Editing Forbidden Zone

{{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>

==Plot==
On "Friday, April 17" at 4 p.m. in [[Venice, California]], Huckleberry P. Jones (pimp, narcotics peddler, and slumlord) enters a vacant house that he owns. While stashing [[heroin]] in the basement, he stumbles upon a mysterious door and enters it, falling into the Sixth Dimension, from which he promptly escapes. After retrieving the heroin, he sells the house to the Hercules family. On their way to school, Frenchy Hercules and her brother Flash talk with Squeezit Henderson, who says that, while being beaten by his mother, he has a vision of his transgender sister René, who had fallen into the Sixth Dimension through the door in the Hercules' basement.

Frenchy returns home to confide in her mother, and decides to take a "little peek" behind the basement's forbidden door. There, she is captured by the perpetually topless Princess, who brings Frenchy to the rulers of the Sixth Dimension, the midget King Fausto and his queen, Doris. When the king falls for Frenchy, Doris orders their frog servant, Bust Rod, to lock her up. To make sure that Frenchy is not harmed, Fausto tells Bust Rod to take Frenchy to Cell 63, where the king keeps his favorite concubines (as well as René).

The next day at school, Flash tries to convince Squeezit to help him rescue René and Frenchy. When Squeezit refuses, Flash enlists the help of Gramps instead. In the Sixth Dimension, they speak to an old [[Jew]]ish man who reveals how to help Frenchy escape, but they soon are captured by Bust Rod. Doris interrogates Flash and Gramps before lowering them into a septic tank. She then plots her revenge against Frenchy, relocating all the denizens of Cell 63 to a torture chamber. She leaves the Princess to oversee Frenchy's torture and execution. However, when a fuse is blown, the torture is put on hold and the prisoners from Cell 63 are relocated to keep the King from finding them.

After escaping the tank, Flash and Gramps come across a woman who says that she was once happily married to the king, until Doris stole the throne by seducing her. The ex-queen has been sitting in her cell for 1,000 years, and has been writing a screenplay to keep her sanity. Meanwhile, Pa Hercules is blasted through the stratosphere by an explosion caused by improperly extinguishing his cigarette in a vat of flammable tar during his work break at the [[La Brea Tar Pits|La Brea Tar Pit]] Factory. After re-entry, Pa falls through the basement and into the Sixth Dimension, where he is imprisoned.

Finding a phone, Flash calls Squeezit and again asks for his help. Squeezit agrees to help rescue Frenchy and René. In the Sixth Dimension, he is captured by [[Satan]], with whom he makes a deal to bring him the Princess in exchange for Satan's help freeing René and Frenchy. Squeezit accomplishes this task, but failed to include himself in the deal to rescue his friends, and the devil has him decapitated. Queen Doris sends Bust Rod to keep an eye on the king, and to ensure he does not find out where she has hidden Frenchy.

Fausto catches Bust Rod and forces him to lead him to Frenchy and René, whom he orders to leave the Sixth Dimension to avoid the Queen's wrath. However, en route to safety, René is stricken with pseudo-menstrual cramps, and they are again captured by the frog. Squeezit's head, which has now sprouted chicken wings, finds the king and reveals what has happened.

While preparing to kill Frenchy, Doris is confronted by the ex-queen, and the two engage in a cat-fight; Doris eventually coming out as the victor. Just as she is about to kill Frenchy, Fausto stops her, explaining that Satan's Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo are holding the Princess hostage, and will kill her should anything befall Frenchy. Flash and Gramps arrive, and Flash is knocked down by Gramps. Ma Hercules enters and, seeing a seemingly dead Flash, shoots Doris. Fausto mourns Doris, then marries Frenchy.

The surviving characters later plan to take over everyone and everything in the Galaxy.

