Director: Jules Bass
Writers: Len Korobkin, Harvey Kurtzman
Stars: Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett
1 Hour, 34 Minutes
Get it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Mdynmz
Synopsis
Frankenstein creates a major new formula that proves he now has the capability of destroying matter. He’s so impressed with it that he decides to throw a party to impress his friends. The invitations go out as the credits roll, and a very old-school James Bond-esque theme song plays.
The various monsters get their invitations, as does Felix Frankenstein, a nerdy little guy who works in a drugstore, but also happens to be Frankenstein’s nephew.
Back on the island, the Bride sings to the Monster, who is called “Fang” here (for licensing reasons). They basically seem like a happy couple now. As the song explains, she loves him because “You’re different.”
Frankenstein and his secretary, Francesca, talk about why “It” wasn’t invited. Felix has said he would be there; apparently, he thinks the island is a tropical resort, and he’s won a vacation trip. Felix is a plain human, but he’s Frankenstein’s nephew. Frankenstein plans to retire, and Felix is his heir. Francesca doesn’t like the idea; she seems to have expected to inherit everything.
The hunchback gets a job loading cargo on the ship, including the mummy’s sarcophagus. Dracula shows up. They’re all on the way to the Isle of Evil. By the time Felix shows up, the crew is terrified of all the passengers, including him.
Doctor Frankenstein has a whole army of zombie servants that he’s constructed. The leader of the servants it Yetch, who looks like Peter Lorre, but is voiced by someone else. Yetch is infatuated with Francesca. They all continue to worry that “It” will crash the party.
The guests arrive. Dinner is is eventually ready. Frankenstein shows them his new formula, which can destroy literally anything. The band starts playing, and the Bride dances with the Mummy until the Mummy gets fully unwrapped.
Francesca and Dracula hatch a plan to get Frankenstein’s secret. They sing about how it’s their “time to shine.” The Bride overhears everything. Francesca and the Bride have a literal cat fight. Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man fight, and before long, everyone gets in on the fun.
All the monsters eventually turn in for the night, and it’s surprising how many of them snore.
Felix arrives the next day. Francesca is taking Felix for a picnic, and she arranges with the Count to set up an ambush. The werewolf, Dracula, and the Mummy attack, but they’re easily dispatched without Felix even knowing what’s going on.
Felix expresses doubts to his uncle, but Frankenstein breaks into song to help out; he’s got to “stay one step ahead” of everyone else. Felix wants to think it over while he goes fishing.
Francesca gets annoyed and sends a message off the island by carrier bat. She get hysterical and has it out with Felix. He slaps her in the face, and she really likes that. They’re in love, which leads to another song.
All the other monsters have a union meeting and decide to kill both Felix and Francesca. Yetch dissents, but the others change his mind. There’s a chase through the jungle. Francesca can’t keep up, and Felix saves her multiple times.
“It,” otherwise known as King Kong, arrives, and everyone runs away. Kong wrecks the castle. Kong also has a thing for Francesca. Dr. Frankenstein runs into Felix, and he has a plan to stop Kong. Frankenstein and the zombies attack with their own antique air force. Frankenstein gets captured, but he pulls out his destruction formula and uses it on Kong and the bad monsters. The island and everything on it is destroyed, leaving Felix and Francesca in a rowboat.
Francesca says she can’t marry Felix. She was created by Frankenstein; she has a spring where a heart should be. Felix has a revelation of his own that makes it all OK.
Commentary
Rankin & Bass, the pair that did all the major Christmas specials, tried their hand at a Halloween show. Unlike the others, this one seems mostly forgotten now.
The characters/caricatures are excellent, but the jokes seem awfully dated and corny nowadays. Kids who aren’t well-versed in the really old universal movies may not even get all the character references. It may be hard to believe, but the Mummy and Creature from the Black Lagoon really are not as iconic as Santa Claus and Rudolph.
The songs are, for the most part, pretty generic and forgettable, but overall, it’s very entertaining.