"Mad Monster Party" (1967)

From the Rankin/Bass crew that brought you “Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer” is this really underappreciated adorable movie about an island of monsters and the mad scientist, Boris, who brings them altogether to witness his greatest achievement…a weapon that could destroy the world. All the monsters are represented here (well, the ones that matter), Wolfman, Jekyll & Hyde, The Invisible Man, Creature From Black Lagoon, The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein and his wife, and a secretary named Francesca.

While the invites to unite these monsters under the guise of a party, what it really is is something else which involves Boris’s nephew…a doofus who is equal parts clutz and nerd. While he may have inherited the genes of a crazy scientist via Boris’s sister, he’s clearly out of his league when it comes to the monsters. And they eventually grow to know that. So they plot against him to acquire this “weapon.”

This movie has some dark moments. And I could see how this influenced the more popular “Nightmare Before Christmas.” The monsters are harmless, in terms of living with the humans. But the humans naturally see them as…scary monsters. Like most unappreciated beings, it’s not hard to understand why they ban together.

I think the real message is what is very clear in all Rankin/Bass projects…oddballs can find their place in society too. Which is a fantastic message throughout life. This is very true, say in a movie like “Ed Wood.” Also consider that these are the guys that brought us the Island of Misfit Toys. This is also (literally) an island of misfits. And it’s a joy to watch the animation, while somewhat clunky, close to 50 years later, still hold their charm. There are mannerisms to the characters that only people who study faces understand. Similar to the Pixar movies today, they are lifelike only in that they are movements a human would make. A shrug, an eyebrow raised, and just…the small movements make a massive difference. All in the details. And the scenery is amazing. Because they did most of this with physical pieces, we get natural light effects and very natural collision effects. How things effect each other in a real world. I think computer FX tend to overlook these tiny things that make a difference.

I loved this movie and am still surprised this didn’t turn into a Hallowe’en tradition, the same way Charlie Brown did. Perhaps since, “It’s the Great Pumpkin” is a morsel of a movie, while “Mad Monster Party” gives you the whole she-bang. I’m going to watch this every Hallowe’en now. A great find, and even more grateful to have watched it on a film projection.