==Cast==
* [[Hervé Villechaize]] as King Fausto of the Sixth Dimension
* [[Susan Tyrrell]] as Queen Doris of the Sixth Dimension / Ruth Henderson
* Gisele Lindley as The Princess
* Jan Stuart Schwartz as Bust Rod
* Marie-Pascale Elfman as Susan B. "Frenchy" Hercules.
* Virginia Rose as Ma Hercules
* [[Gene Cunningham|Ugh-Fudge Bwana]] (Gene Cunningham) as Huckleberry P. Jones / Pa Hercules
* Phil Gordon as Flash Hercules
* Hyman Diamond as Gramps Hercules
* [[Matthew Bright|Toshiro Boloney]] as Squeezit Henderson / René Henderson
* [[Danny Elfman]] as [[Satan]]
* [[Viva (Warhol superstar)|Viva]] as The Ex-Queen
* [[Joe Spinell]] as Mr. Henderson
* [[The Kipper Kids]] as Themselves
* Kedric Wolfe as Miss Feldman / Human Chandelier
* Herman Bernstein as Mr. Bernstein, the Old Yiddish Man
* Richard Elfman as a masseuse and a prisoner

==Musical numbers==
# "Forbidden Zone" (Danny Elfman) – Danny Elfman and The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo
# "[[Some of These Days]]" ([[Shelton Brooks]]) – Pa Hercules, Frenchy and Ma Hercules
# "[[Beautiful Dreamer]]" (excerpt) ([[Stephen Foster]]) – Ma Hercules
# "La Petite Tonkinoise" ([[Vincent Scotto]], [[Henri Christiné]], Georges Villard) - Frenchy (voice of [[Josephine Baker]])
# "Bim Bam Boom" ([[Noro Morales]], Johnny Camacho) - The Kipper Kids and [[Miguelito Valdés]]
# "Witch's Egg" (Susan Tyrrell, Georg Michalski) – Doris
# "Pleure" ([[Jérôme Savary]]) – Frenchy (voice of Josephine Baker)
# "[[Swinging the Alphabet|Alphabet Song]]" (D. Elfman) – Miss Feldman, Flash, Squeezit and Schoolkids
# "Queen's Revenge" (D. Elfman) – Doris, Frenchy, Princess, René and Prisoners
# "[[Pico and Sepulveda]]" (Eddie Maxwell, [[Jule Styne]]) – Pa Hercules and Chorus (voices of [[Freddy Martin|Felix Figueroa]] & His Orchestra)
# "[[Minnie the Moocher|Squeezit the Moocher]]" ([[Cab Calloway]], [[Irving Mills]], D. Elfman) – Squeezit, The Princess, Satan and The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo
# "Yiddishe Charleston" ([[Billy Rose]], [[Fred Fisher]]) – Mr. Bernstein and Doris
# "Finale" (D. Elfman, R. Elfman, Nicholas James) – Frenchy, Fausto, Princess, Doris, Ex-Queen, The Kipper Kids, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, Flash, Gramps, René, Squeezit, Huckleberry and Company

==Production==
===Development===
The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo were formed in late 1972 by Richard Elfman, as a musical theatre troupe.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> As Richard's interest shifted to filmmaking, he passed leadership of the band to younger brother Danny Elfman. Danny, who had begun to lose interest in musical theatre, had gained interest in other musical styles such as [[ska]], and had become "sick of lugging around so much stuff with the theatre troupe. Towards the end", he remembers, "it was a big production... there was, like a [[Semi-trailer truck|semi]] full of stuff. And that was becoming burdensome. So, for me, the idea of being a band that can fit all their gear into a van and set up in a club, and an hour later be playing, became a goal."<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Production began during a transitional period when the group was moving from its cabaret style towards a more pop/rock format; by the time the film was completed, the band had shortened its name to Oingo Boingo.<ref name="DVD documentary"/>

