Mad Monster Party is a 1967 American stop-motion animated musical comedy film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions for Embassy Pictures. The film stars the voices of Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett, and Phyllis Diller. It tells the story of a mad scientist who achieves the secret of total destruction as he summons all the monsters to his island home to show it off while planning to retire as the head of the “Worldwide Organization of Monsters.”
Although less well known than Rankin/Bass’ holiday specials, it has become a cult film.
Plot[]
On the Isle of Evil in the Caribbean Sea, Baron Boris von Frankenstein achieves his ultimate ambition, the secret of total destruction. Having perfected and tested the formula, he sends out messenger bats to summon all the monsters to present this discovery and to inform them that he is retiring as the head of the “Worldwide Organization of Monsters.”
Besides Fang (a.k.a. Frankenstein’s monster) and the Monster’s more intelligent mate who live in the isle’s castle with Boris, the invited guests also include Count Dracula, the Mummy, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Werewolf, the Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde), and the Creature (a.k.a. the Creature from the Black Lagoon).
The Baron’s beautiful assistant Francesca enters the lab to confirm that all invitations have been delivered and inquires about one the address named Felix Flanken (voiced by Allen Swift impersonating James Stewart). Frankenstein explains that Felix is his only living relative his successor in the monster business. This displeases Francesca covets the role for herself. She even asks why there wasn’t an invitation to “It” where Boris replies that “It” was not invited since he can be a crushing bore, even going so far as to crush the island’s wild boars in his bare hands the last time he was invited.
Frankenstein has his zombie butler Yetch (Swift impersonating Peter Lorre), Chef Mafia Machiavelli, and the zombie bellhops and servants to make preparations for the upcoming party while having some zombies patrol the Isle of Evil to make sure that “It” does not show up uninvited. The monsters begin to arrive on the freighter that Felix, who thinks it’s a vacation resort, is also traveling on.
During dinner, Boris shows them the vial containing the formula of total destruction which he will demonstrate the next day while naming his successor. Francesca secretly meets with Dracula to inform him about Felix.
However, when Felix proves to be an incompetent, asthmatic (and unsuitably kind-hearted) human when he meets up with his uncle, Dracula and Francesca plan to take out Felix to obtain the secrets for themselves, but secretly Dracula is working with the other monsters to overthrow her and take over. When Francesca learns of this, she sends out a bat-carried letter to an unknown recipient. However, over time, Francesca develops feelings for Felix after he unknowingly saves her life multiple times. When the monsters have Felix cornered upon capturing Francesca, they are frightened upon the arrival of “It” (a giant gorilla who is a knock-off of King Kong) who proceeds to go on a rampage since he was not invited. “It” snatches up the monsters and Francesca (on whom he develops a crush).
Felix rushes off and tells his uncle Boris about what happened and is instructed to head to the boat. Boris leads the zombies in rescuing Francesca from “It” using biplanes. Boris convinces “It” to let Francesca go and to take him instead. “It” complies, releasing Francesca. Felix and Francesca manage to get off the island as Boris and the remainder of the monsters remain the clutches of “It.” Displeased that the monsters tried to steal the secret of total destruction for themselves and attempted to kill Felix in doing so, as well as having to put up with “It,” Boris sacrifices himself by dropping the vial containing the secret formula, destroying the Isle of Evil and everything on it.
The destruction is witnessed offshore by Felix and Francesca. Francesca tearfully admits to Felix that she is not a human, but is in fact a robot creation of Baron von Frankenstein. Felix states that “none of us are perfect,” mechanically repeats the last two words, indicating that he is also a robot creation of his uncle.
Songs[]
- "Mad Monster Party”
- "You’re Different”
- "It’s the Mummy"
- "It’s Our Time to Shine"
- "Stay One Step Ahead”
- ”There Never Was a Love Like Mine”
Voice cast[]
- Boris Karloff as Baron Boris von Frankenstein, a mad scientist, the retiring head of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters and Felix Flanken’s uncle
- Allen Swift as the following characters:
Felix Flanken, the doctor’s nerdy yet good-natured human nephew
Count Dracula, a power-hungry vampire and the leader of the monster revolt
Fang, Frankenstein’s monster and the husband of the Monster’s Mate
The Werewolf, a savage man-like beast and Dracula’s closest friend
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, an odd-looking, disfigured man
The Invisible Man, an invisible being whose only made visible by the clothes he wears
Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, an English scientist who can turn himself into a murderous monster by drinking a secret formula he keeps in his cane
It, a giant gorilla parodying King Kong
Yetch, the doctor’s lovesick zombie butler who possesses an immense crush on Francesca much to her chagrin
Chef Mafia Machiavelli, the doctor’s top notch chef
Mr. Kronkite, Felix’s short-tempered and grouchy boss at the local pharmacy
Swift also voiced the freighter captain, the first mate, a skeleton, and the mailman.
- Gale Garnett as Francesca, the doctor’s beautiful red-headed secretary who develops a bitter jealousy of Felix becoming the doctor’s rightful heir
- Phyllis Diller as The Monster’s Mate, the Monster’s nagging, wisecracking wife
- Ethel Ennis as the title song singer
External links[]
Mad Monster Party on Bing Videos