Editing Forbidden Zone (section)

{{short description|1982 film by Richard Elfman}}
{{about|the 1982 film}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Forbidden Zone
| image = Forbidden Zone.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Theatrical reissue poster
| director = [[Richard Elfman]]
| screenplay = {{Plainlist|
* Richard Elfman
* [[Matthew Bright]]
* Nick James
* Nick L. Martinson
}}
| story = Richard Elfman
| producer = Richard Elfman
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* [[Hervé Villechaize]]
* [[Susan Tyrrell]]
* Marie-Pascale Elfman
* [[Danny Elfman]]
* Gisele Lindley
* Jan Stuart Schwartz
* Virginia Rose
* Ugh-Fudge Bwana
* Phil Gordon
* Hyman Diamond
* [[Matthew Bright|Toshiro Boloney]]
* [[Viva (actress)|Viva]]
* [[Joe Spinell]]
* [[The Kipper Kids]]
}}
| cinematography = Gregory Sandor
| editing = Martin Nicholson
| music = [[Danny Elfman]]
| distributor = [[The Samuel Goldwyn Company]]
| released = {{Film date|1980|3|28|Los Angeles|1982|3|21}} (United States)
| runtime = 74 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = ~$100,000
}}
'''''Forbidden Zone''''' is an American [[absurdist fiction|absurdist]] [[Musical film|musical]] [[Fantasy film|fantasy]] [[comedy film]] produced and directed by [[independent filmmaker]] [[Richard Elfman]],<ref>[https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3759046/bloody-bridget-exclusive-trailer-richard-elfman-unleashes-his-valentine-vampire/ ‘Bloody Bridget’ Exclusive Trailer – Richard Elfman Unleashes His Valentine Vampire! - Bloody Disgusting]</ref> and co-written by Elfman and [[Matthew Bright]]. Shot in 1977 and 1978, the film premiered in 1980 and was distributed in 1982.<ref name="Digiovanna">{{cite web |url=http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/intestinal-fortitude/Content?oid=1079849 |title=Intestinal Fortitude |access-date=June 6, 2007 |last=Digiovanna |first=James |author-link=James DiGiovanna |date=March 31, 2005 |publisher=[[Tucson Weekly]] }}</ref><ref name="DVD documentary">{{cite video |date=2004 |title=A Look Into The Forbidden Zone |type=Making-of documentary DVD |publisher=Fantoma |id=UPC 695026704423}}</ref> Originally shot on [[Black and white|black-and-white film]], ''Forbidden Zone'' is based upon the stage performances of the Los Angeles theater troupe [[The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo]], of which Elfman, Bright and many of the cast and crew were a part, and revolves around an [[Parallel universe (fiction)|alternate universe]] accessed through a door in the house of the Hercules family.<ref name="DVD documentary" />

The [[Danny Elfman discography|composing debut]] of [[Danny Elfman]], it stars [[Hervé Villechaize]], [[Susan Tyrrell]] and members of the Mystic Knights, with appearances by [[Warhol superstars|Warhol superstar]] [[Viva (actress)|Viva]], [[Joe Spinell]] and [[The Kipper Kids]]. Villechaize kicked his cheque back into production and even painted sets on weekends. The only paid actor was Phil Gordon, who played Flash; all the other [[Screen Actors Guild|SAG]] actors put their money back into the show.<ref name="Rense">{{cite web |url=http://www.boingo.org/articles/HEArticle.html |title=The Man Behind 'Forbidden Zone' |access-date=July 19, 2008 |last=Rense |first=Rip |date=August 18, 1980 |publisher=[[Los Angeles Herald-Examiner|Herald Examiner]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517022256/http://www.boingo.org/articles/HEArticle.html |archive-date=May 17, 2008  }}</ref>

The film was made as an attempt to capture the essence of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo's live performances in a cinematic sense, and also as a means for both director Elfman to retire from music to work on film projects, and to serve as a transition between the group's former cabaret style and a [[New wave music|new wave]]-based style.<ref name="Digiovanna"/><ref name="Rense"/> Amid negative reactions to content in the film that had been perceived as being offensive, ''Forbidden Zone'' was screened as a [[midnight movie]], where it was met with positive notices, and developed a large and eventually worldwide [[cult following]].<ref name="Digiovanna"/><ref name="Rense"/> In 2004, the film was digitally restored and released on [[DVD]], and in 2008, the film was [[Film colorization|colorized]].<ref name="Ferrante">{{cite web|url=http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2834 |title=Exclusive Profile: Legend Films' Bob Pollack Rescues Classics from the Paramount Vault |access-date=July 9, 2008 |last=Ferrante |first=A.C. |date=June 11, 2008 |publisher=iF Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701184720/http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2834 |archive-date=July 1, 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Said Elfman, "Doing anything original is taking a chance. Financially it bankrupted me and we lost our house. But I'm still glad I did it (although I'd change a few things if I had a time machine, of course)."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://filmcourage.com/2019/01/23/richard-elfman-on-losing-his-house-forbidden-zone-being-tenacious-and-seizing-opportunities/|title=Richard Elfman on Losing His House, FORBIDDEN ZONE, Being Tenacious and Seizing Opportunities |website=Film Courage |date=January 23, 2019}}</ref>

A prospective sequel, entitled ''Forbidden Zone 2: The Forbidden Galaxy'', has long been in development by Elfman, who launched a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2014 to raise an initial sum. As of 2019, the sequel is still in the stages of development but regularly updated and discussed by Elfman.<ref name="Forbidden Zone 2">{{Cite web | url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/forbidden-zone-2#/updates/all |title = Forbidden Zone 2}}</ref> Elfman has also licensed ''Forbidden Zone'' as an intellectual property for manufacturers to produce collectibles based on the film's characters.<ref name="licensing">{{Cite press release |url=http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/richard-amp-danny-elfmans-first-film-forbidden-zone-enters-the-licensing-dimension-422601.php |title = Richard & Danny Elfman's First Film, Forbidden Zone, Enters the Licensing Dimension |date=2016-05-03}}</ref>