The film was originally conceived as ''The Hercules Family'', a [[16 mm film|16mm]] musical that consisted of twelve musical numbers and a story loosely constructed around them. But as the project grew to [[35mm movie film|35mm]] and the storyline evolved, Richard Elfman found himself re-shooting many of the original scenes to fit the new film.<ref name="Commentary">{{cite video |people=Elfman, Richard and Bright, Matthew |date=2004 |title=Forbidden Zone |type=Audio commentary DVD |publisher=Fantoma |id=UPC 695026704423}}</ref> Two sequences from the original 16mm footage were featured on the 2004 DVD release: one of Danny Elfman, as Satan, performing "[[Minnie the Moocher]]" (later reshot with visual elements borrowed from the original 16mm sequence and alternate lyrics), and another of Marie-Pascale Elfman, singing "Johnny". The sequence with Elfman as Satan, and members of the Oingo Boingo as his minions, came from live shows, in which the band would perform [[Cab Calloway]] tunes like "[[St. James Infirmary Blues]]" in the same costumes.<ref name="DVD documentary"/>

Marie-Pascale Elfman, at the time of shooting, was married to director Richard Elfman. She designed the film's [[Expressionism|expressionistic]] sets and starred in the film. Actor and former Mystic Knight [[Gene Cunningham]] helped fund the film. When Cunningham and Elfman ran out of money during production, Richard and Marie-Pascale Elfman helped finance by selling houses, before Carl Borack put money into the production in order for Elfman to complete the film.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> According to Elfman, he had originally intended the film to be screened in color, stating that the original plan was to ship the film to China, where each frame would be [[Hand-colouring|hand-tinted]], but that this plan was not practical within the production costs.<ref>{{cite video |people=Elfman, Richard |date=2008 |title=Forbidden Zone |type=Introduction DVD |publisher=[[Legend Films]] |isbn=978-1-60673-069-0 }}</ref> Elfman ultimately went bankrupt during the production of ''Forbidden Zone'' and had to assign the rights away in order to finish the film; in 2015, Elfman regained the full rights to ''Forbidden Zone''.<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 |publisher=Film Courage |date=January 23, 2019}}</ref>

===Casting===
Actor [[Hervé Villechaize]] was a former roommate of co-writer and co-star [[Matthew Bright]];<ref name="Rense"/><ref name="Commentary"/> Villechaize had previously dated co-star [[Susan Tyrrell]].<ref name="Digiovanna"/> The Elfmans' grandfather, Herman Bernstein, also appeared in the film, and Richard Elfman's accountant appeared under the name "Hyman Diamond" because Elfman had no idea whether or not he wanted to be credited.<ref name="Commentary"/> Others who worked on the film include [[The Kipper Kids]] ([[Brian Routh]] and Martin von Haselberg), [[Joe Spinell]], and former [[Warhol superstar]] [[Viva (Warhol superstar)|Viva]].

===Writing===
''Forbidden Zone'' featured Bright's first work on film, and his only work as an actor (under the name "Toshiro Baloney"). A founding member of the Mystic Knights, Bright later became a screenwriter and director in his own right. Bright's credits include ''[[Freeway (1996 film)|Freeway]]'', ''[[Ted Bundy (film)|Ted Bundy]]'', and ''[[Tiptoes]]''. Bright and director Richard Elfman's only dispute during the screenwriting process was over a scene in which his character, Squeezit, was originally to have been beaten up for eight minutes and having the walls wiped with his blood.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Another scene cut from the script would have had Squeezit being castrated.<ref name="Commentary"/> According to Bright, "I didn't have any sense of limits or balance then, at the time, I... you know, I was just, didn't know what I was doing. I needed reining in."<ref name="DVD documentary"/> During filming, Bright was sitting on the set in costume when a lighting stand fell onto his head, cracking his skull, and he had to be rushed to the hospital. When Bright returned to work the next day, he had a mild [[concussion]] and [[Whiplash (medicine)|whiplash]], but he continued with filming.<ref name="Commentary"/>

===Directing===
Richard Elfman had never gone to film school when production started, and "I didn't know what I was getting into."<ref name="DVD documentary"/> The production, from its original 16mm roots to its finish, took three years. Cast and crew members would sleep on the film's stage, wearing spare gorilla suits to stay warm.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Among the film's artistic influences included 1940s [[big band]] and [[jazz]] music and [[Max Fleischer]] cartoons of the 1930s (such as [[Betty Boop]]).<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Some of the film's cast was made up of non-professionals cast off the street. In one scene, Richard Elfman brought in a young man to mouth the words of "Bim Bam Boom", but when he was put in front of the camera, he stood there as the scene was shot. Elfman left the scene in the film by editing in Bright's lips over the actor's face.<ref name="Commentary"/> Another scene featured homeless men.<ref name="Commentary"/>

