Mad Monster Party?
(1967, U.S.) color animated 94 minutes
Voices: Boris Karloff (Baron von Frankenstein), Allen Swift (Felix Flankin, Yetch, Dracula, Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Additional Voices), Gale Garnett (Francesca), Phyllis Diller (The Monster's Mate)
Plot Outline: Baron Von Frankenstein invites all of the Universal monsters to his lab to announce his retirement.
***
For anyone who's been buried under a very large rock for the past thirty-five years, MAD MONSTER PARTY? is a stone-cold animation masterwork, a wigged-out, corny and dynamic puppet cartoon that plays like a wild mixture of light opera, Frankenstein movie and beatnik poetry.
After the success of NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, this one seems braver and more surreal than ever. Way back in '67, an entire feature film done in jerky puppets and primitive models with silly showtunes and risque comedy and a horror-movie theme seemed downright avant-garde.
Leave it to those pop culture genii, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, to top their unearthly Animagic TV specials with a trio of feature films done in dynamic, delicious, dimensional animation.
WILLY McBEAN AND HIS MAGIC MACHINE and THE DAYDREAMER are unlike anything else ever made for kids. And MMP? does them one better. Indeed, aside from the always-interesting animation, the sappy songs and inappropriate sex innuendo make MMP? a truly unique picture.
After the thrilling scenario, the subversive apocalyptic ending, which reveals that all men are machines, leaves a major mark on your mind. (After I first saw this in the theatre in '68, my head was spinning for a week!)
The film's score is beautiful, a mix of cool jazz and haunting pop, with composer Maury Laws at his genius best.
The entire design of the production is gorgeous, but those tacky jokes and the protracted posturing of the puppets make this a joyously goofy film too, bizarre and ridiculous and wholly lovable. As a friend once observed, "MAD MONSTER PARTY? isn't for kids and it isn't for adults. It's only for weirdoes." Like, yeh.
Thanks to a multitude of fans, and Rick Goldschmitt at www.rankin-bass.com, the Animagic films are enjoying a huge revival.
The 2002 Anchor Bay DVD of MMP? is long-awaited and deeply appreciated. However, one creepy boner almost takes the fun out of the whole experience; some dope at the video mix house cut off Gale Garnett's sexy "Yeh-h-h-h-h!" at film's finale! That's like cutting the word "Rosebud" off CITIZEN KANE! Whoever produced this DVD should be shot in the face, but not before having to listen to "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" a thousand times!
And for fans of Maury Laws' incredible score, Percepto Records released an "Original Soundtrack Album" after the fact, which is about 50 minutes of pure audio gold for 60's music buffs. Hearing pristine versions of Laws' astoundingly eclectic and evocative cues for this neglected masterpiece will bring tears to your eyes, and is a must-have for R/B buffs.
Video/DVD availability: VHS, DVD (Anchor Bay), VHS (Embassy, oop)
Links of related interest:
the official Maury laws website
Embassy Pictures Corporation / Videocraft International
Story: Arthur Rankin Jr.
Screenplay: Len Korobkin, Harvey Kurtzman
Original Music by Maury Laws
Title song sung by Ethel Ennis
Cinematography by Tad Mochinaga
Animation Director: Kizo Nagashima
Produced by Joseph E. Levine, Arthur Rankin Jr., Larry Roemer
Directed by Jules Bass
the official Rankin Bass website
