Forbidden Zone
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Movie Reviews of Forbidden Zone
Movie Review: ABSOLUTE BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME !
Summary: 5 Stars
I consider this the Absolute Best Movie of All Time!! It makes Rocky Horror Picture Show a kiddie warm-up movie!! Get it anyway you can & see it!!Movie Review: FORBIDDEN ZONE
Summary: 5 Stars
fun, fun, fun, not for all viewers but if you have a vivid imagination you will love thisMovie Review: Over the Top, Bizarre, Outrageous ... Yet I Couldn't Look Away
Summary: 4 Stars
You've probably already noticed that I've given this film four-out-of-five-stars. But for a film like Richard Elfman's "Forbidden Zone," a ranking doesn't quite apply; this experimental black and white musical/comedy so blatantly offbeat and bizarre that any level of verification would be pointless and subtracting. Elfman's use of abstract, kooky, German Expressionist-type imagery made it obvious that this was something he wanted to have stand alone, free from traditional methods of filmmaking. If this was, in fact, his intention, then it worked. It certainly succeeded in being an original film. (I ask you: how often have you envisioned a cross-dimensional journey through a set of intestines? Or a dancing frog butler?)
But being original also made for a rather jarring experience. This movie isn't afraid to revel in its quirkiness, and if you're not prepared for it--or at the very least not open to it--then you'll only come away feeling confused, angry, disgusted, or any combination of the three. Conventional moviegoer mentalities need to be put aside if one hopes to be entertained. An affinity for Oingo Boingo doesn't hurt, either.
Just try to imagine this: the basement in the home of the Hercules Family has a secret door that leads to the Sixth Dimension. Frenchy, the daughter (Marie-Pascale Elfman), is warned never to go near it; this is because her classmate's brother (or possibly sister) has already gone through and disappeared! But as sure as the sky is blue, she gets a little too curious for her own good and takes a peek behind the door. A cartoonish descent (through the aforementioned intestines) into the Sixth Dimension follows, culminating in Frenchy's expulsion from ... well, let's just say the non-oral end of the digestive tract. Her arrival heightens the interest of King Fausto (Hervé Villechaize), who can't seem to keep his lustful eyes off of her despite his depraved ownership of topless concubines. Would it surprise you to learn that the two fall in love anyway?
Frenchy also manages to get the attention of Queen Doris (Susan Tyrrell), Fausto's authoritarian wife. Along with various moments of explicit sexuality, a cameo by composer Danny Elfman as Satan, and the attempt to rescue Frenchy in the midst of unabashed wackiness, the rest of the film deals with the Queen's rapid decent into jealousy and how she makes destroying Frenchy her top priority.
It may be an overly strange attempt at a plot, but it's a plot nonetheless. It's the final ingredient in this cinematic stew, and it's just quirky enough to satisfy even the most seasoned cult film fanatic.
This would no doubt be a horrendous film if it were analyzed through a conventional filter. But as I said earlier, conventional doesn't even come into play here; how can it when Elfman's interpretation of the "real" world is just as twisted as his vision for the Sixth Dimension? The two worlds might as well have been one and the same, considering some slight scenery changes were the only things indicating a difference. Thank God Elfman quickly reverted to a catchy musical number to distract me from this problem.
It's a quick-and-dirty film, and one would certainly expect it to be loaded with inconsistencies, goofs, and oddball attempts at cohesion. "Forbidden Zone" certainly delivers in this area, even if they weren't intentionally created. For one, why is Father Hercules thirty to forty years younger than his own son? Furthermore, why was Satan included when he didn't really add anything to the movie (other than singing a twisted version of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher")? Why did it have to be so unnecessarily sexual? And what in God's name was the deal with Squeezit Henderson (also known as Chicken Boy)? I'm well aware of how irrelevant these questions are, but I really can't help asking them. I guess I'm too used to straightforward plotlines and traditional character studies to let such things go.
Still, I have to admit that I was entertained by this movie. Of course, that didn't prevent me from thinking, "What the hell did I just watch?" by the time the end credits started to roll. The fact that this made it into theaters alone is beyond me; the target audience is so limited that it would be a miracle if it managed to break even. Then again, financial success may not have been that elusive. One look at the cardboard sets and student-film-quality camera tricks gave me a rough budget estimate of, oh, three hundred dollars (with maybe an extra dollar added for the black marker; they needed something to draw doors and windows with). The production design amounts to nothing more than a cheaply produced high school play, a quality that was both fascinating and annoying. Was there really nothing else to work with, even on a shoestring budget?
I'm sure those of you reading this don't know how to take this review. Is "Forbidden Zone" a good film or a bad film? I don't think I can answer that, despite my four star rating. Maybe that's because this isn't exactly a movie; it's more of an experience, one that demands at least one viewing. Its willingness to be different was both refreshing and repulsive, which is probably why I was unable to turn away from it. If I may be allowed an overused simile, it was like watching a train wreck. But what a disturbingly glorious train wreck it was.