===Animation===
The film's animation was created by then-unknown animator John Muto. Because of the film's low budget, Muto created all of the film's animation sequences himself.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Muto made frequent use of airbrush techniques to establish for himself a distinctive style.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> For sequences in which live-action and animation were [[Live-Action-Animation Combination|combined]], the actors were photographed in tight head-on and profile shots, and the photos were cut out and pasted into the animation in a style recalling [[Terry Gilliam]]'s work on ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.<ref name="DVD documentary"/> Muto also credits the [[Fleischer Studios|Fleischer Brothers]] as another inspiration.<ref name="DVD documentary"/>

===Music===
{{main|Forbidden Zone (soundtrack)}}
''Forbidden Zone'' was the first film scored by Danny Elfman, who would eventually score, among other films, ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]'', ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'', and ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film)|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]''. The song ''Witch's Egg'' was written by [[Georg Michalski]] and Tyrrell.<ref name="Commentary"/> In some scenes, characters [[Lip synchronization|lip synch]] to old records, including recordings by Cab Calloway, [[Josephine Baker]], and others.

The alphabet song performed in a classroom scene was inspired by the "[[Swinging the Alphabet]]" song from [[The Three Stooges]] short ''[[Violent Is the Word for Curly]]''.<ref name="Commentary"/>

For the "Yiddishe Charleston" scene, Richard Elfman had shot the sequence with him lip-syncing to an old recording of the song, but was later unable to acquire the rights to the recording, and had to record a new version of the song while attempting to sync the new recording with the footage.<ref name="Commentary"/>

The film's soundtrack has also become popular, and its theme song was eventually reused by Danny Elfman, who rearranged it as ''The Dilbert Zone'' for use as the theme for the television series ''[[Dilbert (TV series)|Dilbert]]''.

==Release and reception==
''Forbidden Zone'' premiered at the Los Angeles [[Filmex]] film festival in 1980. The film played at the [[New Beverly Cinema]] as a [[midnight movie]] beginning March 28,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/579008187/|newspaper=[[LA Weekly]]|title=Film|page=35|date=April 3, 1980|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{subscription required}}</ref> and added three theatres in San Francisco, Seattle, and [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] in May.<ref>{{cite news|date=April 25, 1980|title=Graceland Smart Shopper|last=Donohue|first=Rita|page=C-6|newspaper=[[The Columbus Dispatch]]}}</ref> The film received another [[limited release|limited theatrical release]] through [[The Samuel Goldwyn Company]] in 1982.<ref name="Digiovanna"/><ref name="DVDTalkFZ">{{cite web |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s1336zone.html |title=DVD Savant Review: Forbidden Zone |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |author=Erickson, Glenn |date=August 28, 2004}}</ref> Following its theatrical run, ''Forbidden Zone'' fell out of circulation for roughly twenty years, though [[bootleg recording]]s helped find the film new life as a highly sought-after and well-regarded [[cult film]].<ref name="Ferrante"/> In 2004, ''[[Film Threat]]'' magazine dubbed ''Forbidden Zone'' "the ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' of [[underground film|underground movies]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://filmthreat.com/uncategorized/forbidden-zone-re-released/ |title='Forbidden Zone' Re-Released |first=Eric |last=Campos|website=[[Film Threat]] |date=2004-03-17}}</ref> {{As of|2024}} the film has a score of 83% on [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], with an average rating of 6.6/10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/forbidden_zone_1980 |title=Forbidden Zone (1980) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher=[[Flixster]] |access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

