The cult classic “Mad Monster Party?” — never mind the question mark (but the answer is “yes”) — tells the story of Doctor Frankenstein’s retirement party, where all the other monsters scheme to take over his job as the leader of “The Worldwide Organization of Monsters.” It’s a comedy, but the jokes are all groaners, so just stick around for the delightful creatures and charming animation. One of the icons of 1980s latchkey kid cinema, right up there with “E.T.” and “The Goonies,” is “The Monster Squad” about a bunch of children who still believe in monsters, so they’re the only ones who notice when Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and the Frankenstein Monster move into town and try to open a portal to Hell. The production design, makeup and (most of) the visual effects are gorgeous, and Isaac gives one of the great Doctor Frankenstein performances, capturing the hypnotic obsession, intimate tragedy and — ultimately — the unforgivable moral failings of the character.
Author: William Bibbiani
Published at: 2025-11-08 19:48:52
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