, where of course she plans to set up an ambush, with Dracula charged with taking him out. Unfortunately, the count proves to be extremely clumsy in his efforts. He doubts Francesca's word and turns to the Monster and his mate for help, and they gang up on Francesca, who literally gets the drop on them and decides to deploy a back-up emergency plan: send an invitation to a previously uninvited, dangerous guest. Can't see how this plan would backfire at all. So, Uncle Boris gives Felix a tour of the castle, saying, "one day, this will all be yours" and tells him he'll be his heir whether he likes it or not. Naturally the mortal lad is a tad unnerved about having monsters beneath him and wants to think it over, so he goes fishing. Francesca meanwhile escapes from Dracula, the Monster and his mate again and lands in the mote. She's rescued by Felix and berates him for something he had no control over. Fortunately, Felix has quite the bitch-slap, which instantly makes her fall in love with him. Not kidding. Francesca realizes the error of her ways and knows what is about to happen, or rather what she caused to happen, and so they make a break for it just as Dracula assembles all the other monsters to go capture Felix. That's when It arrives, via Francesca's invitation. It being an 800-foot pink gorilla...though what is something called It supposed to look like? Fortunately, it's Dr. Frankenstein to the rescue. He helps Felix and Francesca to escape, while he gives everyone a demonstration of his formula. Instantly, the Isle of Evil and all its occupants are obliterated. All alone at sea, the two love birds learn a few secrets about one another, and supposedly maybe live happily ever after possibly?I definitely recommend this monster classic for the Halloween season. Good story, decent plot, the music is awesome. Props to Maury Laws for his swinging '60s soundtrack. Voice acting is great: Boris Karloff shines as the Baron, Gale Garnett and Phyllis Diller are great too, and of course, Allen Swift really delivers the dream cast of the movie, imitating Jimmy Stewart as Felix, Peter Lorre as Yetch, the comic-relief corpse butler, Sydney Greenstreet as the Invisible Man, Bela Lugosi as Dracula, and so on. The animation is a tad choppy in some places, but remember, this was 1967. No computers. These were all puppets that had to be repositioned for every frame. So, if you like the Rankin-Bass Animagic Christmas specials, you will enjoy Mad Monster Party. It comes highly recommended.

TheLittleSongbird Some of my childhood favourites come from Rankin/Bass, and I still love a vast majority of them now(the only notable exceptions at the top of my head being Cricket on the Hearth and The Leprechaun Christmas Gold). I don't think I'd go as far to say that Mad Monster Party is perfect, but there is much that is fun and enjoyable. I am in agreement that some of the story and scenes, fun on the most part, may be a little too padded out, maybe in trying to sustain Mad Monster Party's length, which did feel a little too long. Phyllis Diller tries her best with some rather corny and unfunny dialogue and jokes, but in the end comes across as grating. However, the animation is detailed and ideally coloured and the monsters are deliciously kooky to look at and literally. In my mind it does hold up well. The musical numbers are bizarre but in a wonderful way, they are very catchy above all which is a good situation to be in. The score fits very well also. Apart from that of the Monster's Mate, the writing, with lots of puns, is both funny and weird at the same time, and there is some fun and interest value in the story at least that makes up for the length and the padding. The monsters have great personalities and are a delight to spot for any horror or literature fans. The Frankenstein doctor and Felix are endearing as well, but Francessca who is sexy and a hoot in every way is my favourite character. The voice acting is fine, Diller aside. Allan Swift does a great job, especially as the James Stewart-like Felix. The standouts however are Boris Karloff's wonderfully eerie Frankenstein doctor and Gale Garnett's enticing Francessca. All in all, I can see why people will dislike it but I find it good fun and worth the look. 7/10 Bethany Cox

JoeKarlosi I used to really like this kiddie monster mash when I was a kid, as it was always shown on TV around Halloween. These days it doesn't seem quite as wondrous to me but it's still some fun. It's an animated comedy from Rankin & Bass (the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" people) which utilizes puppets, as Baron Von Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff) unites all his famous monster friends together for a reunion -- The Monster and His Mate, Dracula, the Werewolf, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, Jekyll & Hyde, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Creature. This would have been better if it wasn't so long (95 minutes) but it's a treat getting to see Karloff involved at the height of Monstermania, and for me it's Phyllis Diller as (the voice of) the monster's mate who steals the show. She tells many cheesy bad jokes but always ends them with her trademark "ah-ha haa!" Some good songs here too (especially "It's the Mummy", as sung by a rock band consisting of guitar-playing skeletons with Beatle-like wigs). **1/2 out of ****