===Home media===
The film was digitally restored and released on [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]] DVD by Fantoma in 2004, receiving a Region 2 release by [[Arrow Films|Arrow Film Distributors Ltd.]] in 2006.<ref name="DVDTalkFZ" /> In 2008, with Elfman's blessing and input, a [[film colorization|colorized]] version of ''Forbidden Zone'' was issued on DVD by [[Legend Films]],<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Elfman|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Elfman|url=http://www.buzzinefilm.com/columns/film-column-forbidden-zone-color-07182009|title=Forbidden Zone (In Color): A Statement from Your Director|magazine=Buzzine|date=July 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529003450/http://www.buzzinefilm.com/columns/film-column-forbidden-zone-color-07182009|archive-date=May 29, 2011}}</ref> and was later screened in exhibition at the New York [[Museum of Modern Art]] in 2010.<ref name="Ferrante"/><ref name="ForbiddenZoneMOMA">{{cite web|url=http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/films/1047|title=Tim Burton Sidebar: Waking Sleeping Beauty and Forbidden Zone|year=2010|work=[[Museum of Modern Art]]|publisher=moma.org|access-date=4 July 2010}}</ref> Arrow released a Blu-Ray edition in the UK in 2012, followed by "Ultimate Edition" North American Blu-Ray and DVD releases by [[MVD Entertainment Group]] in 2015; all contained both the black-and-white and color versions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Forbidden-Zone-Blu-ray/37478/ |title=Forbidden Zone Blu-Ray |publisher=Blu-Ray.com |date=May 17, 2012 |author=Atanasov, Svet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=17431 |title=Forbidden Zone: The Ultimate Edition Blu-ray |publisher=Blu-Ray.com |date=August 20, 2015}}</ref>

===Controversies===
Upon its original release, ''Forbidden Zone'' was singled out for criticism for its use of broadly-drawn [[racism|racist]], [[homophobia|homophobic]], [[antisemitism|antisemitic]] and [[Criticism of Christianity|anti-Christian]] visuals and characters.<ref name="Commentary"/><ref name="DCFZPC">{{cite web |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/273701/forbidden-zone-and-political-correctness/ |title=Forbidden Zone and Political Correctness |publisher=[[Dread Central]] |author=Elfman, Richard |date=2018}}</ref> Elfman, himself of Jewish heritage, has disputed many of these accusations, noting that elements seen as homophobic were inspired by his time as a director and occasional performer in the San Francisco avant-garde [[drag (clothing)|drag]] troupe [[The Cockettes]], while the character of "Mr. Bernstein", accused of being an exaggerated Jewish stereotype, was played by Elfman's Jewish grandfather Herman Bernstein, of whom Elfman wryly asserted "wasn't acting".<ref name="Commentary"/><ref name="DCFZPC" />

In particular, ''Forbidden Zone'' has been criticized for its brief use of surreal [[blackface]]. In 2020, Elfman digitally removed the blackface images and replaced them with "clown-face". In an interview with [[Dread Central]], he explained "Going back to our very first test screening in 1980, there were a few things that really bugged me. The film is an absurdist fever-dream with hundreds of crazy, cartoonish images. I regretted the few seconds of [[Max Fleischer]]-era black-face and wanted to change it to 'clown-face'. But the film had{{snd}}literally{{snd}}bankrupted me, I had lost control and couldn't complete it exactly the way I wanted. Well, forty years later, I fucking can!". Elfman's director's cut was released in early 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/365872/video-richard-elfman-releasing-forbidden-zone-directors-cut-in-color |title=Video: Richard Elfman Releasing FORBIDDEN ZONE Director's Cut! |author=Millican, Josh |publisher=[[Dread Central]] |date=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

