Rankin/Bass' holiday specials, such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, have become a seasonal constant in the American home since their introduction decades ago. Appealing because of their imaginative imagery and technically impressive Animagic stop-motion process, they've influenced countless modern films (particularly those of Tim Burton). Anchor Bay has issued a stunning DVD release of R/B's Halloween classic Mad Monster Party, remastered for today's digital sensibilities. How does this feature stand up in today's computer-generated landscape?

Baron Von Frankenstein (voiced by fan favorite Boris Karloff) has discovered the secret to the destruction of matter, which he tests out on an unfortunate crow with hilarious results. The Baron decides to call a meeting of all monsters to announce his discovery, as well as his retirement from "horror business." He chooses a successor with his nephew Felix Flanken, much to the chagrin of the Board of Monsters. Felix is not only human, but a hypochondriac klutz as well. A plan is hatched, and Felix is marked for death by the jealous ghouls. Of course, being a family feature, all attempts on his life are unsuccessful. However, everything falls apart when the feared "IT" shows up uninvited, bringing destruction and King Kong references with him!

Where Mad Monster Party differs from other similar fare is its top-notch production. MAD Magazine and EC Comics artist Jack Davis designed the characters, and they sport a unique style all their own (check out Davis' trademark old lady with a bird in her hat occupying the drugstore scene). Other notables include the skeletal Beatles-style band, Yetch the pockmarked, Peter Lorre-inspired toady, the Monster's Mate (cacklingly played by Phyllis Diller), and the vampish Francesca. Overall production values seemed higher than other R/B features, with some impressively cinematic angles and a much larger scale. The whole thing just has more "vavoom" than the great, but comparatively "safe" Christmas features. It's simply amazing.

Previously available only in a mediocre 16mm VHS transfer, Anchor Bay has dug up the original 35mm negative for the DVD, with stunning results. The picture quality is nothing short of amazing, with crisp edges and colors that jump right off the screen (especially Francesca's primary red hair and the Invisible Man's fez). The texture present on the Animagic models is clear and sharp, giving the characters life that today's CGI creations lack, and the black levels are spot-on. Except for minor print damage and a tiny amount of grain, the picture is perfect. The sound fares equally well, with a clean mono mix that does its job perfectly, except for a momentary dropout towards the end. Extras include a trailer, two still galleries, and a hefty booklet loaded with production history and Jack Davis' concept art, which proves to be of great interest.

If you've got little monsters at home (no, not that awful Fred Savage movie), or you've got a hankering for something lighthearted, Mad Monster Party should fit the ticket quite well. It certainly brought back some fond memories for this monster, and I gained a new appreciation for it. With its easy-on-the-eyes good looks, and sly adult humor slipped in, Mad Monster Party is a load of fun.