Microcinefest Presents Forbidden Zone

Screening:
Saturday, April 29, 9:30p.m., Charles 4

Cast:
Harve Villechaize, Sysan Tyrrell, Marie-Pascale Elfman, Matthew Bright, Virginia Rose, Ugh-Fudge Bwana, Phil Gordon, Hyman Diamoond

Shot in glorious black & white twenty years ago, this live-action/ animation hybrid is full of sex, nudity, creative set design, wild musical numbers, and cartoonish stereotypes. Richard Elfman created Forbidden Zone's cartoonish hell in 1980, during "Oingo Boingo"'s transition from theater group to ground-breaking New Wave rock band. Not one character in the film resembles an average human being. Shot entirely on soundstages, the sets that look like homemade art-student projects-a world created 100% from scratch. The music blends back and forth between old records (Cab Calloway, Miguelito Valdez) and the music of Danny Elfman & "Oingo Boingo" (the theme to Forbidden Zone is now being used as the theme to the animated Dilbert TV series on UPN). And talk about creative casting, the film features Fantasy Island's Herve Villechaize, Susan Tyrrell (Tapeheads, Crybaby), and Danny Elfman, with cameos from Viva, Joe Spinell, and the Kipper Kids. Forbidden Zone is a campy, kinky, bizarre, surreal cult film, and unless you've already seen it, you've never seen anything like it.

The Hercules Family (Ma, Pa, Gramps, Flash & Frenchy) discover their basement hides a secret doorway to the 6th Dimension, a demented world of tortured souls (mostly topless women and men) ruled by King Fausto (Herve Villechaize) and Queen Doris (Susan Tyrrell), and guarded by jock-strap clad boxers ("The Kipper Kids") and a half-man/half-frog named BustRod. When neighbor, Renee Henderson, accidentally falls into the 6th Dimension, one by one, the entire Hercules family, and twin brother Squeezit Henderson follow. Problems arise when Frenchy is captured by the Queen, and becomes the King's love interest. Things get more complicated when Squeezit, in exchange for Renee & Frenchy's safety, kidnaps the princess and delivers her to Satan and his Big Band ("Danny Elfman & The Mystic Knights Of The Oingo Boingo").-Skizz Cyzyk

Tidbit:
The Elfman Family: Richard Elfman is the son of novelist Clare, brother of composer Danny, father of actor Bhodi, and father-in-law to actress Jenna.

Bio:
Richard Elfman started his career as an Afro-Latin percussionist, did a stint as a boxer and food critic, became a theater director in Paris and London and founded the original "Mystic Knights Of The Oingo Boingo." He has directed plays, musicals, rock videos, television shows and three feature films (Shrunken Heads and Modern Vampires being the other two). Richard is currently active as a film and stage director in Los Angeles. He also chronicles his adventures in a monthly column he writes for the webzine, Charged.

Short:
Elevator World (dir. Mitchell Rose, U.S., 4 min., 35mm) Slamdance Prize-winning animated film of actual chronicles of actual Elevator World journeys.