==Legacy==
===Sequel===
In June 2009, it was revealed through an entry on [[IMDb]] that Elfman had been developing a sequel to ''Forbidden Zone'' entitled ''Forbidden Zone 2: The Forbidden Galaxy''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2009/06/29/FORBBIDEN-ZONE-goes-color-and-FORBIDDEN-ZONE-2-THE-FORBIDDEN-GALAXY-coming |title=FORBBIDEN ZONE goes color and FORBIDDEN ZONE 2: THE FORBIDDEN GALAXY coming! |publisher=Quietearth.us |access-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-date=July 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090702083253/http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2009/06/29/FORBBIDEN-ZONE-goes-color-and-FORBIDDEN-ZONE-2-THE-FORBIDDEN-GALAXY-coming |url-status=dead }}</ref> The prospective project was more formally detailed in March 2014 when Elfman launched a successful crowdfunding campaign on [[IndieGoGo]] to raise part of the film's financing. As of the campaign's most recent update in May 2023, Elfman confirmed the project is "still alive" and noting that he "will not give up on FZ2", describing ''Forbidden Zone 2'' as "number one on his {{linktext|bucket list}}." "As long as I am breathing, I will do Forbidden Zone 2!"<ref name="Forbidden Zone 2"/>

===Stage show===
In 2010, ''Forbidden Zone'' was performed as a live stage show with the support of Richard Elfman. It is a production of the [[Sacred Fools Theater Company]], and premiered there in Los Angeles on Friday, May 21, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacredfools.org/mainstage/10/forbiddenzone/news.htm |title=Sacred Fools – Press – Forbidden Zone – Live in the 6th Dimension |access-date=July 21, 2010}}</ref>

===Mixed media===
Richard Elfman entered into a licensing deal with the creative resource company, [[Pangea Corporation|PANGEA]], to provide licensees with the opportunity to create merchandise based on the cult film. According to articles that appeared in the media on May 3, 2016, the arrangement calls for content to be created that will include a Storyboard Book of the original film, featuring commentary and anecdotal notes from director. Shot glasses and sculpted pieces were among the list of immediate items that would be released. A fantasy novella series was also noted as being under development.<ref name="licensing" />

''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show|Rocky Horror]]'' "shadow cast" companies have begun performing screenings of the film. Elfman sometimes participates in these live performances. He enters in a clown suit and beats a big bass drum that is accompanied by a Brazilian percussion ensemble—reminiscent of his former group, the [[Oingo Boingo|Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Vega |first=Priscella |title=Fans Got Lost At the "Forbidden Zone" Shadow Cast Screening in Long Beach's Art Theatre |url=http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/06/fans_got_lost_at_the_forbidden.php|publisher=OCWeekly|access-date=June 26, 2012 |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201173826/http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/06/fans_got_lost_at_the_forbidden.php |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Wolff|first=Sander Roscoe|title=Richard Elfman's Forbidden Zone Friday|url=http://www.lbpost.com/life/2000000505-richard-elfman-fz30|newspaper=Long Beach Post|access-date=June 19, 2012|archive-date=June 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624234239/http://www.lbpost.com/life/2000000505-richard-elfman-fz30|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Syfy|The Syfy Channel]] has run a teaser piece musical number,<ref>{{cite web|title=FORBIDDEN ZONE 2: The Forbidden Galaxy! Erin Holt as the horny/horrible Princess Polly| date=March 20, 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi8lcJDlaVg| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/oi8lcJDlaVg| archive-date=2021-11-16 | url-status=live|publisher=BuzzineNetworks|access-date=March 20, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> "Princess Polly" from ''Forbidden Zone 2: The Forbidden Galaxy'' on its show ''[[Monster Man (TV series)|The Monster Man]],'' starring [[Cleve Hall]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.syfy.com/monsterman/episodes/season/1/episode/102/forbidden_werewolf |title=Forbidden Werewolf}}</ref> Elfman opens the Forbidden Zone shadow cast shows (after the march in) with Erin Holt singing Princess Polly live in front of her screened “monster” image on stage.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vega|first=Priscella|title=Richard Elfman Talks Forbidden Zone, to Screen this Week at Long Beach Cinematheque! |url=http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/06/richard_elfman_forbidden_zone.php|publisher=OCWeekly|access-date=June 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625170847/http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/06/richard_elfman_forbidden_zone.php |archive-date=June 25, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal|1980s}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{AFI film}}

{{Richard Elfman}}
{{Boingo}}
{{good article}}

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