Again in 1960, animators Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass shaped an organization referred to as Videocraft Worldwide, a prolific studio that put out a few of the greatest identified vacation TV specials identified to humankind. In 1964, the studio produced Larry Roemer’s “Rudolph the Purple-Nosed Reindeer,” a stop-motion Christmas particular that airs yearly to at the present time. By 1967, Rankin and Bass had begun directing shorts themselves, and by 1968, they’d modified the identify of their firm to Rankin/Bass Productions. Beneath that banner, the pair made (amongst different tasks) 1968’s “The Little Drummer Boy,” 1969’s “Frosty the Snowman,” 1970’s “Santa Claus is Comin’ to City,” and “‘Twas the Evening Earlier than Christmas” and “The Yr With out a Santa Claus,” each of which got here out in 1974. “Rudolph’s Shiny New Yr” later adopted in 1976, with “Jack Fost” arriving in 1979.
The pair additionally made a number of notable characteristic movies, principally in a fantasy vein. Many could also be keen on their J.R.R. Tolkien diversifications (1977’s “The Hobbit” and 1980’s “The Return of the King”) or their animated 1982 epic “The Final Unicorn.” A number of years after making these motion pictures, in addition they put out exhibits like “ThunderCats” and “SilverHawks.” And these are just a few of their credit. Rankin/Bass was an animation empire unto itself.
Solely very often did Rankin/Bass tip into horror motion pictures. However when it did, it was spectacular. Certainly, Rankin/Bass was chargeable for one of many best Halloween motion pictures ever within the type of the 1967 stop-motion characteristic “Mad Monster Social gathering?” (a monster mash of the best order). Positive, Rankin/Bass can simply flout its Christmas bona fides, however “Mad Monster Social gathering?” assures the corporate a everlasting place within the Halloween canon of gods. You may guess movies like “The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas” would not exist with out “Mad Monster Social gathering?”
Mad Monster Social gathering? is likely one of the greatest Halloween motion pictures of all time
“Mad Monster Social gathering?” was directed by Jules Bass and co-written by Harvey Kurtzman, one of many earlier workers writers at MAD Journal and the author of Playboy’s ribald “Little Annie Fanny” comics. Though “Mad Monster Social gathering?” is definitely kid-friendly, it has an impish, winking high quality that may solely be learn by adults. Older viewers will definitely discover Rankin/Bass’ inclusion of Francesca (Gale Garnett), a curvaceous, red-haired babe within the vein of Jessica Rabbit. Grown-ups may even key extra instantly into the humor of Frankenstein’s sassy bride, voiced by the immortal Phyllis Diller.
The story of “Mad Monster Social gathering?” is easy sufficient. The hard-working Baron Boris von Frankenstein (Boris Karloff) has lastly concocted a magical method that, in his phrases, accommodates the key of Final Destruction. To current his findings, and to announce his subsequent retirement as head of the World Group of Monsters, the Baron arranges an prolonged banquet for the world’s most outstanding Halloween beasties. On the visitor checklist are Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster Fang, the Werewolf, the Invisible Man, Jekyll & Hyde, the Mummy, and the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. All of those monsters are voiced by Alan Swift. There’s additionally a creature solely referred to as “It,” which could arrive uninvited. “It” is a terrifying something-or-other that does not seem till later within the film.
The wild card visitor is an extraordinary pharmacist named Felix (additionally Swift), who seems, talks, and behaves like James Stewart. Felix is the Baron’s distant nephew and stands to inherit Frankenstein’s monster empire. This, naturally, conjures up resentment among the many monsters, Francesca particularly; she was Frankenstein’s long-held assistant and assumed she’d inherit Frankenstein’s secrets and techniques. Therefore, she conspires with Dracula, ordering the vampire to assassinate Felix.
Mad Monster Social gathering? was the final time Boris Karloff performed a Frankenstein
Felix by chance avoids being murdered a number of occasions all through the film and proves to be fecklessly charming. Certainly, Francesca ultimately falls for his aw-shucks innocence. The movie ultimately climaxes with the arrival of “It” and some different surprising character revelations moreover. “It,” I ought to word, will not be Pennywise the clown from Stephen King’s 1986 novel “It,” nevertheless it does resemble one other well-known film monster.
“Mad Monster Social gathering?” is a hoot, and huge parts of its 95-minute runtime are dedicated to monsters simply type of hanging out. The skeleton band is a spotlight, because it watches the monsters dance. As a result of the movie was shot in stop-motion, the characters themselves have a toy-like high quality, making “Mad Monster Social gathering?” really feel like an eight-year-old’s monster fantasy. There’s one thing so delightfully pure about it, as if Halloween is lastly being understood. “Mad Monster Social gathering?” arrived solely 5 years after the discharge of Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s novelty ultra-hit “The Monster Mash,” and it visualized a contemporary reality about monsters: Not solely do all of them know one another, however they repeatedly get collectively for beastly bailiwicks.
Enjoyable trivia: “Mad Monster Social gathering?” marked the ultimate time Karloff performed a personality related to “Frankenstein.” He had been doing so for 36 years prior.
Rankin/Bass made an animated pseudo-sequel to “Mad Monster Social gathering?” in 1972, titling it “Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters.” It is a a lot much less attention-grabbing 43-minute TV particular. Little must be mentioned about it. Of word, Rankin/Bass additionally teamed with Toho to supply Ishiro Honda’s 1967 live-action kaiju film “King Kong Escapes,” the movie the place King Kong fights Mechanikong, his robotic duplicate. These guys knew their monsters.
