Thanks to a fortuitous, Tubi turn, I viewed Monster Mash (not to be confused with the 1995, children's film of the same name, starring Bobby "Boris" Pickett). This 2023, Asylum production stars the late Michael Madsen as Dr. Frankenstein and was written/directed by John (Headless Horseman) Prendes.
The movie lives up to its title and is adorned by a William Castle-styled "Fright Break" and a Bond-scaped, theme opening. In addition to Dr. Frankenstein and his Monster, Boris (Erik Celso Mann), we're introduced to the Lugosi-inspired Count Dracula (Ethan Daniel Corbett); Elisabeta, his headstrong daughter (Emma Reinagel); Pia, a submissive, vampire bride (Anna DeRusso); Ramesses the Mummy (Adam Slemon); Dr. Hawley Griffin, the Invisible Man (Gabriel Pranter); Charles Conliff, a Southern werewolf (Ian Hommel); and Mila, a helpful, young witch (Bix Krieger), who for one scene, resurrects Browning, a Cryptkeeper-type corpse who was once a renowned medium (played by scream queen Michelle Bauer). There's also Mila's friend, a cheerful barmaid named Vivian (Maddie Lane), who's quite at ease in the presence of monsters.
The sickly Dr. Frankenstein, whom Browning claims is cursed by God, is the antagonist, as he constructs a homunculus hybrid, assembled from parts taken from the monsters, into which the doctor intends to transfer his consciousness. Boris is dispatched to collect the parts, though is sometimes reluctant to do so.
To flavor the doctor's plan, the story carries aspects of Frankenstein Created Woman, The Asphyx and Willis O'Brien's proposed King Kong vs Frankenstein, with a framing structure that pulls from Universal's House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula; Stephen Sommers' Van Helsing; Fred Dekker's The Monster Squad; NBC's 1976 Monster Squad; Paul Naschy's Assignment: Terror; Jess Franco's Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein and The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein; Joe DeMuro/Thomas A. Rice's Tales of Dracula set; Dan Curtis' Dark Shadows; and John Logan's Penny Dreadful.
As the story progresses, the trust between Boris and Elisabeta (who's kept as bait in Frankenstein's castle to lure her father) strengthens. The Count, meanwhile, enlists the Mummy, Invisible Man, Wolfman and Mila to retrieve Elisabeta, who in her own right, seeks a cure for her vampirism.
The colliding quests of Dr. Frankenstein and the Count roll at a casual but satisfying pace (accompanied by Henry Manfredini's effectual score and Mark David's incubating photography), and though the movie does insert humor (with Griffin and Vivian supplying most of it), Monster Mash is no comedy. In fact, it contains moments of substantial poignancy when it comes to Boris' devotion to Elisabeta and Dracula's desperation to rescue her.
The performances are good, with each actor capturing the essence of who they're supposed to be, with Madsen initially seeming like the odd man out. However, the originality of his interpretation comes to work to the story's advantage. Through his gruffness, we're treated to a criminal mastermind, who under different conditions, would have played an ideal opponent for a primo, action hero (and for what it's worth, the oddball conglomerate surrounding him does resemble DC's good-guy Doom Patrol). In any event, Madsen's Frankenstein isn't a pushover and shouldn't be, considering the gravity of his goal.
I enjoyed Monster Mash on every creative level, including its impressive makeups and colorful special effects (some of which resemble stop motion, even though they're reputedly CGI). The grand concoction insinuates a sequel, and though Madsen wouldn't be present (beyond flashbacks), the concept still holds enough traction to warrant an Asylum franchise. Say, how about follow-ups featuring the Phantom of the Opera and Jekyll & Hyde?
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