A film or TV series about classic monsters getting together

Question

This would have been a children's film or TV prog, and I probably saw it in the mid 1980s.

It was filmed with puppets (stop motion or marionation, I don't remember), and was about a gathering of classic movie monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein's monster) at the lab or home of some respected member of their group. I think he was an old man who was dying or retiring, and the gathering was about naming a successor.

I remember a couple of moments fairly clearly:

1. Dracula - possibly aboard a ship? - looking at the old man's castle in the distance, then saying in a very stereotypical 'vampire' accent, "Now you vill see ze original batman!", then turning into a bat and flying to the castle.

2. The old man's assistant/daughter scheming behind his back and telling at least one of the other monsters that they were not going to be chosen as successor.

3. The assistant/daughter, probably at the end, tearfully confessing to her love interest that she can't love him because she's a robot, saying something along the lines of "My heart is just a pump that circulates coolant".

That's about as far as I can go. Does it ring any bells for anyone?

Answer 1

Pretty sure this is Mad Monster Party?.

Mad Monster Party (on-screen title Mad Monster Party?) is a 1967 American stop motion animated musical comedy film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions for Embassy Pictures. The film stars Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, Gale Garnett, and Phyllis Diller. Although less well-known than Rankin/Bass' holiday specials, it has become a cult film

Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff) achieves his ultimate ambition, the secret of total destruction. Having perfected and tested the formula, he sends out messenger bats to summon all monsters to the Isle of Evil in the Caribbean Sea. The Baron intends to inform them of his discovery and also to reveal his imminent retirement as head of the "Worldwide Organization of Monsters". Besides Frankenstein's Monster (referred to as "Fang") and the Monster's more intelligent mate (voiced by Phyllis Diller) who live in the island castle with Boris, the invites also include Count Dracula, the Mummy, Quasimodo (referred to as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"), the Werewolf, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon (referred to as the "Creature").

The Baron's beautiful assistant Francesca (voiced by Gale Garnett) enters the lab to confirm that all invitations have been delivered and inquires about one of the addressees named Felix Flanken (voiced by Allen Swift). Frankenstein explains that Flanken is his nephew and successor in the monster business. This displeases Francesca who covets the role for herself. Francesca even asks why there was not an invitation for "It". Boris replies that "It" was not invited since "It" can be a crushing bore, explaining that "It" even crushed the island's wild boars in his bare hands the last time "It" was invited.

The trailer:

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From the script:

Dracula: Now, friends, you'll discover who was the original batman.

....

Monster's Mate: Who could be closer to Dr. Frankenstein than me and Fang?
Fang: Why, he created us!
Monster's Mate: Francesca! I'll see to it that she's not his successor.

....

Francesca: But where other women have a heart, I have a spring that will unwind. Where other women have lungs, I've got a pump that runs on batteries which will run out.