Mad Monster Party was a Halloween-themed stop-motion animation from the masters who brought you all of those great
Christmas specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. And it’s on the Halloween movie list every year for my boys and me.
With a heavy influence from MAD magazine — it was co-written by Harvey Kurtzman and the characters were designed by Jack Davis — it’s a real treat. And with voices by Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller, it’s absolutely irresistible.
In a notable change from the Victorian-era women in the Christmas specials, the female lead, Francesca, is a curvy, buxom, husky-voiced sexy red-head with a mind just as sinister as the ghastliest of the monsters.
The Evil Inc villains think their new manager, Cassie Cruz, has been leaking information to the superheroes, and they’re out to get her. But Cassie has a plan to clear her name.
Transcript
Panel 1
(Jeremy is placing a cobra inside a cabinet.)
Jeremy: These assassination attempts are getting worse.
(Cassie Cruz, adjusting her glasses, speaks confidently.)
Cassie: I've been thinking...
We have multiple projects coming through different departments.
Panel 2
(Jeremy and Cassie stand facing each other, arms crossed, discussing a plan.)
Cassie: We can plant one lie in each employee's case files.
Panel 3
(Cassie smirks as she explains the trap further.)
Cassie: If we see the heroes act on one of the lies...
We'll know which worker leaked the information.
Panel 4
(Jeremy, hands on his face in amazement, praises Cassie, who looks pleased.)
Jeremy: That... that was masterful!
Cassie: Thank you. I'm feeling quite full of myself.
Panel 5
(Cassie tugs on Jeremy's tie, giving him a flirty look.)
Cassie: Speaking of which...
Panel 6
(A cobra and the sentient coffee creature are in the cabinet, now commenting on the situation. The coffee, spilling out of a mug, is using a glass to eavesdrop.)
Cobra: Do you think they'll start playing the clarinet again?
Coffee: I dunno... sounds like they switched to percussion...