Movie Review: Unrestrained Creativity In The Sixth Dimension
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an amazing and surreal comic musical nightmare from the 1980's, and is like no other film I have ever seen. The film, brainchild of Richard Elfman, with music by his better known brother, Danny, is essentially a screen version of what the Elfman brothers and their cohorts were presenting onstage as "The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo," in the late 1970's: the film ensures the lunacy is preserved for posterity.
The film is very stream-of-consciousness, and extremely avant-garde. It features minimalist sets, extensive animation, is in black and white, and is designed around various musical numbers. All of these combine in an otherworldly manner to make the film a bizarre spectacle, which earns four stars purely for creativity and weirdness. It's kind of like if John Waters had directed "Can't Stop The Music."
The plot concerns the Hercules family and their trials in the sixth dimension. Daughter Susan B. "Frenchy" Hercules finds herself entering the sixth dimension (via a creatively presented digestive tract) where King Fausto (Hervé Villechaize) falls in love with her, which angers Queen Doris substantially; this ultimately causes her to be imprisoned in a cell where all the prisoners wear Mickey Mouse ears. Grampa and Flash Hercules twist through the entrails to search for Frenchy, and pandemonium more or less ensues for the duration of the film. I was especially amused by Bust Rod, the servant frog (the Queen's right-hand amphibian), the human chandelier, and the Squeezit angel head (I won't even try to explain). I was less amused by the need for Gramps and Flash (among others) to more or less constantly attempt procreation. The catfight at the end is quite dynamic, and according to the commentary, partially real. Elfman had a limited budget, and costumes were primitive. The net result is that a lot of people appear only in undergarments. That's visually delightful in some cases, like the Princess (Gisele Lindley), while in other cases, like Gramps and Flash, is less appealing.
There are other things going on throughout the film, some of which I'm a bit unclear on even after watching the film with the commentary. I greatly enjoyed co-writer Matthew Bright (credited as Toshiro Baloney) in the dual role of Squeezit and Renee Henderson; and especially enjoyed the "Chicken Boy" scene in which a chicken speaks to him and becomes his muse. I was also fond of the duality of the roles of Huckleberry P. Jones and Pa, both played by Ugh-Fudge Bwana (Gene Cunningham). Perhaps most of all I enjoyed the schoolhouse scene in which members of the class learn the alphabet musically.
The DVD features many extras. The commentary track with Richard Elfman and Matthew Bright is amusing and enlightening. There are also deleted scenes and an interesting documentary on the making of the film which features many clips of "The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo" from their stage show. Real devotees may remember them from their unbelievable appearance on the Gong Show. Chuck Barris gave them this memorable and accurate introduction: "We bring you an act who at first may shock you; but once you get to know them, they'll just boggle your mind." After watching this movie, I can't think of a better summary.
Movie Review: Historic relic for any Danny Elfman/Oingo Boingo/Midnight movie fan
Summary: 4 Stars
Forbidden Zone looks like it had a budget of a few hundred dollars. When I first saw it, it reminded me of madcap after hours programming you'd find on public access - a bunch of college kids seeing what wacky things they can do in front of the camera.
A closer look, however, reveals that all involved are quite talented - even if what appears on film is bizarre, vulgar, and some of it downright offensive. But it's an historic relic of where Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo had their beginnings. Furthermore, as a built in midnight movie, it seems to be one of the last of its kind - attempting to entertain and shock with every piece of bizarre imagery they can throw at you with absolutely no consideration for box office receipts or whether the critics would like it or not. It's a midnight movie from start to finish. From its birth, it was a cult film.
As to the quality of this film, it's always a weird watch. There's a guy in a frog suit, Danny Elfman playing Satan, a woman half naked throughout the film, and Tatoo himself, Herve Villachaize. The story is really unimportant, but it involves the Hercules family being sucked into the sixth dimension. Really its a springboard for the theatrics of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, the theatrical troupe that was the starting point for Danny Elfman's career. There's a lot of music in the film, of course, supplied by Danny. It's a mix of Cab Calloway inspired music of the past, a tiny bit of new wave in the theme song, and weird theatrical music throughout that hinted at Elfman's future career. It's enjoyable but like the film - it's manic. The film and soundtrack pack so much in that it's hard to pick out one theme or characteristic to describe it. Strange fun chaos is the best I can muster up.
The DVD itself provides a wealth for fans of both Elfmans, featuring deleted scenes, including an extended musical sequence, the video for Private Life, and an entertaining documentary where Richard Elfman interviews those involved with the film, including his more famous brother. Entertaining as it is, Richard Elfman seems a little uneasy as emcee. Still the wealth of goodies he gives us is great. Throughout, we get to see unearthed footage of the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. This is a top notch DVD for what is one of the weirdest madcap films that is probably responsible for giving us one of the greatest film composers and oh so much more.