Mad Monster Party is a childhood Halloween classic

All month long, we've been focusing on the horror genre in the lead up to the spookiest of all holidays, Halloween. But Halloween isn't just about slasher psychos and disgusting violence. It's also about the classic horror movies of yore and the monsters that sprang from them.

In the old days, horror movies were not about shocking audiences with disgusting displays of blood and gore. The monsters were the central theme, with characters like Frankenstein's monster, the Wolf Man, Dracula and the Mummy.

I have always loved these classic monsters, in part because of a rare holiday treasure from my childhood known as Mad Monster Party? (Originally, the film had a question mark is part of the title. Why? I have no idea. Maybe because monsters aren't supposed to have parties.)

This stop-motion animated film came from Rankin/Bass, the same people who brought us Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

The story follows meek Felix Flankin (voiced by Allen Swift) who is invited to a party by his uncle, Baron von Frankenstein (voiced by horror veteran Boris Karloff). Dr. Frankenstein intends to reveal his last great invention and name his successor before he retires. All the monsters are invited, and each one assumes that he (or she) will be put in charge. Even the Monster's Mate (voiced by Phyllis Diller) is vying for the job.

There is singing. There is dancing. It is funny, not scary. It has more in common with those Rankin/Bass Christmas specials than it would with anything by Tim Burton. Mad Monster Party shows Halloween monsters at their most innocent and loveable.

Enjoy this collection of scenes from the film with Ethel Ennis singing the theme song.



If you want to pick up a copy for your collection, Mad Monster Party is available on Amazon.com.

Mad Monster Party is also #9 on the FilmGuru.Net Top 10 Halloween Comedies.

70 years later: A munchkin perspective of Oz

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the classic film The Wizard of Oz, watch the unsung stars reminisce about their careers and discuss the film's historic legacy. This great interview comes from Newsweek’s original video channel 7 Things and features the five surviving actors who played munchkins.

This interview covers everything from life on set to what it was like to work with film legend Judy Garland. Find out how the munchkins got cast and what life was like for them after Oz.



Source: Newsweek