I remembered this from years ago, and was quite excited about seeing it available on DVD. It really is a wonderful show, and I enjoyed it as a 40 year old adult as much as I did when I was 9. Overall it is a great piece of 1960's kitsch which is great fun. The action is a bit jerky, more so than in Rudolph or other Rankin productions, but it is so fun that isn't an issue. It's similar in ways to "The Munsters" or "The Addam's Family" and other 1960's monster comedies, but it has it's own unique atmosphere and style, so you cannot say that it attempts to copy them in any way. The monsters are based on the the classics: Frankenstein's Monster, his wife, Dracula, the Wolfman, the Creature From the Black Lagoon, King Kong, etc. and are presented in Rankin Bass's rather silly style, with Phyllis Diller's over the top corny humor and a knock off of Peter Lorre for comedy relief. There are some original elements as well, such as the Zombie Air Corps. I cannot say that it is first rate humor; it isn't, it's really cornball, but in a fun enjoyable way. Another reviewer made the claim that it hasn't aged well, and I cannot in all honesty dispute this. However, you can say the same about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but that does not necessarily make them any less desirable or enjoyable. In summary this film is not an award winner, but it is quite fun and enjoyable, and if you are like me you will have fond memories of it which will allow you to enjoy it all the more. Read more
Corny as hell, but I still like it. I bought this movie used from Amazon a while back, for my kid. I had no idea what I was getting into. This thing has a bizarre plotline, that leads our protagonist (a geeky-Jimmy Stewart-esque kinda guy) onto an island inhabited by his uncle Boris (rightly voiced by Boris Karloff) and an army of monsters that he created. Uncle Boris wants to hand the island and all of it's secrets over to his nephew, but the monsters are not to thrilled. Mainly Francesca (quite possibly the sexiest puppet I've ever seen). She believes that she should be the rightful heir of the island, so she seduces Dracula into helping her destroy the nephew. Dracula screws everything up, so Francesca decides to settle things herself (biggest [...] I've ever seen on a puppet by the way).. only her plan is foiled when nephew smacks her in the face, and somehow causes her to instantly fall madly in love with him (they make out like every five minutes from here on..) Once the monsters discover whats going on with the two, they decide to get even with both. I won't spoil the ending, but this is a cool little movie to watch with the kids on a rainy day. The best is when a rock band of skeletons pop out of nowhere and play a song called Dance The Mummy.. but the campy, sixties take on a slew of classic monsters, portrayed as puppets is all gravy. Rankin/Bass the guys that brought you Rudolph and all of those other X-mas shows from the sixties masterminded this gem. Read more
This is a great value since it comes with both dvd and blu ray versions. Has that classic stop motion clay looking animation just like the Christmas movies (you know Rudolph and Bumble). I'm 40 and enjoying it as much as my 6 year old niece 😆 Read more
This is an obscure cult classic gem that every childlike heart should have in their repertoire. Only a select chosen few have made contact with this precious find. It's an animated version liken to Abbott & Costello meets the monsters. An all star cast of comical horrors from the Invisible Man to the Wolfman make an appearance. There's an Ann Margaret aka Ginger on Gilligan's Isle character. The lead nerd reminds me of Darren from Bewitched or Clark Kent. Well worth seeing their Phyllis Diller Bride of Frankenstein. It's cool that this DVD is true to that time period on many levels. Might be too frightening for children under 5. Tim Burton fans will love this. You'll find yourself repeating the cheesy phrases and singing the disjointed songs! Cool twist at the end. Add this to your traditional Halloween viewing. A campy, infectious ride! Read more
The animation studio, Rankin, has ten Christmas movies, but only one Halloween movie. I almost never heard of this movie. Read more
Funny Halloween animated movie to watch. Read more
I remembered watching this when I was a kid, and decided to order it from Amazon after having no luck finding it (for free, at least) on the streaming services I subscribe to. It's a fun watch. Darker than the other Rankin/Bass holiday specials (as is to be expected) with and ending that's rather dark followed by a neat final twist (the twist was pretty much the only thing I remembered from watching it as a kid). I still need to watch some of the "behind the scenes" extras, but I'm sure they're worthwhile. Definitely worth checking out and making a Halloween tradition. Read more
Dvd in perfect shape. Fast shipping. Good price. Love these movies from the same maker of the Christmas movies. Read more
